When you’re getting ready to go to the gym, what’s more important to you - wearing your freshest gear with your hair fixed in place, or prepping yourself for a hardcore, sweaty work-out?
What's your priority at the gym?
A surprising amount of us would rather not sweat it out at the gym, because we’d rather look our best.
Buytshirtsonline recently surveyed gym enthusiasts in the UK about their gym perceptions and whether looking good at the gym really is important.
The survey has revealed that 84% of gym-goers confess to taking selfies while at the gym and 60% of over-35s want to look their best for a work-out!
Over 1/3 of gym-lovers wouldn’t hesitate to share their gym progress on social media.
Exercising in front of a mirror is personal preference, and although sometimes it can’t be avoided, over half of people asked admitted to working out in front of the mirror while at the gym.
Various factors influence gym-goers to look at themselves while exercising such as refining technique and posture, but do all gym-goers think the same? Or are they more inclined to ensure they look good rather than exercise correctly?
Over in Northern Ireland, a staggering 83% of gym-enthusiasts believe looking good during a workout is essential.
Gym members today love to accessorise with 40% of respondents claiming to own specified gym gear and perceive them as ‘cool’. Many gym-goers also admitted to always buying new gym gear.
‘I spend so much time in the gym that I treat it as I would any other social occasion. Right now, I'm really into pastels and pale printed leggings.’ Sarah Harradine from thatsquatbot.com
When asked the main reason for joining the gym, the most popular reasons included strength and muscle building, weight loss and to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Interestingly, when comparing ages it turns out that different generations use the gym for different reasons. 67% of the over 45’s will go to the gym to stay healthy; 40% of 18-24-year olds joined the gym to build muscle and strength; 30% of 25-34-year olds’ goal is losing weight.
Amongst the relentless striving and posturing, there is a more concerning element for the new generation of image-conscious gym members. Almost half of respondents (44%) admitted that their body image had prevented them from exercising. This number was higher amongst females but the results also revealed that males share the same anxieties.
With the rapid growth of social media, it’s no surprise that gym-goers in the UK have a ‘gym-style icon’, especially amongst the 18-24-year olds. Gym-style icons include Kayla Itsines, Dom Mazzetti, Grace Laid, Heidi Summers, Hannah Fallis Bronfman and James Duigan.
But does it really matter if we buy new gym gear or take a couple of selfies for a workout? With healthy living and self-love being promoted more and more, as opposed to living up to social constructions of beauty standards, it’s hardly a bad thing tht gym-goers feel confident to take selfies in the gym.
For the full results of the survey, go to http://www.buytshirtsonline.co.uk/gym-perception-study/
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