30+ Dreadful Examples Of Women Being Mansplained To While In The Gym
In the past few years, you have probably heard the phrase “plain” used more often to describe an unimpressed woman who receives unwanted advice from a man. If you’ve ever been to a public gym as a woman, you’ve almost certainly been subjected to some patronizing mansplaining. In this article, 30+ furious women have shared their worst stories for your entertainment!
Inspiring Or Objectifying?
Let’s start with an especially confusing incident. A woman was working out at the gym when she confronted a man who was making derogatory remarks about another gym-goer’s body. He then proceeded to mansplain how these remarks were actually encouraging and uplifting to women. Besides being confused about the consequences of making unwanted advances on women’s bodies, he was also completely unaware that the person with whom he was speaking was a woman.
Unwanted Underwear Advice
This mansplaining story is a true puzzler. What made him believe his comments were acceptable? He approached a female gym member and informed her that he had been monitoring her workout. You would think this was the creepiest part of the conversation, but you’d be wrong!
Unwanted Underwear Advice
He then told her that her sports bra was being worn inappropriately. To tell a woman how to wear her underwear is not just odd, but also misogynistic. No way!
Strange Safety Concern
Did you hear that women who lift heavy weights risk damage to ovaries? No? This is because it is not possible scientifically speaking. When this frustrated woman was approached in the gym, she was honing her deadlifts. He felt compelled to emphasize that women should avoid lifting more than 135 pounds.
Strange Safety Concern
With a somber expression, he stated that she was in danger of “breaking” her ovaries. He even claimed to know a number of women who had been the victims of the fictitious injuries. The woman was taken aback (and rightfully so).
Stay Out of My Workout
Some gym goers may find that mansplaining is not always enough. Thus, when a man approached her rowing machine and physically reduced the force while she was exercising, she became furious.
Stay Out Of My Workout
Trying to understand why people feel obliged to interfere with others’ workout routine is difficult to comprehend. Besides being misogynistic, this serves as a horrible example of good gym etiquette. Please remember to keep your hands off other people’s machines and to mind your own business.
Girls Can Bulk Too
It is common to overhear gym guys boasting about their ‘gains.’ To gain muscle, they consume protein shakes and exercise heavy weights.’ Diet culture and other social pressures often lead to women feeling compelled to be little and petite, however this is not necessarily the case for all women.
Girls Can Bulk Too
During a gym session, a man approached a woman who was working out and told her that the workout she was doing would make her “wider.” She informed him that this was exactly the point of the workout!
Just Take the Stairs
Others approach women at the gym to explain exercise machines and techniques to them, while others try to strike up a conversation with them. We can’t help but believe this man was trying to start up a conversation with the wrong person.
Just Take The Stairs
The man went on the stair climber next to a female gym-goer and continued to tell her that she should definitely take the stairs instead of the machines because the machines were pointless, all while he was still on the stair climber.
Don’t Tell Me to Smile
Being told that she should smile is one of the most irritating things a woman can hear. Therefore, you can imagine how irritating it is to be told to smile while being abruptly interrupted in the middle of a workout session! At the time, she was in the middle of some excruciating reps on the lat pulldown machine when an old guy told her to smile.
Don’t Tell Me To Smile
Who knew your facial expressions may have an impact on the efficiency of your workout? They don’t; wait, they don’t. As a result, gentlemen, please keep your opinions to yourselves.
Leave it to the Experts
Years of experience are required to become a competitive dancer. To participate at the collegiate level, you must also be highly fit, flexible, and strong. That’s why she couldn’t help but laugh when a man at the gym tried to mansplain the importance of cold stretching to her.
Leave It To The Experts
She was in the middle of a full split at the time, and she was also wearing her jacket from the university dance team. The point was that he had no idea what he was talking about, and she was an expert in the field.
Getting Strong, Not Skinny
Another case of men presuming that women exercise solely to lose weight. A man approached a woman doing chest presses in the gym. He decided to make the most of the situation by mansplaining to her and showing her how to lose weight by doing various crunches.
Getting Strong, Not Skinny
He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t interested in toning her abdomen but rather in bulking up her arms at the time. Women have the potential to be powerful as well.
Misguided Mansplainer Strikes Again
In addition to the inner thighs, glutes, hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, and calves, sumo squats target the glutes, hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, and calves. As a result, they need a wider stance and more outward feet turning than regular squats.
Misguided Mansplainer Strikes Again
Wrongheaded mansplainers failed to recognize that the woman was doing sumo squats and attempted to correct her form. He was probably embarrassed when she told him she wasn’t doing regular squats. Gym buddy made a rookie mistake.
Mind Your Own Business
It’s normal to notice that the weight lifting portion of a gym is dominated primarily by men when you go in. However, this isn’t a reason to avoid it. A fellow gym-goer criticized her while she was chest-pressing with free weights on a decline bench, which irritated her.
Mind Your Own Business
He said that, due to her “biology,” she shouldn’t lift anything heavier than 20 pounds because of her condition. What you’re saying is not only ridiculous, but it is also incredibly disrespectful.
A Rookie Mistake
Nobody wants to be embarrassed in front of others by trying to show their knowledge of a subject only to discover that they are grossly underqualified compared to the person with whom they are talking.
A Rookie Mistake
A woman at the gym was approached by a six-month-experienced martial arts novice who provided unsolicited advise on her kicking technique. She instead exposed herself to be a seasoned expert with a decade of experience. To make matters worse, while demonstrating the technique, he tripped.
Keep it to Yourself
If you’re considering giving a woman unsolicited advice about her gym technique, you should probably reconsider. It’s usually impolite to criticize someone unless they’re in grave danger of harm.
Keep It To Yourself
Everyone works at their own pace, and others may be experimenting with new routines or drills that you aren’t aware of. This oblivious mansplainer was on the verge of getting a smack in the face. Before you say anything, think!
A Gang of Mansplainers
You know how when you’re waiting for a bus and three appear out of nowhere? Imagine going to the gym and encountering not one but a whole posse of rude mansplainers! This woman was lifting weights at the gym when she was surrounded by no fewer than four men who began arguing about her form.
A Gang Of Mansplainers
For her, going to the gym was a waste of time because she always regretted going alone. While honestly, we can see why that’s enough of a reason for her. Why do they seem more offended?
Not a Woman’s Exercise
Different activities are reserved for a specific sex, according to one mansplainer. For example, when one woman was doing tricep dips at the gym, she was told this. A man approached her out of nowhere and told her she shouldn’t do tricep dips.
Not A Woman’s Exercise
“Women are good at leg exercises,” he said, suggesting she try the leg press machine. There are no words to express how ridiculous this is. Some individuals should not be permitted to use public gyms.
Awkward Treadmill Fail
Do you ever wish you could peer into another person’s mind? Unfortunately, lately, we have no idea what this guy thought when he approached a woman on a treadmill and told her that she should run backward.
Awkward Treadmill Fail
He said that only men should walk forwards on a treadmill in one of the strangest mansplainations we’ve ever heard. Before falling flat on his face, he attempted to demonstrate the preferred female technique. Do not attempt this at home.
Mansplaining to a Staff Member
Imagine trying to explain yourself to someone who works at the gym. Unfortunately, that is precisely what occurred to one unfortunate individual. He asked a woman to bring him a basketball, explaining that men and women have different sizes.
Mansplaining To A Staff Member
With a serious expression on her face, the lady informed him that she was, in fact, a member of the staff. That’s what you get for patronizing and being rude to women who are simply trying to do their jobs.
Rules of the Gym
Some unwritten gym rules are non-negotiable. For example, you should always bring your own towel and return all equipment to its appropriate places after each use. Also, always respect other people’s personal space, and remember to wipe down machines after each use!
Rules Of The Gym
However, if you’re uncomfortable with a machine, you should never be afraid to move or switch to another. So not only is this mansplainer misinformed, but he is also misogynistic. Yikes!
Did I Ask?
Another important aspect of gym etiquette is to mind your own business! Other gym-goers do not require your input on their workouts unless you are a member of staff or a personal trainer. Someone should inform this individual.
Did I Ask?
He approached a woman at the gym and told her that she should focus on cardio and fat burning before lifting weights. Perhaps he should learn that a woman’s exercise routine is none of his business and that weight lifting burns calories as well.
Wannabe Personal Trainer
Some people believe they know more than professionals, which is quite humiliating. This woman minded her own business at the gym, following a workout plan devised with the assistance of her personal trainer.
Wannabe Personal Trainer
Even though her personal trainer had shown her the routine, a gym bro decided to criticize her form after two sets. She ended up justifying her method by telling him she trusts her physical therapist’s advice. He should’ve kept his inner monologue to himself.
Passive Aggressive Mansplaining
It’s difficult to say which is the worst. A brazen gym bro who approaches unsuspecting women in the gym to criticize their form and technique, or a passive-aggressive dude who mutters criticism under his breath.
Passive Aggressive Mansplaining
This woman decided to confront a man who had been silently criticizing. However, when she inquired about his problem, he backed down and pretended he hadn’t said anything! So, not only was he impolite, but he was also a coward!
Anti-Mansplainer Headphones
Some women have decided to take extra precautions at the gym to avoid mansplainers. They have begun to wear massive headphones, indicating that they are uninterested in conversing with others.
Anti Mansplainer Headphones
It’s a shame that people feel the need to go to such lengths to avoid unwanted advice and comments. If only the message could get through to the mansplaining men. If a woman is in danger of serious injury or has asked for advice, don’t approach her to criticize her.
Now, That’s Awkward
It’s safe to say that most female martial artists have stories to tell about chauvinism they’ve encountered. Even in the twenty-first century, some men believe that women are incapable of being experts in their fields.
Now, That’s Awkward
This woman was tired of being paired with men who felt compelled to critique her technique and explain various moves. He wasn’t even relaying accurate information to her. That’s a bit awkward.
The Mansplainer Trifecta
There is a slew of flaws in this story. First, the man decided to snap his fingers in front of a woman’s face to get her attention (rude). He then lectures the woman on the proper stance for boxing drills, even though he was confident in her posture.
The Mansplainer Trifecta
At last, he asked her to push his butt to show that he wasn’t going to fall over. That’s the cherry on top of the misogynistic cake. When you come across a guy like him, please ignore them!
Correcting the Personal Trainer
We’re not sure where, to begin with, this one! You won’t believe the level of ignorance displayed by some people. On Reddit, one woman shared her experience of being mansplained while wearing her personal trainer uniform and leading a workout program.
Correcting The Personal Trainer
Nothing is more aggravating than being told how to do your job, so we can only imagine how aggravating this must have been for the woman. This is not only condescending but also extremely rude.
Underestimate the Girl
Don’t dismiss someone solely because of their gender. Girls are capable of lifting heavy objects as well. However, after a particularly vexing exchange with a mansplainer, this woman was left irritated. After moving up from 15, she was attempting to lift 20lb weights on her first day.
Underestimate The Girl
Suddenly, a man approached her and handed her a pair of five-pound weights, saying, “Here, try something a little more your speed.” Maybe he was trying to be helpful, but this isn’t polite.
Leave Me Alone
At a bowling alley, you wouldn’t approach a stranger and tell them their technique is incorrect. So, why is it okay to approach a stranger at the gym and inquire about their workout routine? It’s strange behavior.
Leave Me Alone
This Reddit user vented their mansplaining frustrations to other users, recounting her gym experience. Then, without warning, a man approached her and began interrogating her about the number of reps she was doing.
Do You Even Lift?
Benching weights isn’t easy; you have to admit. To press heavyweights, you’ll need a lot of strength training, but there are no rules prohibiting women from doing so.
Do You Even Lift?
You can imagine how surprised one female gym-goer was when the bar suddenly lifted from her grip halfway through a set! A random man had noticed that she was in distress and attempted to justify his actions.
Too Much for a Girl
It’s a glorious thing when shameless mansplainers get their comeuppance. When a rogue gentleman appeared, one woman pushed herself on the leg press machine, nailing her personal record. Then, he started yelling about how her workout routine was “too much for a girl.”
Too Much For A Girl
She clapped back, stating that it was most likely too much for him, and she was correct. So he attempted to do the same thing but was quickly bailed out. Oh, the sweetness of victory.
Thanks, Captain Obvious
We’ll repeat it: unless you’re a paid personal trainer or a gym employee, you shouldn’t be providing feedback on other people’s workouts. Until an enraged man yelled at her in the middle of her pendlay rows, this woman had managed to avoid mansplaining.
Thanks, Captain Obvious
“You must breathe!” he exclaimed as she was pushing herself to the limit and sweating buckets. Captain obvious, thank you very much. He must have thought that all women were stupid.
Giving Backhanded Compliments
When they give backhanded compliments, some mansplainers mistakenly believe they are nice. For example, this Reddit user was at the gym when she was confronted by an older man who decided to give her feedback constantly.
Giving Backhanded Compliments
He chastised her for not stretching enough, told her she had the potential to be great with more experience, and then kept interrupting her lifting to give her unwanted advice. He had no idea she was a marathon runner when he met her.
Exercise Is Hard
To all male gym-goers, this is a public service announcement. You don’t have to step in if a woman appears to be having trouble with her workout. It’s no secret that exercise is difficult.
Exercise Is Hard
A man decided to shower her with unwanted encouragement while she was doing paused reps with dumbbells. While the intention is noble, it can come across as patronizing. These are the types of situations that make women feel uneasy about exercising in public because they are constantly scrutinized.
Practice What You Preach
Pull-ups are one of the most difficult exercises to complete. At the gym, this woman was doing pull-ups when a man approached her to inspect her form. He told her she wasn’t doing them correctly, so she asked him to show her how to do them correctly.
Practice What You Preach
He grabbed the bar in an embarrassing display and failed to do a single one! He claimed that he “used to do them all the time,” but we believe he was lying. Oh, no.
Get Out of Here
If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of toxic mansplaining, you know how tough it is to know how to respond. It is important, however, to maintain your own safety while also maintaining your personal boundaries.
Get Out Of Here
She decided enough was enough when a man forcefully removed a piece of equipment from her hands because “it wasn’t for girls.” She made the decision to immediately report him to the gym’s administration. Girl, you’ve got it! It is important that you speak for yourself.
No Questions, Please
Even in the midst of a rigorous workout, it’s normal for your thoughts to wander. Any action you do to keep your body from experiencing extreme pain is justified! Keep in mind, however, that you should not become overly engrossed in other people’s training habits.
No Questions, Please
Furthermore, refrain from interfering with their decisions or offering unwelcome input. She was perplexed when a man questioned why she was doing cable crunches to strengthen her shoulders. She claimed definitely that she exercises both her abs and shoulders simultaneously.
What He Didn’t Know
When the man stepped onto her platform and asked if he could spot her, she was working out at the gym and warming up for squats. He didn’t get the hint and proceeded to mansplain the mechanics of a squat after she gently declined.
What He Didn’t Know
He showed how to lay the bar on her back, how to position her feet, and how to breathe. She had to ultimately interfere and inform him that 1) she was a personal trainer, 2) she was a competitive powerlifter, and 3) she was coached by a national-level powerlifting coach.
He Wanted To “Watch My Form”
At one point, a woman was doing power cleans (which she learned how to do properly as a collegiate track athlete with a strength and conditioning coach). A trainer approached her towards the end of her sets and told her she was probably lifting too much, before trying to sell her a training package with him so she could “learn more about lifting.” “Yeah… I’m good,” she replied.
He Wanted To “Watch My Form”
Then he continued to “watch her form” by following her around the gym for the duration of her workout. And, of course, she was afraid he’d try to charge her for training when she was simply doing her own thing. As she was so annoyed, she never returned to that gym.
Well, Obviously?!
A woman was teaching a hip-hop boxing fusion class and the instructor from the boxing class before it came in to watch. He mansplained in front of her class (which she created, developed, researched, and choreographed) that none of these moves would be effective for them in a fight.
Well, Obviously?!
He claimed they were all made-up movements with a false “boxing” title. Who would make twerking and then dropping to do a burpee their go-to combat move, right? Why do they feel the need to say this?
Unsolicited Advice
While a woman was performing overhead triceps extensions with a double rope attachment at one of the cable columns, an older gentleman approached her. This man came over, unclipped her attachment, and applied the pushdown attachment as she was resting between sets. He then proceeded to show his technique and suggested she use his attachment instead of her own.
Unsolicited Advice
She said that she liked her way of doing things because she was following a certain training plan that required it. Needless to say, this man was upset and walked away when she shut him down. She went back to her original attachment and stowed his. If you’re going to give advice to someone who hasn’t asked for it, don’t do it.
I Don’t Need Your “Help”
A woman was doing biceps curls with 15-pound dumbbells at the gym one time. Then this guy kept staring at her, which made her feel uneasy. He eventually walked over and showed her how to make curls “properly.”
I Don’t Need Your “Help”
She was annoyed, of course; if she wanted his advice, she would have asked. The woman felt belittled because she was one of the few women lifting in that section, and a guy had the guts to walk over and “help” her.
Do You Really Know How?
A woman was in the gym with her sister, who was doing some light resistance training and HIIT exercises such as box jumps, burpees, and heavy rope moves. These two guys were there, and it appeared that one was “training” the other, although they were clearly not gym trainers. They were just joking around, which was OK until the “trainer” turned to the woman and began cracking jokes.
Do You Really Know How?
She simply ignored it at first, but then he said, “Here, let me teach you how to do that,” and he took the battle ropes from her hands and showed her some single-arm swings (with terrible form) and was like singing and told her how to keep a beat? He then returns them to her and waits for her to put his suggestions into action.
Look At Your Friends First, Buddy!
Some random guy would come over and try to talk to this woman about her form, help her in putting the bar back up once she finished, or take it down on multiple occasions. For starters, she has excellent form. She knows her form, having been a dancer, cheerleader, and tumbler. Two, there were two squat racks, and there were always two males squatting at the same time, both with the terrible form! For example, squatting a big number of plates with rounded backs or on their toes.
Look At Your Friends First, Buddy!
So that was all a load of nonsense. When the guy across from her is ready to get a hernia, any guy would come over and correct her form. Finally, don’t you think she can put the bar back on her own if she squatted that much? Why do you think she needs help in lifting 45 pounds?
A Guy Told Me To Lift Lighter Weights
This woman works out at a decent gym and was wearing headphones on one of the squat racks the other day. A man approached her from behind and waited there until her set was done, then asked her to remove her headphones and began to tell her that she appeared to be struggling with her weight and that she should definitely lower it.
A Guy Told Me To Lift Lighter Weights
“I’m okay, thanks,” she responded, looking at him with a smile (with a smirk). “Anyways, looks like the work is paying off,” he said. She rolled her eyes and put her headphones back in. He then followed her out the door and asked for her number so he could take her out later. The woman walked out of the room, literally laughing in his face!
He Didn’t Even Know What It Is
This woman works as a personal trainer at a gym, but as she was doing her own workout, a man approached her and offered to “fix” my deadlift form. He had no idea she was doing a Romanian deadlift and didn’t need his help because she “knew how to properly bend her knees to 90 degrees” throughout the deadlift.
He Didn’t Even Know What It Is
He believed he could correct her, despite never having heard of a Romanian deadlift. Oh, and he also inquired if he’d heard of a Romanian deadlift, which he said was “for females.”
He Had A Change Of Heart
This woman was locked in, with her hoodie up, sweatpants on, hair up, headphones in. Her look alone should’ve screamed, “Nope, not her. Don’t even look. Don’t even speak.” She began her warm-up sets on the squat rack, where she overheard a man sigh “Ugh…” “Can I help you?” she asked as it grew increasingly difficult to ignore his presence. “How much you got left?” he asks, to which she replies, “Well, I just started about 6 sets, but you can jump in.”
He Had A Change Of Heart
He smirks and replies, “I’ll just wait,” as if her 6 sets won’t bother him because it’s a “girlie” weight. She removed her sweats as she warmed up, revealing the wicked wheels ready to work. He had a change of heart after seeing her first working set of 245 pounds. “Oh, I’m nursing an injury,” he explained, “it will just be annoying to change weights so I’ll do something else.”