The other day I read a post about a barre challenge in which the workout was referred to as “girly.”
To be fair, the author admitted that the workout was more challenging than anticipated and did not write the post in a critical way, but nevertheless, that single description got my blood boiling.
Since when is any form of exercise “girly?”
In this country, we have a growing obesity epidemic, and it’s no secret that our sedentary lifestyles are literally killing us.
And yet we feel the need to negatively label and criticize a person’s choice of fitness?
In the words of the great American philosopher Cher Horowitz, as if.
I absolutely loathe how we’ve turned “clean eating” into this competition of who can be the “purest”—and I feel like certain organizations, programs, and individuals are doing the same to exercise!
Let me be clear, I have no medical or fitness training. I’m not going to lecture you on scientific theories, muscle groups, or whether 60 minutes of low-intensity cardio is better or worse than 20 minutes of high-intensity circuit training—I just don’t have that type of knowledge.
But what I am going to tell you is that any exercise is good exercise.
Yes, if you want to gain strength, build muscle, and burn fat, you need to practice some heavy lifting.
If you desire to lose weight and not stagnate, you probably shouldn’t turn only to cardio-based workouts.
But whether you run 20 miles a week, shake your booty at Zumba, get ripped at Crossfit, or sweat your face off at Bikram—it’s up to you.
I’ve said before, fitness should be fun.
Fitness should never feel like an obligation or punishment.
A good workout should make you feel empowered and energized.
When you say to your friend, “my glutes are on fire” after a barre workout and he counters with “I just sweat buckets during spin,” you should both feel good about yourselves because you just did something amazing for your body!
We all have personal preferences. I know plenty of people who just can’t get into yoga or barre no matter how many times they try and feel like a workout must leave them dead on the floor to be “worthwhile” to them personally.
And that’s fine!
You absolutely should find a workout—or a variety of them—that appeals to you.
If you’re not enjoying the workout, then it’s the wrong workout for you.
Find what gets your endorphins flowing and makes you want to flex in the mirror or, better yet, take on the world.
Just be mindful of somebody else’s choices and leave the competition on the actual competition floor.
Any exercise is GOOD exercise! #sweatpink #fitfluential Share on X[linking up for thinking out loud]
- Have you ever felt like regular exercise was a competition?
- Is there one type of workout or fitness class that just doesn’t appeal to you? Zumba. Your girl’s got no rhythm.
- What’s your favorite way to exercise?
YES. Working out is working out. Are some types “harder”? Of course. Will they deliver different results? Also, of course. HOWEVER, they’ll deliver one important similar result: you’ll be healthier if you do them. I love this.
P.S. I’m in love with your Clueless reference.
Yay, I’m glad somebody commented on the Clueless reference! 🙂
Definitely agree that no matter what you choose, you’ll be healthier. My choices vary from week to week, but the main thing is I get moving!
In college it seemed like every girl was in competition with every other. Grades, social scene and at the gym. I found that I could fall into that pattern really easily. However, it was when I started actually having a goal and training for something that the competition with other stopped. I had a race I wanted to do and a general plan of how to get there. I didn’t want to sabotage my progress by “beating” some chick at the gym.
Now, even when I don’t have a goal, the competition with others is gone. I simply workout for me. If my exercise is deemed “girly” then cool, I’m proud of being a girl so what’s wrong with doing a girly workout? 🙂
I was very much like that throughout school. It is different when you have a specific goal in mind – something unique to YOU. You develop blinders to everything else going on – but in a good way.
Good point about “I’m proud of being a girl so what’s wrong with a girly workout.” I wanted to say something about “girly” being used in a negative light, but that’s another post for another day, ha. I’m wordy enough as it is. 🙂
Right there with you on being useless at Zumba. Also, have you tried step? IMPOSSIBLE.
Girly is as girly does. I know some barre bitches who could beat you up.
I have not tried step, but I almost tried pound – and then chickened out the last minute. Yeah, some of the girls I know who do barre and yoga are girls I would NOT want to cross. They are ridiculously strong!
i love this! I hate how its such a competition! I think that mindset is often what scares people who are new to exercise away!
You’re so right. Even though I’ve been active most my life, even I was susceptible to that mindset and fear. How about we just encourage people to MOVE and do what they love?!
I think that’s why I gravitate away from the gym, because I get too stuck in comparing myself to others instead of enjoying the movement, praising God for the way He made my body to move, and really just enjoying the exercise. Exercise shouldn’t be miserable! It should be fun, and if it’s a challenge, a fun challenge.
I’m still like that at the gym, too, unless it’s a group fitness class, and then I’m ore in my element. I totally agree – exercise should not be miserable. It’s one thing to push a little harder than usual, but it’s another to loathe it entirely.
Amen! Exercise should definitely be enjoyable, and nothing bothers me more than close-minded people who brush something off just because they’re not into it. People get amazing results from yoga… and Crossfit… and running… and lifting… and cycling… and swimming… and -everything- so long as they’re consistent and doing it with passion. Our bodies were made to move… we just need to find which is the most enjoyable way and do that 🙂
Exactly. I know plenty of Crossfitters who, of course, could kick your butt, but I also know some yogis who are so strong and could also kick your butt. No one activity is better than the next. We just need to support one another and be happy that somebody who’s otherwise sedentary has decided to move their body – whether it’s yoga, running, or freaking 1980s aerobics videos! 😉
Wow, that annoys me they said barre was girly. Ugh, people sometimes. I totally agree with you. Any exercise is good exercise: we are moving our bodies and using the ability that God gave us to do so! Moving our bodies should always be enjoyable in my opinion too.
Yeah – I mean, sure barre is typically 95% women (although I’ve seen a few men in class who were NOT prepared for the intensity, haha) but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or less of a workout. I’ve had tougher yoga and barre workouts than I have bootcamp! It’s all about moving your body and taking care of it.
YES! I am so with you on this. I feel like exercise and diets have become so competitive and it’s SO not healthy!
So what if all your friends are runners but you’d prefer to do yoga or strength training. So what if you’d rather go for a hike than run a marathon. You’ve got to find what works for YOU – and anytime you’re getting your body moving is better than nothing!
Yes, totally agree with this! And how boring would life be if we all did the exact same thing for exercise every single day?! I can’t imagine being so mean as to put down someone else’s workout. I always have and always will, applaud my friends for anything that gets them active.