Top Gym Stereotypes and the Reality Behind Them

What are the most common fitness gym stereotypes? What's the reality behind these stereotypes?

Here is what 12 gym-goers had to say about common gym stereotypes:

• The Naked Old Guy in the Locker Room

• Weightlifting Makes You Bulky

• Members Are Supposed to Just Workout and Then Leave

• More Sweat Equals a Better Workout

• The Fallacy of Top Shape

• Meatheads Grunting at the Gym 

• You Must Eat Chicken, Broccoli, and Protein Shakes

• Going to the Gym to Pick Up a Date

• Gyms Are for Lazy and Overweight People

• Pregnant Women Can't Lift Heavy Weights

• Go Hard or Go Home

• If You Workout, You Can Eat Whatever You Want 

There’s Always a Naked Old Guy in the Locker Room

I love the stereotype of the naked old guy in the locker room. Everybody has a story to tell about one of these guys. 

Basically, the stereotype goes that there is always a naked old guy that lingers around the locker room, making small talk with guys as they come in and out. The old guy never actually seems to work out himself, just lingering around the showers, shooting the breeze with younger gym goers. 

The reality, though, is that I’ve only ever seen this once or twice. I’ve seen old guys who linger around the weight room, talking all the time and never actually lifting weights, but rarely do you catch them in the locker room naked. I more so think this is just a funny stereotype that plays well in commercials and gym lore.

John Ross, CEO, Test Prep Insight

Weightlifting Makes You Bulky

One of the most common fitness stereotypes is a woman at the gym who only uses cardio equipment. This stereotype persists because of a lot of myths and misinformation in the fitness world. 

Most people think that to stay lean, they have to focus on cardio because focusing on building weights will make you gain weight and look bulky. However, this isn't the case. 

Lifting weights is one of the best things anyone can do to help get a lean physique that is sustainable in the long run. Lifting weights will help build muscle, which requires a lot of energy to maintain. Weightlifting is calorically taxing because you need to fuel your muscles for performance. 

Finally, women won't get bulky through traditional weightlifting because muscle mass is often hard to build and achieve. However, these realities are hard to disseminate to most people in the gym, so the myths that keep people on the treadmill are still the truths most people believe.

Kyle Risley, CEO, Lift Vault

Members Are Supposed to Just Workout and Then Leave

I think one common fitness gym stereotype is that all members are just there to get a good workout and then leave. But the reality is, many people don't go to the gym just for the workout. They go to socialize because it gives them time with friends and family members who also love working out.

The other thing that people might not realize is how much of a community the gym can be. People who work out together and share similar goals often form strong bonds with each other, and those bonds can last long after the workout is over. Many fitness centers also have special events, like classes or workshops, which help bring people together and create a fun atmosphere.

Shaun Connell, Founder, Writing Tips Institute

More Sweat Equals a Better Workout

The more sweat, the better the weight loss. Sweating is a factor in getting rid of water weight, but it isn't what speeds up weight loss. It is a temporary fix that will go back to normal as soon as you rehydrate. 

Working out should be done in an environment that makes you want to work out. Putting yourself under extreme conditions will not bring any other difference other than making you cranky.

Isaac Robertson, Fitness Trainer & Co-Founder, Total Shape

The Fallacy of Top Shape

One of the most prevalent fitness gym stereotypes is that everyone there is super fit and in great shape. Meanwhile, the fact is that most gym-goers are just not; they're just like the rest of us, trying to get better.

Only a small percentage of people who go to the gym are considered to be in great physical condition. So, if you want to get fit, you're more likely to meet like-minded people at the gym than people who are already at the top of their gym game, so don't let that fallacy put you off. 

If you want to improve your health, fitness experts agree that going to a fitness center is an excellent place to start. 

Eran Galperin, CEO, Gymdesk

Meatheads Grunting at the Gym 

The gym gathers people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds to sweat and better themselves. It's also a place where stereotypes abound. Perhaps the most common gym stereotype is that of the “meathead.” 

This is the guy (or gal) who spends hours lifting weights, grunting, and sweating with little regard for anything else. To the outside observer, it may seem like the meathead is just in it for the gains. But there's usually more to this stereotype than meets the eye.

Working out is a way to release pent-up frustrations and find inner peace for many people. Lifting weights can be therapeutic, helping people to feel strong and capable. 

The gym can also be a place where people form deep bonds and support each other through their fitness journeys. So next time you see a meathead at the gym, don't be so quick to judge. There's usually more to their story than meets the eye.

Jimmy Minhas, Founder & CEO, GerdLi

You Must Eat Chicken, Broccoli, and Protein Shakes

A common fitness gym stereotype is that you can eat nothing more than chicken, some broccoli, and protein shakes if you want to build muscle and stay lean. The reality behind this stereotype is, first, that healthy eating can be a lot more varied, be delicious, and rarely require protein shakes.

Second, if you would choose to do so, going to the gym means you can get away with a lot less rigid diet options while still staying lean. This is because the extra muscle and moving burn more energy.

Matt Claes, Head Coach & Founder, Weight Loss Made Practical

Going to the Gym to Pick Up a Date

One gym stereotype is that this is a great place to pick up a mate or a date. There are many stereotyped people who are put into the box of strutting or performing at the gym so they can impress or take someone home as a result. 

However, the reality is that most people don't want to be seen while they're working out at a gym. Many people go early before work or late after work in order to fit workouts into their busy schedule. 

They're often not feeling or looking their best but need to use the facility in order to stay healthy. Therefore, this stereotype may be true for a tiny niche group of people, but most people do not go to the gym to look hot and expect to get a date.

Lionel Mora, CEO, Neoplants

Gyms Are for Lazy and Overweight People

That gym's members are a bunch of lazy, overweight people who just want to work out to lose weight. 

The reality is, the fitness industry is booming because people are trying to find new and improved ways to live healthier lives. That is where fitness centers come in. They are not all just for people who have the desire to lose weight; they are also for people who want to get back in shape or get ahead in their careers. 

The gym is a common place to find like-minded people who are just as passionate about the health and fitness industry as you are.

Jamie Miller, Editor, TreadmillReviewSite

Pregnant Women Can't Lift Heavy Weights

Pregnant women can lift heavy weights well into their third trimester. The biggest concern with weight training while pregnant is an injury to the abdominals or back because of stretched and weakened core muscles. 

However, the best way to keep your core strong during your pregnancy is to continue to perform compound movements that require core strength, such as squats, deadlifts, and heavy carries. 

While you may need to reduce the amount of weight used and avoid movements that stretch the core, such as pull-ups, ceasing to lift heavy just because you are pregnant is usually counter-productive.

Christi Timmers-Smith, Pre/Postnatal Trainer, Eat Lift Mom

Go Hard or Go Home

“Go hard or go home.” “Pain is just weakness leaving the body.”

Seeing these slogans on social media (or worse, in a gym itself) should inspire little more than a set of eye rolls.

The truth is, hard work in the gym gets results. However, that you have to be pushing yourself to a breaking point in order to reach your goals or even to just have an effective workout is reductive and inaccurate.

The key to muscle growth and strength gain is “stimulate, don’t annihilate.” The actual progress you make comes from the recovery you do outside of the gym.

A workout that makes you useless for the rest of the day is not a good one. Generally speaking, you're going to get better, more sustainable results from staying within 1-2 reps of failure for your bigger compound exercises. If you aim to leave the gym feeling better than you went in, you’re going to be on a better path than if you aimed to leave it on your hands and knees.

Brett Durney, CEO, Fitness Lab

If You Workout, You Can Eat Whatever You Want

Imagine this: you're at the gym in March, trying to be a bit more active and healthier after the holidays and the long winter. You look around and can't help but be a little envious of some individuals around you. Do you think if you just work harder, spend more time in the gym, and do more HIIT workouts, you'd be shredded in no time? Right?!

Wrong. Excellent health and wellness come from consistent exercise AND diet. Only, look to those around you to inspire, not to compare. You're on your own journey. How can you make decisions that best impact you as an individual?

Benjamin Dornbush, Yoga, Coach, & Consultant, Show Me The Benjamin

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