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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2000)
GIRRRRRRL POWER ■ The University offers popular women-only weight lifting classes By Simone Ripke Oregon Daily Emerald Brenna Stewart, a freshman pre journalism major, lifts weights al most every day. To reinforce her progress and learn how to use the equipment in the weight room confidently, Stewart is also taking a weight lifting class — for women only. She says working out with a group of women and a female in structor, who all understand a woman’s body, was her main moti vation for registering for a women - only, as opposed to co-ed, class. Stewart also says working out with out big, buff guys around allows her to feel more comfortable. “It is less intimidating,” she says. Stewart says she had a male weight lifting coach in high school who did not address differences between lifting for men and women and was unwilling to con cede that men and women have different needs in the weight room. Peg Rees, director of physical ed ucation, says the physical educa tion department offers two to three classes designated only for women every term. Besides weight lifting classes the department offers bas ketball, volleyball and tennis class es for women only. “We’re trying to meet every body’s needs,” Rees says. Physical education classes were segregated in the past but became co-ed when Title IX came along — a law stating that males and fe males have to receive equal oppor tunities in state-supported educa tion systems. Rees says many institutions interpreted that Title IX called for co-ed classes. But some think that may not have been such a good idea. “In reality, it really lessened re alistic opportunities for women,” Rees says. She says basketballs for women are smaller to fit the size of women’s hands and the height of a volleyball net for women is lower than that for men, to accommo date their height. In co-ed classes, however, all equipment used is at the size and height for men’s sports, leading to an unfair disad vantage for women. Rees says there are many women Catherine Kendall Emerald Brenna Stewart works out on one of the weight machines in the rec center. Stewart is one of many students who have opted for women-only weight lifting classes. who do not mind using men’s equipment and have no trouble keeping up. But generally speaking, women tend to play sports on a dif ferent level than men. “As most people will admit, guys generally are bigger, stronger and faster,” she says. Rees says it is just like wrestling. Athletes from different weight classes do not face each other on the floor. Instead, they compete with athletes of their weight class only. To Rees, the di vision between most men and women is just like that. “We are a different weight class,” she says. Although Rees does not like to generalize, she says especially when it comes to team sports such as basketball and volleyball, men and women tend to play on differ ent levels. “It really is difficult to have a level playing field in team sports,” Rees says. Women-only weight classes were instituted because women are usually in the minority in the weight room and some feel more comfortable lifting with other women only. “The weight room is a classic example of cultural intimidation,” Rees says. “It’s just not as comfort able to lift together. ” Rees also says that when a woman is in the weight room, feel ing good about lifting 75 pounds and the guy next to her is lifting much more much faster, she may tend to not recognize her success. Shannon McIntosh, a graduate teaching fellow and instructor of the weight lifting class Stewart is taking, agrees that some women become intimidated in a weight room full of men. “The weight room has always been a male domain,” McIntosh says. She also says women only classes are popular because they give women a chance to work on and learn about issues pertaining specifically to women’s bodies. McIntosh says co-ed classes usu ally focus on supplements rather than issues such as osteoporosis and eating disorders, which are more for females. Women also tend to have differ ent goals when working out, McIntosh says. “Women tend to be interested more in why they are doing some thing and how it’s working,” she says. Most men, on the other hand, are usually interested in building mus cle as fast as possible when they are in the weight room, she says. Rees and McIntosh say classes designated for women only are popular and fill up quickly. McIn tosh says she suspects most women in her class registered par ticularly because the class is for women only. “The women that I have had contact with... are all glad that this is sort of for them,” she says. Amy Kott, a senior double-ma joring in psychology and interna tional studies, is currently taking McIntosh’s weight lifting class. She says she likes lifting sur rounded by female peers because it feels more comfortable and is less competitive. Kott says she has some female friends who were in terested in women only weight classes but were not able to get in. “I just wish there were more of them,” she says. Rees says so far nobdy has had complaints about gender specific classes. “We haven’t had anybody feel our offerings are unfair,” she says. She says about the same num ber of classes for men only have been offered in the past. And despite some students’ preferences for gender specific classes, co-ed classes are still pop ular too. “I think socially, it’s important to do both,” Rees says. “It’s a dif ferent social and emotional growth.” Physical Education Take a PE class For More Information: a) Web site: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~pars b) Schedule of Classes — pgs. 98-102 c) Call 346-4113 d) All of the above Spring Term 2000 008745 iggles We make your muscles bulge Full Menu • Full Bar Two Stages Oregon’s Tallest Pole All Oregon Lottery Games Private Loft Available for Parties It’s a month of Fun at Jiggles! Monday: Meal Deal Monday Tuesday: Food & Drink Specials Wednesday: (too outrageous to say) Thursday: Special Event Night Friday: Tim’s Cigar Night Saturday: Verna & Linda’s Fighting Duck Drink Specials. Bartender’s Choice. Check out these specials! *Free cover charge w/student ID Daily 11:00 am - 2:30 am W. 11th, Eugene • (541) 344-6897
