Friday, 19th November 2021
We understand that signing up to the gym is a big step and may be daunting; however, it’s been revealed that women are more likely to feel this way than men.
Focus groups and surveys have been conducted with over 1,000 women over the age of 16 and they highlighted a number of reasons that stop women and girls from exercising. A report released by This Girl Can revealed that up to 45% of participants were concerned about not being fit enough while 30% were worried about showing their body and 27% feared being judged by others.
Other concerns that came up in the report included not knowing correct techniques or which exercises to do, as well as not feeling comfortable working out in front of others or not fitting in.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “Reducing the barriers to female participation is a fundamental challenge for our sector, with our research showing clear demand from more women and girls to be able to enjoy these facilities.”
What can we do to help?
Although we know this is an industry-wide issue, we’re always working on improving our facilities and making sure our leisure centres are a welcoming place for everyone in our local community.
If you’ve read some of the above points and thought: ‘that’s me!’, then don’t worry - we can help you jump that first hurdle and get started.
Some of the concerns raised in the report included a lack of knowledge or confidence in exercises and techniques. We include 12 free personal training sessions with our Activo memberships – that’s one every month each year! Our personal trainers are not only there to offer you support and guidance, but they’ll create a training plan and help you achieve your goals.
For those of you worried about not being fit enough to get started… we all have to start somewhere and group fitness classes are a fantastic place to begin!
We run lots of different classes across our centres, from dance-based workouts to high energy H.I.I.T sessions – there’s something for everyone. As well as offering variety, classes are also a great place to meet new, like-minded people, plus the moves and exercises can be tweaked to suit your fitness level and ability.
If you feel like the gym isn’t for you and don’t feel confident about going, then that’s okay too! We have three pools across our centres, plus an athletics track which is perfect if you like exercising outdoors. We also have the Feelgood Toning Suite at Pendle Leisure Centre in Colne.
If you’re not quite ready for the gym, this is a great place to start. It’s suitable for people of all ages and abilities and is ideal for those with mobility issues or other health concerns. It features several power-assisted gym machines which give you a helping hand when exercising.
If you’re keen to get started, feel free to pop into our centres to see our facilities or speak to our friendly teams – we’re always happy to help you, no matter where you are on your fitness journey.
You can also find out more about our fitness memberships on our website, including our member benefits.
