Joining a fitness club - as a woman...

[Colorado Girl]

I want to begin working out at a gym / fitness club as it's been a number of years since I have consistently done so - or even had a gym membership for that matter. Of course, this time I plan to join as a woman and to focus on a workout regimen that will help develop the areas that women typically want to improve on...LOL!

Can anyone else done this? If so, I'd love to hear any of the plusses and minuses involved with working out as a woman...using the ladies locker room, etc. Once I get started, I'll keep everyone posted on how well it goes in this part of Colorado!

[KathyLauren]

I can't say that I've done any kind of working-out lately.  The last time I had a gym membership, I thought I was a guy.  The closest I get these days is joining a yoga class.

However, having the option to exercise in public in normal women's exercise clothing and to use a women's locker room was one of the reasons why I opted to have GCS.  If you haven't done so, it is something to consider.  I like having the freedom to be just one of the women.  I can hang out with other women and talk about how hard the exercise was rather than having the only topic of conversation be whether or not I belong there. 

One of the exercises we did in yesterday's yoga class would have left nothing to the imagination of any spectator.  I enjoyed the freedom to do it without being at all self-conscious.

[EllenW]

I am a Silvers Sneakers member and been to the YMCA several times. I use the women's locker room and showers without any issues. One point I want to stress is that I did not start there until I had my GCS and BA surgeries.

Ellen

[Mariah]

Shawna,

I have experience both prior GCS and after GCS. After GCS no issues what so ever. My spouse and I both use the women's locker room and have been working on areas that women work on with a female trainer. Prior to GCS, I had to used a gym as well as a women and had no issues, but then what little I had was kept well covered up and out of view with no one knowing the never wise of it. My spouse is non op and hasn't had an issue, but then they don't remove what is covering up what they have in view of anyone.

The big key is really comes down to your comfort level based on where you are at in your transition. I hope this helps. Hugs
Mariah

[Karen_A]

Years ago for about a yearI regularly swam at the Y before work and had no issues in the locker room (though I did not spend more time there than absolutely needed and minded my own business).

Of course that was after SRS, BA and FFS. Before that I never would have.

- Karen

[BlueJaye]

I joined a boxing gym, which led to a lawsuit, a USOPC investigation, and an interview with Sports Illustrated. It's been a wild ride.

[Colorado Girl]

Shawna,

I have experience both prior GCS and after GCS. After GCS no issues what so ever. My spouse and I both use the women's locker room and have been working on areas that women work on with a female trainer. Prior to GCS, I had to used a gym as well as a women and had no issues, but then what little I had was kept well covered up and out of view with no one knowing the never wise of it. My spouse is non op and hasn't had an issue, but then they don't remove what is covering up what they have in view of anyone.

The big key is really comes down to your comfort level based on where you are at in your transition. I hope this helps. Hugs
Mariah

Thank you, Mariah! I absolutely plan to go, and believe if I dress properly, no one will be the wiser...but this certainly has me rethinking my original intent of maybe not GCS!

[Colorado Girl]

I joined a boxing gym, which led to a lawsuit, a USOPC investigation, and an interview with Sports Illustrated. It's been a wild ride.

Even from your profile pic, I can see that you're a hell raiser, Katie!   (But a CUTE hell raiser!) Thank you for sharing what can happen in the extreme!

[imallie]

I joined a boxing gym, which led to a lawsuit, a USOPC investigation, and an interview with Sports Illustrated. It's been a wild ride.

Katie - were you part of that story that was pulled / "oh it wasn't pulled at all *cough cough* .. right around the time of the mass layoffs at SI?

[BlueJaye]

Katie - were you part of that story that was pulled / "oh it wasn't pulled at all *cough cough* .. right around the time of the mass layoffs at SI?

I'm not really sure. I don't follow Sports Illustrated. When did that happen? And was there any clue what the article was about? I do know that the person who interviewed me is still with Sports Illustrated.

[BlueJaye]

Even from your profile pic, I can see that you're a hell raiser, Katie!   (But a CUTE hell raiser!) Thank you for sharing what can happen in the extreme!

I wouldn't characterize myself as a hell raiser in general. But the whole situation with the boxing sanctioning body is worth raising hell about. Their transgender athlete policy is pretty much impossible to meet and is discriminatory.

[Rachel]

I went to a gym pre and post op. Pre-Op is went to a special private locker room and had my own locker. It was co-ed in a LGBT gym. Post op I used the woman's locker room. A few woman looked to verify my genitals when I changed. I then wore loose fit woman's bottoms.

I have been going to a gym near me since 2017. I use the woman's locker room and sauna. I wear tight fit short woman's bottoms and there was never an issue. Some woman are nude in the sauna.

I have been to Korean spas and all woman are nude in the woman's spa and there has never bin an issue. If I was pre-op I could not enter the woman's spa.

[imallie]

I'm not really sure. I don't follow Sports Illustrated. When did that happen? And was there any clue what the article was about? I do know that the person who interviewed me is still with Sports Illustrated.

Here you go.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/01/sports-illustrated-trans-boxing-story/

[LoriDee]

It irks me when "experts" claim that MtF transgender athletes competing in women's sports have an unfair advantage. They assume that we do not lose muscle mass while on estrogen. And they never complain when the tables are turned. There was an FtM transgender, I think he was in high school and won all kinds of bodybuilding and weightlifting awards. Not a single complaint.

[ChrissyRyan]

I have not joined a fitness club as a woman.  I prefer the outdoors exercising, such as walking, jogging, hiking, and skiing.

Chrissy

[BlueJaye]

Here you go.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/01/sports-illustrated-trans-boxing-story/

I couldn't read the whole thing because it's behind a pay wall, but that seems like the story. The guy who interviewed me is the one named there.

[BlueJaye]

Here you go.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/01/sports-illustrated-trans-boxing-story/

After further investigation and verification with other sources, this is definitely the article that I was interviewed for.

[imallie]

After further investigation and verification with other sources, this is definitely the article that I was interviewed for.

I would have been shocked had there been TWO stories like that... so I assumed so. It's a shame they killed the piece.

[Northern Star Girl]

My unsolicited advice for any person under the LBGTQ umbrella is to
find supportive friends to go with you to the gym or fitness club. 
The best thing you can do is to remember that there is safety in numbers. 
 
When I first joined a local gym after I had come out full time, I was very
careful and conservative in how I dressed and appeared. 
Initially, I was also very "careful" in the women's locker room even
though I was 100% passable undressed.

I did experience a leering man in the gym that sat and stared at me
when I was working out and he also sat on a bike machine right next to the
entrance to the women's locker room watching the women come and go.

On of my gal-friends that was at the gym with me acted as my wing-woman and
helped shield me from the unwanted and unsavory approached from the creeper man
in the gym. (I had called him "Creepy Suitor #2)

  .... some details in my Hunted Prey Thread... (corrected link below)
    https://www.susans.org/index.php/topic,236395.msg2180936.html#msg2180936

Again, safety in numbers.
HUGS, Danielle

[LoriDee]

I have not joined a fitness club as a woman.  I prefer the outdoors exercising, such as walking, jogging, hiking, and skiing.

Chrissy

I'm the same way. Hiking in nature, fresh air. I get plenty of exercise gold panning. Shoveling wet gravel is a workout! I had to go through physical therapy after surgery on my elbow. I told the therapist this and he submitted a request to update their physical therapy center to include an outdoor area with various size rocks and crates of rocks that can be picked up and moved around. He said it would be great for delivery drivers (UPS, FedEx) who need Occupational Therapy.