Gyms for Women: How to Find the Right Studio

In terms of training intensity, women are now in no way inferior to men. And also in the training concepts and methods there are hardly any differences between the sexes. Free deadlifts or bench presses are now a matter of course for women. Training on the iron is thus visibly losing its reputation as a male-only sport. Nevertheless, some women feel more comfortable in gyms that are explicitly designed for women only.

In the gym especially for female members, women more often have the feeling that they can pursue their training undisturbed. Because especially beginners are often afraid of doing certain exercises incorrectly and therefore train much more cautiously. The inhibition threshold is often much lower in front of other women.

And even though most gyms now have a weights section for women, the course programme is still geared more towards the female target group. On the one hand, this is of course quite advantageous. On the other hand, however, it can happen that perhaps courses such as fitness boxing or BodyCombat are neglected in one or the other women's fitness studio.

The standard equipment of a women's fitness studio should include barbells, dumbbells and equipment for strength training with your own body weight, such as pull-up bars and dip stands. Free exercises such as squats, deadlifts and dips can not only be highly varied, but are also extremely efficient when it comes to building muscle mass and getting really fit. But also a selection of supporting equipment such as training rubber bands or grip aids is highly recommended, especially for beginners.

The term functional training has been gaining importance in the fitness scene for years. It expresses that the workout in the studio should also bring practical benefits in everyday life. The exercises here are primarily geared towards natural movement sequences and should have a supportive effect in everyday activities. In addition to exercises with your own body weight, this method primarily uses training equipment such as TRX bands, kettlebells or exercise balls, which should also not be missing in any studio for women.

Still highly praised in the 1980s and 1990s, training on the chest press, lat machine or bicycle ergometer has recently come in for increased criticism. However, even if training with free weights is generally preferable to the often criticized rigid movement patterns of the machines, the machines definitely have their raison d'être - especially when it comes to fitness beginners. It is often easier to get started on machines and the muscles can be trained in a very targeted and isolated manner. The machines also allow a particularly gentle training in case of previous damage or injury.

For many years, a real perennial favorite in the area of fitness for women: the courses. Instead of training alone on the iron or on the treadmill, many prefer to train in a group and benefit from the additional motivation and the high fun factor with this course plan. In addition, there is now an unmanageable variety of offers that no gym can cover on its own. However, a solid selection of the most popular courses such as Zumba, spinning or yoga should be found in every good studio.