Most ads don’t reflect reality…this one does. This is exactly how many women show up to my gym.
I’ve been a regular at our new gym for one full week and I have to say I’m a bit of a standout. People come up to me and ask where I’m from. The trainers notice me and wave from across the gym. I notice guys doing a double take. Not to brag but people notice me. Yup, I have the distinction of being the most conservatively dressed woman in the gym.
With my t-shirts and running shorts, I might as well be using an American flag as a towel. It’s not just the fact that my abdomen is entirely covered that sets me apart. I’m not wearing eyeliner or chandelier earrings and I haven’t left my waist-length hair streaming down my back. The Brazilian women at my gym are the sexiest collection of gym goers I’ve ever seen. It’s like working out in a Flo Rida music video.
There’s more leopard print here than on a jungle safari. You can also see a good deal of paisley in all the colors of the rainbow. Every outfit is perfectly matched and accessorized. A flower-print sports bra paired with striped shorts? Major faux-pas!
Most of the women avoid the risks of mismatching by just going with the unitard. Until recently, the unitard was, for me, merely a myth. An extinct manner of dress that could be seen in historic records and frequently used in comedy sketches, like the toga.
I’m pleased to report the unitard is alive and popular here in Brazil. Surprisingly, there is quite a variety of cuts. You have very low cut backs that dip so far down it’s possible to count every vertebra. Some of the unitards have cutouts on the sides and others have lace-up backs. They also have fronts cut so low there’s no way the woman can lift her arms over head without everything popping out.
But lifting one’s arms is something most of the women never need to do since 95% of their workout focuses on legs. Probably, to pull off their unitards. And boy, do they pull them off. In addition to being sex bombs, I’m pretty sure every woman there is also a triathlete. These women sport six packs and perky, round butts without any jiggle.
I’m not exaggerating when I say every woman in the gym is hardcore. Yesterday, I scanned the gym specifically looking for women who could stand to lose a pound or two. I saw maybe four. Everyone else looked like an athlete and this includes the grandmothers in the room. One woman, who could not have been younger than 60, followed me on the squat press and upped my weight by 40kgs. A very humbling moment.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little intimidated by the overt sexiness of the women. The women are sleek, styled and fit. I’m in baggy shorts with my ponytail askew. In the end though, I’ll take a ponytail over sweaty hair clinging to my back. For me, comfort trumps fashion but I will take a cue from their commitment. These women, of all ages, have made exercise an integral part of their lifestyle. That, unlike unitards, is something worth imitating.
