Stereotypes that Stop Us From Exercising

The purpose of this article is let everyone know that a gym is for one reason, and one reason only, to maximize the level of physical fitness that you are at; that entails muscle strengthening, core stabilization, flexibility, weight loss, weight gain, rehabilitation, and even stress relief at times. I know that the gym has a lot of stereotypes that can be very distracting and intimidating at the same time. But whenever you enroll at a gym to exercise, it’s for that reason, just to exercise. Now what exercise can do for you personally is a whole other ballgame. I’m merely just trying to talk to the biggest reasons that people don’t join a gym, which ironically are the same group of people that may need it the most; but everyone needs to exercise regardless.

Let’s talk about some of the stereotypes. As fitness has changed over the years since the time of Jack Lelane, so has the technology of equipment; so the new-age equipment is intimidating. Gyms can still have a lot of men/women that think they are bodybuilders or power lifters; I like to call them muscleheads, in which the name speaks for itself. There are a lot of women that wear tight, new-age, revealing clothing aka spandex princesses, which can be intimidating. Typically the muscleheads like to hit-on or flirt with the spandex princesses, which can give the gym a “pick-up” place stereotype.  Gyms are too crowded to exercise is another common intimidating factor. All of these are factors that can stop you from exercising and getting back into great shape, but they can all be explained and overcome.

Fitness has been brought to the mainstream by such great fitness icons as Jack Lelane, Arthur Jones (Nautilus), Augie Nieto (Life Fitness), and John McCarthy (Cybex). These are some of the founding fathers that pioneered a fitness movement that you and I experience every day. The technology of equipment has definitely been upgraded since their beginning days. New discoveries about the body are being made daily by such groups as National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Aerobics & Fitness Association of America (AFAA), and American Council on Exercise (ACE), so fitness equipment is being modified all the time to be safer for you, but it has the same general movement. But because some of these new age equipment machine designs, they can look like you need a college degree to operate them. Most machines in a gym have instructions of operation, pictures of the muscles to be worked, and pictures of starting and stopping positions posted right on them. If you still have questions, then you can ask a gym attendant for help. It’s that easy.

Too many people can be distracting to you and your workout. From the muscleheads that do nothing but lift heavy weights and drop them which is usually accompanied by a lot of grunting to the spandex princesses that wear nothing at the gym just to run on the treadmill and look at themselves in the mirror. But what you have to realize is that the muscleheads and princesses are there for the same reason as you are, to better themselves, whether it be looking better, feeling better, getting stronger, or getting leaner, rehabilitation; they all have a goal, like you should. What is your goal?

Let’s be honest, gyms can be packed now. If you look at the amount of motivated people that there are now compared to just a couple of months ago, it’s almost tripled. New Year’s resolution people are still there, some have fallen off, but some do stay. And, we are only four months from summertime. Some people don’t like overcrowded places and that includes their gym. Just merely ask a gym staff member when the busiest times and try to go at another time. It’s that easy. Tight revealing workout clothing is being sold at all sports stores now and some people like it, and some people don’t. And it’s ok if you don’t, and it shouldn’t stop you from exercising. Not everyone wears what you wear to the gym i.e. sweats and a loose fitting shirt.

With all of these things addressed, there is always going to be something that is going to try to stop us from exercising. I didn’t even address how a majority of the senior population says that they are too old to exercise or how a common excuse for not joining a gym is, “ I have to get back into shape before I go to the gym. “ Ironically, senior fitness is a great way to keep muscles active, joints stronger and more stable, and protect bones from being so fragile. And to not join a gym because you feel like you’re too out of shape is no reason. The only way to get back into shape is to join a gym of some sort because maybe all of your other start-up ideas to get in better shape aren’t working. But if you have questions, just ask a gym staff how you want to get started and what start-up programs they offer for people, like yourself, who haven’t exercised in a long time. It’s that easy.

I hope this helps you further along in your fitness endeavors. Make the choice today. You can do it.

For a complimentary consultation or questions, e-mail Ben Borsellino at Borsellino.Ben@gmail.com, call 925-293-4097, or visit www.californiafitness247.com.