During the Pandemic, the fitness industry has become very popular.
There are a lot of on-campus student recreation centers, but the Baierl Student Recreation Center is my favorite. Even with the mandatory hike up Cardiac Hill, it’s still packed.
A crowded gym up a steep hill is intimidating to beginners. It is easy for students to go to the gym because all of the on-campus gyms are accessible with your student ID.
The summer is the only time of the year when fall and spring semester classes aren’t in session. If you don’t stay for the summer, you will have to find a place to work out in large groups.
The gym is intimidating for people who aren’t cis gender males. Weight training is still mostly male-based despite the fact that the attendance rate is split between genders.
Regardless of when you decide to start going to the gym, I think it’s time for those who aren’t cis gender males to start going to the gym in order to destroy the patriarchy Also to benefit themselves if that’s what it is.
It took me a long time to understand how to gym, but I think I am getting there. I wasn’t getting enough calories and I didn’t have enough calories to fuel my body. I kept working on my full-body workouts. My Army gym-rat boyfriend helped me decide on a split of the muscle groups for each day and I only spent an hour at the gym.
The best way to learn is to make mistakes. If you spend at least an hour a day at the gym and eat well, you can go wrong.
I was more confident in myself after I knew what I was doing. I knew that the work I was putting into my body was worth it. I don’t look like I want to yet, but that’s ok I have learned a lot by going to the gym.
The gym at Pitt isn’t as scary as people think. You can be confident in knowing that all of the students at the same place are you. Everyone is doing their own thing at the student gym. Most people will help you out if you ask them how many sets they have left.
There are many different identities that make up the Pitt gym community. There are different genders, sexual orientations and skill levels in the place. Student gym are some of the most diverse places on campus.
Even when I am not at the gym, going to the gym has helped me reach my goals. I have improved my eating habits. I used to like eating junk food. I was not getting enough calories to maintain my body weight. My body did not reflect that. I use a basic calories counter to make sure I get all the calories I need in a day so that I can keep going to the gym.
I work out at the gym with three hours left in my classes. I have found going to the gym helps me keep a consistent routine. I use the break between my classes to burn off stress and prepare for my next class. I am given the rest of the day to study or attend my club meetings.
I have to set goals in order to get what I want. I have to go to the gym almost every day if I want to look better. It is work, but it has taught me to put a bit of effort into it.
Being strong when you aren’t a cis gender male scares people. Being strong and muscular isn’t always attributed to testosterone. Whether you go to the gym for your health, confidence or just to have a routine, it’s all welcome here.
There is a gap when it comes to the demographic of men that go to the gym, but it all starts with knowing that a crowded fitness center is not intimidating. The first thing to do to break the divide is owning it.
There are a lot of little things in life. She can be reached at jes341@pitt.edu