Many people treat the gym as a sacred place. It lets them focus, lowers their stress, and acts as an escape from work and their personal lives. For women, it shouldn't be a place where they are hit on or approached while trying to exercise. This is an increasingly common problem that everyone should be aware of and ensure they aren't guilty of it, or speak up if they see it happening.
Sadly, some see the gym as a public place where social interaction is not only appropriate but should be expected. They don't realize that approaching women can be intrusive, annoying, and uncomfortable for them. Regardless of their perception of the gym, it is a setting for fitness and not flirtation.
Before you sign up for your next fitness class, review these reasons why you need to stop approaching women in the gym.
The Gym is a Place for Uninterrupted Focus
People go to the gym to exercise, work up a sweat, improve their strength, and feel good after an hour or two of hard work. Interrupting someone as they are focusing on an exercise breaks their concentration and can affect their performance.
Gyms are performance spaces, no different than a baseball diamond or an ice rink. They aren't geared toward social interactions, and that is rarely encouraged. You wouldn't interrupt someone while they were playing hockey, right? So why do it at the gym?.
Respect someone's personal space and recognize that it's never okay to bother a woman to ask for her number while she's lifting weights.
It's Uncomfortable and Creates an Unsafe Space
Unsolicited approaches, or even a friendly advance, can objectify a woman and make her feel unsafe. Once a space feels unsafe, they might be discouraged from returning, which would be unfair. No one wants to spend time in a hostile environment.
Remember, when a woman wears workout gear, they are doing so for performance, not to catch your eye. Being in a gym should feel empowering, and assuming that it's for attention says a lot about you. If this is your belief, then you are perpetuating outdated ideas that belong in the trash bin of history.
Every gym member deserves a safe environment to work out and spend time alone. This is what they're paying for, and it's wrong to rob them of this experience.
There Are Better Places to Meet Women
If none of these reasons sway you to not approach a woman at a gym, then how about the fact that there are simply better places? Social events or online dating apps can give you what you need without having you act like a creep.
When people work out, they are sweaty, tired, and trying to physically exert themselves. This doesn't lend itself to an ideal scenario to get a date. You might also draw the ire of other members or staff who are committed to executing a code of conduct that can maintain a safe space.
Gym rule or not, respecting the unwritten rules of society shows that you are a mature and respectful person and can prevent uncomfortable situations and misunderstandings from happening.
You bought a gym membership to get in shape and reduce your stress, not to disrupt the experience of another gym member. It's always out of line to approach a woman at a gym unless you are genuinely asking for a spotter or some help. Otherwise, focus on your workout and find more appropriate places to meet singles.
