Running head: EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS

Exploring the Reasoning Behind Gender Differences in Exercise Habits Taylor Dove University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS Introduction The odor of sweat fills the humid air; the clanking of weights and winding of the treadmill become constant sounds; the upbeat music causes my heart rate to fasten -- I have arrived at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Fitness Center. College students flood to the gym daily and enter a unique space where behaviors that are considered by society as "inappropriate" in a public school setting are widely accepted and sometimes encouraged in a fitness center. Loud grunting, poor body odor and hygiene, and blasting of loud music are just a few of these "inappropriate" behaviors. Like a painters canvas, the fitness center has all the mediums an artist could possibly need, it is just up to the student to utilize these "mediums" to create their "masterpiece" by losing weight, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, or strengthening their muscles to ultimately achieve the body they desire. The fitness center at UNC Charlotte (see "Appendix A") is divided into 3 main sections. The first section is the free weight section which is divided into two subsections: the left side (See Figure B1 in "Appendix B") includes mostly dumbbells and benches, while the right side (See Figure B2 in "Appendix B") includes bench presses, squat racks, and a multipurpose rack. The second section is the strength machine section (See Figure B3 in "Appendix B"), which includes machines such as the leg press, shoulder press, and hamstring curl. Finally, the third section is the cardiovascular machine section (See Figure B4 in "Appendix B"), which includes treadmills, elliptical machines, bikes, and rowing machines. As I investigated dynamics at the fitness center, I found myself fascinated at the observance that men and women seemed to concentrate their workouts in different parts of the gym. I also noticed that workout habits seemed to vary between gender. It seemed that men

3 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS completely dominated the sections of the gym in which they could lift weights. Personally, I know that regardless of gender, there are many benefits to weightlifting, so why then, were female college students barely present in the free weight section of the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center? I began to broaden my perspective and think more deeply as to what would cause this phenomena to occur. Was there a relationship between a college student's purpose of going to the gym and the workout they carried out? Furthermore, was their gender a factor in deciding these goals and workouts? Plausible explanations to consider are differences in societal expectations of gender, differences in physical ability by gender, the psychology of males and females, and intimidation factor of the opposite sex. As a UNC Charlotte student, I am a member of the university's fitness center and consider myself an active gym goer. Furthermore, I take my health and fitness seriously and consistently use all sections of the facility. With that said, my hope is to determine why females and males have differing exercise habits when all sections of the gym facility are important to use regardless of gender. As a female, I find it distressing that other college females fail to utilize the free weight section of the fitness center as frequently as the males do. In conducting this project my hope is that it will generate a deeper understanding for the opposite sex's exercise habits, and give explanation as to why females are found less in the weightlifting section than males. Literature Review Male and Female Exercise Habits: Previous research has shown that men and women have different exercise habits, however, what is it that drives these differentiations? One mutual factor influencing the ways in

4 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS which men and women work out is societys gender expectations. Body image issues can be linked to the way the media and culture portray standards of men and women media (Murnen, Smolak, Mills, & Good, 2003). In fact, grade school children have reported body dissatisfaction because of their desire to match the images of men and women in the media (Murnen et al., 2003). A second factor motivating men and women to exercise is their desire to appear appealing to the opposite sex. In 2007, Jonason's research showed that men and women pursued "sexappropriate" exercise behavior to self-enhance themselves to attract mates. This research also suggests that while men and women workout to change their body to look attractive to the opposite sex, they also may alter their behaviors to be accepted by the opposite sex. Male Exercise Habits: To be blunt, research has shown that men are simply more interested in weightlifting than women (Thunfors, Collins, & Hanlon, 2009). In the United States, mens ratings of their current and ideal muscularity were associated with trying to fit society's version of the "male role" and many men desired increased muscularity for reasons related to increased dominance and attractiveness to women (Frederick, Buchanan, et al 2007). These results suggest widespread need for increased muscularity among men and are supported by additional research which proposes that the objectification of men in the media has increased promoting a drive for muscularity among boys (Murnen, Smolak, Mills & Good, 2003). Men focus their energy on exercising their upper bodies in order to gain muscle mass, enhancing their upper bodies to look bigger (Jonason 2007). Jonason's research shows that men pursue "sex-appropriate" exercise behavior to self-enhance themselves to attract mates. In addition to looking physically better, a study done at the University of Florida found

5 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS that in men, exercise dependence was related to men desiring to physically and psychologically feel better (Hausenblas & Stannard, 2002). Those who exercise to change their physical form exhibit appearance imagery, while energy imagery exercisers work out for the benefit of feeling better physically and psychologically (Hausenblas & Stannard, 2002). So while males strive to change their appearance, do they also desire to improve their moods by working out? Female Exercise Habits: In my research study at the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center, I observed college females tending to work out in the cardio vascular section for the majority of their work out. This could further be explained by critical ratio tests in research done by A.E. Barry et al. (2013) revealed associations between exercise and weight loss behaviors were more strongly correlated among females as compared with males. The trend that females were more focused on losing weight was seen in several research studies including Thunfors, Collins, and Hanlon (2009) in addition to Barry et al. (2013). Furthermore, Jonason's research (2007) showed that women focused on losing weight with emphasis of exercising their lower bodies with the goal of looking smaller. Females are also motivated to change their body images for reasons regarding their self-esteem. A woman exercising in excess was related to her trying to change her appearance in a study conducted by the University of Florida (Hausenblas & Stannard, 2002). Furthermore, only females associate body dissatisfaction with the level of their self-esteem (Tiggeman & Williamson, 2000; Furnham, Badmin, & Sneade, 2002). I further observed that female college students tended to work out in a group or with a partner more often than males did in my explanation. This could be related to Von Bothmer's and Fridlund's (2005) study that focused on the overall health of college students in Swedens lives.

6 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS In paying particular attention to the area of physical activity and the level of physical activity based on gender conducted within the study we see a trend emerge in females. Results showed that females with higher social support showed higher levels of exercise. Could this suggest that the ways in which women exercise is influenced on whether or not they have a partner or people in the gym with them? While this reading does support observations found in the study, we must also consider that this study was conducted in a different country than the United States, however, it does focus on college students, which is relevant to the population of this study. My Position as a University Student and Fitness Advocate As a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I find this issue of spatial differentiation between males and females of high importance and interest. Prior to presenting my position on this issue, I feel it is important that I share with you a little bit about who I am and what I value in fitness. As a member of the fitness center, I am concerned with the gyms dynamics, how individuals communicate with each other, and how this communication can affect a members workout. I find it problematic that in males and females exercising in particular parts of the gym, they are not only limiting their intercommunication, but they are also failing to utilize parts of the gym that could be highly beneficial to their bodies. Currently, I am a sophomore and full time student at UNC Charlotte. As a major in Exercise Science and an aspiring personal trainer, I consider myself to have a great knowledge of fitness and of the benefits particular exercises have on the body. Living on campus, my only gym membership is to the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center, thus it is the only gym in the area I attend. I go to the gym at least 4 times a week if not every day, and utilize all sections of the fitness center. It being the only gym I attend makes me passionate about what is going on in that particular fitness center.

7 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS As a woman, I also find myself enthusiastic in challenging myself as a female, and discovering why females avoid utilizing the weightlifting section of the fitness center. Entering the Conversation While it is evident that males at UNC Charlotte tend to dominate the free-weight section of the gym at UNC Charlotte, the reason as to why this is and as to why females do not utilize this section as often is still unexplained (Dove, 2013). Based on my experience, and the various sources I have read, I feel that it is quite evident that men and women go to the gym for similar purposes but desire different results for various reasons. For college students, ones physical attractiveness is often of high importance and is reason for why many students engage in physical activities. However, because they posses different expectations for how their bodies should look, this further translates into differing exercise habits. When I begin thinking about the gym dynamics at UNC Charlotte, I am immediately reminded of a clip (See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxjONf9AXEs ) from the comical film, Shes the Man. In the clip, we first see that females are working out on cardiovascular machines, and the male is in the weightlifting section. As the scene continues, we see the large male named Duke trying to impress the females by lifting very heavy weights. We also see Viola, pretending to be Sebastian, drooling in admiration over Dukes large muscle and great strength. This is typical of observations in the investigation conducted at UNC Charlotte. Media and culture have a large influence on the types of bodies both men and women strive for. As demonstrated in Shes the Man, the ideal stereotypical man in Western society is often perceived as big and muscular. Thus, it is common for many adolescent and young adult men to feel pressured to be as masculine as possible; consequently, they begin spending large

8 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS amounts of time working out at the gym in an attempt to build muscle and bulk up. Research by Jonason (2007) shows that in contrast to women, men focus on exercising their upper bodies as this causes others to perceive them as larger and therefore more dominant. I believe the male obsession of becoming larger is a plausible explanation as to why more men were observed in the weight-lifting section of the gym and as to why men were observed using the scale at the fitness center more frequently than women (Dove, 2013). Perhaps because males have an interest in becoming larger, they most likely are interested in gaining weight, thus they constantly use the scale to see if they have improved their body mass. Biologically speaking, it is also very important for males to find a mate causing humans to strive to attain a desirable body for the opposite sex. Men know that most women prefer men who are bigger and more muscular and consequently this translates into the type of exercise males chose to incorporate in their workout routine. Men may have stayed away from the cardiovascular machines in fear of losing weight. Furthermore, Jonason's (2007) research suggests that men exhibit "sex-appropriate" behaviors around the opposite sex, and running on a treadmill for example may not allow males to display the masculine behavior that is considered "appropriate" by women. When it comes to women, the media portrays the ideal image of a woman to be thin and sexy. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that when females work out, they are more interested in losing weight and they have a strong desire to look smaller rather than heavier (Barry et al., 2013; Furham et al., 2002; Jonason, 2007; Thunfors et al., 2009; Murnen et al., 2003). This could possibly explain why women do not incorporate free-weights into their workout very often and instead were observed to be in the cardiovascular section most frequently (Dove, 2013). In an attempt to fit society's ideal womanly figure, women may focus their

9 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS workout on exercises such as cardio and strength machines in order to lose weight and have a more slender body. Female college students may also workout with the purpose of increasing their self-esteem. In contrast to men, womens self esteem was found to be directly related to their body image. With that said, women may work out to achieve this ideal figure of a women, and in some cases work out to excess to achieve this change in their image (Hausenblas & Stannard, 2002) . Based on personal experience, it is my opinion that when women think of lifting weights they may believe that this means they will become bulky and large thus deviating from their ideal figure. However, this is not the case. Women can use free weights in their workout to achieve the body they desire by dictating the amount of weight they use and the amount of times they complete the exercise. Not only does having muscle benefit woman's overall health, but we also see how becoming stronger has benefits in the everyday lives of woman. In a study conducted by Shari Dworkin (2003), woman reported that weightlifting was physically empowering for allowing them to lift groceries, move furniture, lift boxes, or carry other heavy objects independently. In addition, they also reported that by weightlifting, they may be able to better protect themselves "in an attack situation if they could not flee from danger" (p. 141). It is interesting that while woman are aware of these benefits, the majority of woman continue to focus their time exercising in the cardiovascular section and avoiding the weight room (Dove, 2013). In order to try to understand why woman avoid the weight room, it is important to consider the ways woman are socially. In my study at UNC Charlotte, it was observed (2013) that female college students were found working out in groups or with partners more often than men. This observation becomes logical when we take into consideration that women are social

10 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS in their nature. A study conducted by Von Bothmer & Fridlund (2005) found that females with higher social support showed higher levels of exercise. Thus, while women do workout to change their appearance, they also are more likely to workout with the support of a partner. This psychology of needing support in a fitness center applies to my personal observation that perhaps women do not weight lift because of the intimidation of the male dominance in the free weight section and due to their lack of experience. Because women exercise at higher levels with people they know, working out in a division of the fitness center with unfamiliar people may cause hesitation. In addition, women may fear improperly completely weight-lifting exercises in front of the opposite sex or in front of more experienced weight lifters. Most men begin weightlifting at an earlier stage in their lift than woman, so when woman decide to weight lift it as if they are "catching up" to learn how to lift (Dworkin, 2003). In addition , woman may also fear exhibiting their physical strength as this may not be considered a "sex-appropriate" behavior from the societal perspective. As a female fitness member, I can testify to having all these thoughts cross my mind prior to entering the free weight section at the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center. Conclusion It is evident that males are more interested in weightlifting and females are more interested in losing weight. However, the reasons behind these goals can be dangerous to some extent. One can lose self-confidence, begin using drugs such as steroids, exercise to excess, to achieve these somewhat unhealthy and unrealistic body images society has set for men and women. I believe that it is extremely important that both men and women understand the reasons why their fellow gym members may work out. In applying the theory, "knowledge is power," a knowledge of the opposite sexes' motives and fears could powerfully prevent males and females

11 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS from being discouraged in using all aspects of the gym. Females may not hesitate to use weightlifting equipment in fear that they will be judged, and males may relinquish their fears of exhibiting "non-masculine behavior" and instead use cardiovascular equipment. Through this research, my hope is that individuals become inspired to encourage the opposite sex to venture to "their section of the gym." By this I mean I anticipate that males will begin to respect females who chose to weight lift and also encourage other females to do the same. Vice versa, I hope to see females encourage males to utilize cardiovascular machines and respect men who decide to use them. With this new knowledge, a new respect could emerge in the gym, and more importantly, communication would improve between fitness members at the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center. The most effective communication at a gym occurs when members are courteous by asking if one is done with the machine and by asking for assistance in completing an exercise or in how to use a piece of equipment. With an understanding of other sexes goals and exercise habits there would be less tension between sexes at the gym and consequently, a unified ideology of working together and encouraging one another would surface. Collectively, the bettered communication and newfound respect in the UNC Charlotte Fitness center would enable all fitness members to achieve greater results from their workout routines while avoiding dangerous and unhealthy measures to do so. Considering that the demographic and goals of the UNC Charlotte Fitness Center is similar to other University Fitness Center's or fitness centers with an abundance of adolescents and young adults, this project can be widely applied. If other fitness centers utilize the research explaining the difference of exercise habits between men and women, they may be able to create

12 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS a more fluid dynamic between sexes in their facilities. Ultimately, my goal is to see my peers apply this newfound knowledge to achieve the body images they desire through practicing safe exercise habits, exhibiting variety in their workouts, and communicating more efficiently.

13 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS Appendix Appendix A

M I R R O R S

CARDIOVASCULAR MACHINE SECTION

M I R R O R S

STRENGTH MACHINE SECTION

Office Space M I R R O R S

M I R R O R S

Right Side of Left Side of Weightlifting Section

Front Desk

Weightlifting Section

MIRRORS

Entrance
Figure A1. UNC Charlotte Fitness Center Diagram

14 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS Appendix B

Figure B1. Left side of weight-lifting section

Figure B2. Right side of weight-lifting section

15 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS

Figure B3. Strength machine section

Figure B4. Cardiovascular machine section

16 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS References Barry, A. E. , Whiteman, S., Piazza-Gardner A. K. , & Jensen, A. C. (2013). Gender differences in the associations among body mass index, weight loss, exercise, and drinking among college students. Journal of American College Health, 61:7, 407-413, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2013.823973 Dove, T. M. (2013). An observation of the SAC fitness center. Retrieved from https://moodle2.uncc.edu/course/view.php?id=17608. Dworkin, S. L. (2003). A woman's place is in the... cardiovascular room? Gender relations, the body and the gym. Athletic intruders: Ethnographic research on women, culture, and exercise, 131-158. Frederick, D. A., Buchanan, G. M., Sadehgi-Azar, L., Peplau, L. A., Haselton, M. G., Berezovskaya, A., & Lipinski, R. E. (2007). Desiring the muscular ideal: Men's body satisfaction in the United States, Ukraine, and Ghana. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 8(2), 103. Furnham, A., Badmin, N., & Sneade, I. (2002). Body image dissatisfaction: Gender differences in eating attitudes, self-esteem, and reasons for exercise. Journal of Psychology, 136(6), 581-597. Hausenblas, H., & Stannard, P. (2002, October 23). Men more dependent on exercise than woman, UF study shows. Retrieved from http://news.ufl.edu/2002/10/23/ exercisedependence/.

17 EXPLORING THE REASONING BEHIND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXERCISE HABITS Jonason, P. K. (2007). An evolutionary psychology perspective on sex differences in exercise behaviors and motivations. The Journal of social psychology, 147(1), 5-14. Murnen, S. K., Smolak, L., Mills, J. A., & Good, L. (2003). Thin, sexy women and strong, muscular men: Grade-school children's responses to objectified images of women and men. Sex Roles, 49(9-10), 427-437. She's the Man (5/8) Movie CLIP - Make Him Jealous HD [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxjONf9AXEs Thunfors, P., Collins, B. N., & Hanlon, A. L. (2009). Health behavior interests of adolescents with unhealthy diet and exercise: implications for weight management. Health Education Research, 24(4), 634-645. Tiggemann, M., & Williamson, S. (2000). The effect of exercise on body satisfaction and self esteem as a function of gender and age. Sex Roles, 43, 119-127. Von Bothmer, M. I. K. & Fridlund, B. (2005), Gender differences in health habits and in motivation for a healthy lifestyle among Swedish university students. Nursing & Health Sciences, 7: 107118. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2005.00227.x