By Maureen Steenbergen
In the traditionally male dominated world of fitness, women’s-only programs and facilities are breathing new life onto the sports scene.
Lifting weights in the gym has been one area women have shyed away from. Fighting the fear of bulking up too much, as well as intimidation and lack of knowledge, the extent of women’s participation has typically included only cardio machines and aerobic classes.
Sue Hylland, the executive director for the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, says the physical activity of women is one third lower than that of men.
“If it’s going to get more women involved by offering female-only programs,” Hylland says, “I think it’s a great thing.”
Dwayne Scullion, the adult recreation coordinator at the YMCA-YWCA on Argyle Street, is trying to change this.
He has coordinated a bi-monthly workshop called the “intro to free weights for women”. Scullion says turnout has been great.
“I usually have to have two trainers because there are so many women,” he says, adding that he is now splitting up the groups.
Women from multi-cultural backgrounds now have the opportunity to live a healthier life as well. Because of their religion, some women are not allowed to be seen without their heads or skin covered, which has prevented them from being able to work out at co-ed gyms.
But women’s-only programs are changing that problem.
According to Nathalie Vallieres-Loy, the pool co-ordinator at the Jack Purcell Community Centre, 60 to 70 per cent of the women attending the program are from multi-cultural backgrounds. This is one reason why women’s-only programs are so important and popular.
“I think the biggest thing is the religious [reason],” she says, “For a lot of them, they can’t be in a bathing suit in front of other men.” Vallieres-Loy also suggests women may prefer women’s-only programs because they’re not comfortable swimming with men, which could be for cultural reasons as well.
She says the women’s-only swim program has been very popular in the 10 years that it has been running.
Due to its popularity, she started women’s-only swimming lessons in September and is launching another program for mothers and their children in the new year.
Alison Chayka, manager of the women’s-only Good Life Fitness Club on McArthur Avenue, says in a women’s-only environment, women’s issues and needs can be addressed more fully than in a co-ed gym.
For example, seminars are offered at the club to cater to women’s needs with topics such as weight lifting and the importance of physical activity.
This is one reason why Mary-Anne Cote started working out at the women’s-only Good Life fitness centre. She says weights are more available than in a co-ed gym, where they are usually used by men.
Scullion says the weight training workshops the YMCA-YWCA offers also take into account women’s physical concerns, such as osteoporosis. He says the routines and movements are taught to women with these issues in mind, which does not necessarily happen in co-ed programs.
Scullion says that overall, with women’s programs, the activities are geared towards women’s goals, and that the programs are less generalized.