Ladies raise the bar at the Recreation Center

Mackenzie Bartels/Staff Writer

Athina Lampru, a junior hospitality management major and competitive body builder, says that she has many friends who refuse to go to the gym with her no matter how many times she asks them.

Her friends tell her they’re afraid of looking “stupid” when using the equipment to work out at the FIU Recreation Center.

To help women become comfortable in the weight room, the Rec Center started hosting monthly events called “Ladies’ Night at the Bar.”  It started in September and they meet the first Wednesday of every month at the Rec Center Weight Room at 5:30 p.m.

At this event, personal trainers guide students through various workout routines and show them how to incorporate the weight room into their exercises.

Maria Roman, a senior with a physical education: sport and fitness studies major, coordinated this event to help women gain confidence so they can go to the gym and enjoy a workout by themselves.

Similar to Lampru, Roman says that her friends often shied away from the gym or asked Roman to go with them because she “knows what she’s doing.”

Roman, who works as a fitness instructor at the Rec Center, knows that the weight room can be extremely intimidating for a lot of young women.

“Many of them don’t know where to start or what to do,” she said.

During the summer, Roman went to a workshop where a lot of fitness instructors and personal trainers asked how to get women involved.

That’s where “Ladies’ Night” comes into play, Roman said.

“Hopefully this [event] will help [girls] to not see the weight room as a foreign place where girls get eaten alive,” she said.

Roman hopes that this event will encourage women to step out of their comfort zone and allow themselves to step into the weight room feeling comfortable with what they’re doing.

Laura Aguilar, senior psychology major, said that she goes to the gym to stay healthy, but not necessarily to build muscle.

Although her workout regimen might not require weights or the weight room, she does feel that the gym can be an uncomfortable atmosphere for those less experienced.

“When [there are] more experienced people working out on machines next to you, it can make you feel self-conscious about your workout,” Aguilar said. “You lose focus on the routine and begin to worry about what everyone else is thinking.”

Aguilar thinks that having an event like “Ladies’ Night” is a great idea because it’ll bring these girls together. As a group, everyone will be learning exercises and working towards their physical goals together.

Student don’t have to register for the event or pay a fee. There are no requirements for this event and it is open to all ages and fitness levels.

“I want girls to pretend like they are just going to the gym to workout with their friends,” Roman said.