Gender Socialization and the Gym

In the week and a half since joiniong my gym, I've noticed that the weight room has about a 3:1 M-F ratio but classes (aerobics and Pilates are the two I've tried) have all women. In chatting with a few friends about this phenomenon, I've uncovered that men generally feel intimidated by classes. There's the fear of looking weak or lost or dorky in front of others. Women, on the other hand, (myself included until my free personal training session set me straight) generally feel intimidated by the weight rooms. They lack the support and encouragement of a group as well as the guidance of an instructor.

This is all very scientific, of course.