Eyes on the Treadmill, Not on Me

You walk into Love Gym, energetic and ready to work out. You’ve got a water bottle in one hand, headphones dangling from your neck and athletic shorts swishing around your legs. Everything is perfect and prepped for an intense, sweat-inducing workout… and then you walk into the fitness center.There are people everywhere. If you’re a girl, the thought of guys lifting weights and watching you run and gasp for air on the treadmill as sweat soaks your t-shirt embarrasses you. And if you’re a boy, struggling with weights and having the opposite gender giggle at you isn’t exactly the most comforting. This everyday issue can be solved with one simple thing: gender-separated fitness hours.It’s safe to say that most people do not look their best while working out. Whether you’re running on the treadmill, lifting weights, doing squats or counting sit-ups, there is a lot of sweat, air-gasping, and flushed faces involved. Having to do this in public is bad enough, but when in front of the opposite gender, it’s downright intimidating. Girls, who usually put the effort into looking good through out the day, don’t want guys judging them based on the worst time for their hair. And boys, who want to focus on improving, don’t want girls comparing them to others or laughing about them struggling.Working out is supposed to be a stress-reliever. After a full day of classes, there are some people who want to burn off their tension on an elliptical or stair-stepper. What’s the point of having a beautiful fitness center on campus if students avoid it out of fear of making a fool of themselves in front of the opposite gender?With separate hours, girls and boys can equally split fitness time during the week. During one set of workout hours, females can focus on getting in shape and exercising with their friends, instead of constantly adjusting their hair or wiping the sweat from their heads. In another set, male students can help each other improve their strength or speed without any of that girly gossip to distract them. More people would use the gym, thus resulting in a happier, healthier campus.Exeter is lucky to have such a great gym and fitness center on campus. Even students who don’t do sports have the option to stay fit and stress-free during the school year. Equally split hours between both genders would reassure and encourage everybody to go more often. This idea, both simple and effective, would be a great improvement to the health and wellness of the entire student body.