Mothers, employees, but also active women

Photo Credit: Nemo Pixabay
Licence: Public Domani Dedication

Many women seems to be afraid by the gym.

The word to use is exactly “afraid”.

There are actually many fears that hold back the women from the sport centres. The problem does not lie only in a treadmill or in the weightlifting.

Women have not an active life in general. They do not run, cycle, or swim as much as they are supposed to do for a healthier lifestyle.

Look for the experiences out there and get involved!

Like this mother, who took her children to few sessions of Kid Cycling Experience in North West London, other women re-discovered the pleasure to exercise just after a try.

The most difficult step is the kick-off.

Hanna McQuarrie is the regional coordinator for Cycle Experience.

She told me about the motivations that should prompt women to start an activity - like moving with the bike - that could also fit in their everyday lifestyle.

This Girl Can campaign

This Girl Can, the campaign launched on the 12nd of January by Sport England, is going viral through the web and TV.

The aim is to prompt the female audience to start a physical activity or, like Kelly who exercises together with her children in the campaign video, just keep training a bit per week.

Tight timetables or family duties, indeed, are some of the reasons behind this trend, along with the fear to be judged and the uncomfortable feeling to be sweaty.

Some numbers

Women’s Sportand Fitness Foundation – which recently changed its name in Women in Sport - published a trendanalysis of Active People survey data from 2007-2011.

“There are 2.2 million fewer women than men participating in at least one session of sport or physical activity each week,” it reads in the document.

The number has decreased of 3%, in comparison with the data collected in 2007.

Even though the movements are small, the line in the graphics goes down every year.

As the Campaign Manager of Women in Sport confirms to me, there are 6.3 million women compared to 8.5 million men who regularly exercise.

Nearly 7% less of women between 16-19 years old participate for 30 minutes to a sport or physical activity (once a week), since 2007. For other groups, there is still a drop.

Looking at the data, there is also a decrease for men’s categories, but it is generally a smaller percentage.

In sport as in the office

Someone may say that women are the fair sex.

Nevertheless, is it still true?

Ladies represents the grace and the elegance, but they actually take on roles that were only men’s prerogative in the past.

It does not mean wives will become all-muscles or as strong as their partners. However, there is enough space to train and keep fit for both women and men.

Both groups deserve equal right – also to appear sweaty or a bit clumsy while exercising.