Just Left Malley, Feeling Good…I Think

Comparison takes the wellness out of fitness

A simple 12-3-30 on the treadmill with a side of Celsius seems to be an easy workout to bang out at Malley in between classes–and, like many, I myself have tried it. But Santa Clara’s workout culture is more complicated than a fitness trend. We have a Division I athletics department, 300 days of sunshine a year and a location in the state ranked highest in physical health.

On paper, Santa Clara is the poster child for happiness and wellness–yet there are still barriers to achieving that Whole Foods green juice lifestyle. On campus, going to the gym isn’t as simple as just going to the gym. Malley can get unnerving at times due to the number of people present from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays or the expectation to know how to use the weight machines. Health and fitness would feel more accessible if the culture at the gym was more approachable. 

This is particularly true for women, who may be burdened with intimidation upon entrance. Stepping into a space that is historically tailored to men can be uncomfortable. Prolonged exposure to the male gaze makes you question if you’re looking good, rather than if you’re feeling good. And fitness should be inspired by feel instead of looks. 

“Overall, there’s a big push to shift the mindset of movement into being something that’s for enjoyment,” Body Positive SCU club member Lucy Schmidt said. 

To aspire to this goal, some students draw on community as a way to tackle health and fitness culture’s daunting presence at this school. 

Santa Clara’s CHAARG (Changing Habits, Attitudes + Attitudes To Recreate Girls) chapter is built upon empowering women and emphasizes the value of working out in a positive group setting. 

“It’s hard for anybody to get to the gym,” CHAARG president Noelle LaFleur said. “You’re making a conscious effort to get there and when you get there, you’re discouraged by this culture.” 

No one requires students to work out.

At times, CHAARG groups consider going to exercise at Malley if they are not planning an off-campus workout event. But sometimes just getting yourself to enter Malley is a difficult first step.

“We’re stepping into this space that has all of these guys that are working out together, dominating the gym,” said LaFleur.

Though it is often under-emphasized, community is one of the most important facets of working out. However, a fitness community means something different for students who actually feel welcome in Malley. 

In order to make fitness feel more inclusive at Santa Clara, students should have an open mind when it comes to different workout goals, gender, experience, body type and physical abilities. Reflecting on the impact of health and fitness culture on mental wellness is just as important as participating in an active lifestyle. Sometimes, if workout culture becomes excessive, it is best to rethink your relationship with exercise. 

It is also important to reflect upon a culture of comparison within the fitness sphere. This is prevalent at any university, but it is all too pervasive at Santa Clara. It is not inherently negative, but can devolve into a toxic mindset. 

Comparison has the power to control the way we work out in terms of how close we are to a goal, how we look compared to the person next to us in the mirror and how long we last on a workout machine. Even though some will say they don’t compare themselves to others, it is inherent to strive for improvement and consistency in a health and fitness lifestyle, which at the very least prompts comparison to what we once were. 

A post-workout adrenaline rush is intoxicating, and physically taxing workouts bring a significant number of mental health benefits. But it is easy to forget about the mental toll of the emphasis on fitness when it’s so often tied to appearance. It is reflected in how we see others and ourselves at the gym and lingers when we pick up our phones and scroll through social media, discovering which workout regimen will make us more toned, buff or slim for summertime. (Update: Alexis Ren’s 2018 10-minute abs video now has 53 million views…)

But fitness doesn’t have to mean upping the incline on your treadmill until you’re out of breath or abiding by Chloe Ting’s workout.

“Fitness can look like a lot of different things, like going on hikes, going on walks and playing ‘Just Dance,’” Schmidt said.

Santa Clara provides a wide range of fitness activities for students including intramural sports, club sports and student-led workout classes,diversifying the ways students can access fitness. And though fitness culture at this school can be intimidating, students have found a way to utilize these resources, finding its prevalence motivating. 

“Being surrounded by a culture where everyone is physically active and also academically strong makes you realize that this is possible,” Club Sports Coordinator and frequent gym-goer, Dominick Kubica said. “It’s not something that’s unachievable.”

True that it isn’t unachievable, but it isn’t easy. For those that already feel like it is difficult to step into Malley, achieving Santa Clara’s pervasive fitness lifestyle can be a loftier goal for some. However, workout culture is multifaceted. 

“To have a holistic experience is really beneficial,” Kubica said. “Get outside, get your body moving and get the sun on your face. All those things make your life feel more diverse and complete.” 

Nevertheless, an aspect of Kubica’s fitness routine is defined by community that he found in Malley. Like clockwork, Kubica finishes his workout and relocates to Malley’s sauna at 7:15 p.m. to meet up with his roommates after a workout. See, health and fitness is a consecrated ritual at our Jesuit university. 

This practice led to the creation of an 11 person group chat titled “Sauna Brothers in Christ,” where Kubica and friends plan trips to the sauna or discuss other fitness and health-related topics.

“The sauna is my biggest community driver,” Kubica said. 

The mindset in which we approach and view fitness impacts how students feel walking into the gym. It is the Santa Clara community, as well as the communities we create within it, that defines the culture. And, frankly, it does not have to revolve around Malley.