Whereas women are often self-conscious about how they look at the gym, men tend not to similarly care about their appearance when working out. For them, pumping the iron is about developing the muscular physique and six-pack to show off later, not at the gym itself.
Still, there are strong incentives for men to think carefully about what they wear at the gym – especially since, if they are single, they could catch the eye of a nice lady…
A noticeable gender divide in attitudes to the gym
Men often do want to look good, but treat the gym as a means to an end. Vincent Perez, director of sports therapy at New York’s Columbia University Medical Centre Eastside, tells WebMD that “men work out because they like to be bigger”, adding: “Pecs, biceps, quads? Men are after bulk.”
Pamela Peeke, who wrote Body-for-LIFE for Women: A Woman’s Plan for Physical and Mental Transformation, notes that, in contrast, “women think everyone else is looking at them, so they’re afraid to put on workout clothes or get out there in public with their cellulite jiggling.”
What do women like seeing gym-goer guys wearing?
Perhaps one reason for this reticence on women’s part is that they certainly notice how the men at their gyms look. The men’s magazine GQ surveyed a hundred real-life women on what they wanted to see men wearing at the gym, so here’s where single guys should take note…
Naturally, many men probably want their hard-earned muscle definition to show through their t-shirts – and, fortunately, so did some of the women in the survey. One lady commented: “I don’t particularly care about the moisture wicking, I just like the muscle definition.”
What should men slip into after their workouts, though? Of the surveyed women, 61% voted for the hooded sweatshirt. One woman called hoodies “peak sexy utilitarianism”, while another enthused: “All guys look hot with a hoodie.” A “cosy hoodie” is a guaranteed success, another female insisted.
What about the men who are already romantically attached?
Even guys who aren’t single can benefit from preparing their gym attire in the same careful way as they would their clothing for, say, a job interview, wedding or workday. One reason why is that, otherwise, these men could sweat excessively – and that could increase their discomfort at the gym.
Hence, Men’s Health advises its readers to wear breathable fabrics at the gym, as men could more easily sweat and retain heat and moisture otherwise. Furthermore, when attached gentlemen choose their gym clothing, they could think about what their partners might want to see.
Yes, that’s right – these men could take their partners along to the gym with them. To prepare for a series of gym visits with the other half, men could shop the His & Hers collection at the online store Gym King and, in this way, look for tracksuits, hoodies and joggers that would suit both partners. That could be a good remedy for any lack of confidence the lady feels at the gym…