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Strength: All aboard
Frances Marcellin spoke to the experts to find out more about how gyms can encourage women to take up strength training
Strength training is trending in 2023 and is a growing market for gym operators. It’s also a practice gaining popularity with older women for its proven benefits during midlife and menopause.
There are more 40+ females joining this space on the gym floor, yet with some women experiencing gymtimidation and feeling unwelcome in such male-dominated territory, what strength equipment can gyms install to create a more inclusive strength training zone that feels approachable to women and men? Our experts give their views.
Women are now training everywhere, on equipment that was historically more commonly used by men and are knowledgeable about working out this way, understanding the benefits that come with training in different modalities, including free weights. I think this is a trend that will continue to grow.
If I had to pick one area of focus where we’re seeing growth, I’d say glute training, regardless of whether it’s on selectorised or plate-loaded machines. That’s why we wanted to drive this trend with products such as the Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded or Life Fitness Insignia Glute Bridge.
Both men and women can be intimidated by strength training and the design of the strength training area can play a big role in reducing that intimidation. I believe this has more to do with the facility creating the appropriate environment than the specific equipment itself – but that could be because we’ve been focused on building non-intimidating, easy-to-use strength equipment for the last 20 years.
More: www.lifefitness.com
Gymtimidation happens to every gym goer at some point in their gym lifetime because we all want to perform the best we can. Dumbbells are ideal because you can drop in at any weight and also move your workout away from the weights area if you’re still feeling anxious.
However, we would say that weight lifters are the friendliest bunch at the gym – everyone wants to cheer on another to hit their PB. Everyone picking up those weights started at less than 10kg at some point. Lifting is a progression, it’s not about where you started from.
Dumbbells are our favourite because they’re available in many weights and price points. There are 100s of workouts for them, many of which are online, including on our own YouTube channel, so users can improve their knowledge and feel more confident before going to the gym.
More: www.jordanfitness.com
As operators continue to rebuild from the pandemic lockdowns, people are flocking back to gyms and studios. With that growth, it’s important to recognise that some may be experts while others may be working out for the first time outside their home gym. Therefore, accessibility and approachability are ever more important.
At Core Health and Fitness, our strength lines allow for easy access, intuitive setup and best-in-class biomechanics to support all levels of users and athletes. Specifically, our plate-loaded Glute Drive and Leverage lines make it possible for everyone to be successful in the weight room.
Plate-loaded machines benefit users, giving them their desired workout while guiding motion safely and effectively. For example, our new Leverage Deadlift Shrug allows someone to perform functional exercises, such as a deadlift, safely, controlling their hand positions and keeping the bar away from their shins. It also allows for simplified adjustments for start and stop positions, accommodating a wide range of users.
he Nautilus Leverage and plate-loaded line has a focus on biomechanics and ergonomics, with low-profile, low-load points and user-centric features to make strength-training areas approachable for everyone.
More: www.corehandf.com
From our perspective, robotic machines with servo motors can transform strength-training areas to make them into more inclusive spaces. We want everyone to be able to operate them without needing expert knowledge – like driving a car, users just want the vehicle to work and to enjoy its benefits.
Gymtimidation can make you feel you’re not in the right place. With Nexa, a user is briefed on day one and from this point on a user’s data is stored and they work against their previous performance. The servo motor knows the user’s force limit to one-10th of a second, so anyone who is not used to weights can feel as though they’re training like a NASA astronaut.
More: www.nexarevolution.com
All strength-training equipment should be seen as inclusive. We’ve seen a shift in the industry’s focus as it relates to women and strength training and women have embraced it because of the clear results it produces.
Pin-loaded resistance machines have long been associated with entry-level and safe-strength training. The possibility of incorrectly using pin-loaded resistance machines is greatly reduced due to the fixed range of motion and stability it offers. The IFI Pulse offering increases this even further for disabled wheelchair users, improving accessibility for people of all abilities.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is in good gym floor planning, which can immediately reduce perceived barriers. Typically, the status quo of gym floor planning was to have areas dedicated to different sections without understanding member habits.
Gymtimidation is more about who is in an area rather than what is in the area. A popular solution has been to have a women-only section, but not all facilities can or choose to offer this option, so a simple, yet effective solution could be understanding the member’s journey, from doorway to dumbbell. Knowing this can make it look and feel more welcoming.
More: www.pulsefitness.com
