Do you have a women-only exercise area?
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Yes. Our Women's Studio is located near the entrance to the women's locker room and provides an area for women to stretch or exercise on cardio and strength equipment.
Why have a Women's Studio?
In planning the healthy living center, we completed a comprehensive literature review of research examining barriers to exercise. Time was the most frequently cited barrier, for both genders. For women however, body image issues, not wanting to be seen while exercising, feeling uncomfortable in workout clothes, being overweight, or being embarrassed about one's size, often has been identified as a barrier to exercise. We also conducted several focus groups, and completed numerous surveys, of both our current DAHLC users and employees who are not current members of the DAHLC. From these surveys, we received the suggestion from several participants of having a women-only exercise area. Finally, in looking at clinical trials being conducted at Mayo Clinic, several investigators have selected female-only exercise classes as a strategy to reduce barriers to increasing physical activity level. For these reasons, so that our healthy living center can be successful in increasing the exercise level of all of our employees, we chose to create a women-only exercise area.