11 Comments
Apr 14, 2023Liked by Alicia McKay

Definitely resonates with my experience...

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Apr 14, 2023Liked by Alicia McKay

I did the boxing gym for about a year in Brisbane before Covid became a thing and we all quit to go back to our decks and exercise in isolation. To be honest I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed punching things I enjoyed the gloves I enjoyed the rhythm of it, but I didn’t so much enjoy the other people that were there. I think to me, the over 50 short tending to overweight woman, it was all a little bit too much for my fragile ego thing, the twentysomethings with taunt toned bodies achieve glorified status that I never did even in my 20s so once Covid Had hit its peak and past I just didn’t return and I’m okay with that too. It was fun I did it I don’t need to do it again.

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I suppose you could punch other things in the privacy of your own home, but that might raise different questions.

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Apr 14, 2023Liked by Alicia McKay

So well described. Prefer running a bike outdoors in the fresh air.

Understand that the body thing fueled by social media is a key driver among youth.

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Why be well, when you can just look well? 🫠

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Look is everything - a society of images…who cares about the inside. Tough for many who shine from within.

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I personally dislike gyms but still exercise in other ways for cardiovascular fitness. People like connecting and having a common goal (like working through a class together). One class, major assumptions about those people, this is very judgmental. For me, gyms are weird. Pictures of matchy-matchy outfits and colour coordination always appreciated.

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100% my experience! Highly amusing read because it's like what goes on in my head when I'm at the cult aka F45 each morning in my mis-matching and unfashionable workout gear. Really enjoying your articles, keep them coming!

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Apr 16, 2023·edited Apr 16, 2023

Some of us go to the gym because it helps maintain good mental health as well as physical. I think it’s too easy to write gym-goers off as “pretentious” or “vain”. Most of us just enjoy it. Nothing wrong with that AT ALL. (Could be much worse ways of dealing with stress and life’s challenges right??). Why the attack on perfectly decent humans who happen to have different likes for their exercise. Seems counterproductive. Aside from anything else, you’re actually perpetuating negative stereotypes … one step away from bullying those who are different!!

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Gyms are another example of Homo sapiens being the weirdest animal out there, by a significant margin. Behaviourally, anyway.

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I enjoyed this - thank you! And agree. Gyms are very weird. I guess it's worth it though - it feels good to be strong! And there's some community there that we might not get elsewhere.

For me, I usually do a weekly HIIT class outside. Best of both worlds I think!

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