I am a week behind on my 60 for 60 blog. This is solely due to knocking off a few dozen brain cells last weekend. Victims of lager, cava and rum. Although I did read in the week that this murderous intention of alcohol is a myth. Similar to the one about nails continuing to grow after death. Apparently that is just your flesh shrivelling giving the impression that your nails are getting longer. Anyway hopefully my brain cells are now fully recovered making this rather late blog more coherent than if I had wrote it on time.My daughter and I, for a number of reasons, have joined a gym close to where we live. It is a 24/7 gym that is one of a chain which seem to be popping up everywhere. I did join something similar earlier in the year, close to where I work. I wasn’t that impressed so left after my three month contract expired. But needs must and so far, so ok.

It is very different to what I’m use to. For the last six years I have belonged to an independent gym that focuses on high intensity CrossFit type classes and weight training. I now have the choice of what I would describe as ‘retro’ classes. Body pump, spin, LBT (legs, bums and tums, not a sandwich). But is only women that partake of these classes. Whilst the weights area is the domain of the opposite gender. Very few women lift weights making my daughter and I a bit of an oddity. A couple of weeks ago I was doing a ‘glute bridge’ when a muscle bound man, not in the first flush of youth, came over to ‘instruct’ me in what I was doing wrong. I did try to be polite but how dare he. I’ve been doing such exercises for years under excellent instruction. And I’m sure he wouldn’t have done the same to a man.

So I now go to a gym where women do the classes and men prowl the weights floor. Not what I’m use to. But it did get me thinking.

I now have three fitness qualifications, gym instructor, personal trainer, and exercise for the older adult. The only gender specific considerations are in the training of pregnant and post natal women. For the rest of the population the same principles apply across men and women. So why do women tend to gravitate towards the classes and men the weights floor? Is it the social aspect of classes whereas doing a bench press is a rather solitary experience. Or do women lack the confidence to lift weights. If my recent experience is anything to go by I’m not surprised. But if there is a gender that benefits more from strength training it has to be women particularly after the menopause. Women are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than men. Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones start to thin and can break. Such a break can lead to incapacity, loss of independence and even death. Strength training can protect against its development. So why aren’t gyms full of post menopausal women? 

The reasons, I believe, are multi factorial and where the individual is concerned quite complex. Time, money, family responsibilities. In addition, gyms don’t market to older people. From what I see on social media sites they are primarily chasing the late 20 to early 40 age group. A post of an older person doing an impressive deadlift or back squat is an exception not the norm. An opportunity for a load of comments of admiration and hopes for the same strength in 20, 30, 40 years with the occasional condescending ‘bless him/her’ thrown in. So is it women or gyms that need to change? Probably both. But if money was no object I would open up a gym for men and women of a certain age where we could kick ass to the blast of 80s music followed by a cup of tea and a little lie down. Bliss.