THE RISE OF STUDENT GYM CULTURE

Amilcar Xayiya

@melkardascribe

 

Gym culture has long been a prominent part of society, with the saying “health is wealth” continuing to resonate across generations. For students in particular, balancing demanding academic workloads and personal responsibilities has made health and fitness increasingly important, leading many to turn to the gym not only for physical improvement but also for discipline, stress relief and confidence. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular physical activity can help reduce stress, improve mood, boost self-confidence and enhance overall mental wellbeing. These benefits may explain why many students continue attending the gym even after achieving their initial fitness goals. However, while many students initially begin going to the gym to improve their physical fitness, the motivations that encourage them to remain consistent often differ from person to person. 

 

For second-year BA Communication student Sifiso Mashego, the gym represents far more than just physical improvement, as he explains that his main reason for going to the gym is cultivating discipline and consistency that’s transferrable to his everyday life. Differently, Faith Phati, a BA In Industrial Psychology with Labour Relations Management student stated that she simply started going to the gym to be healthy. This shows that while the reasons are different, the drive to go to the gym is still the same.

 

Research published by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests that regular exercise can have significant mental health benefits, including reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression while improving overall mood. For students facing academic pressures, these benefits make physical activity an important tool for maintaining emotional wellbeing. Although students may enter gym culture with different motivations and experiences, social media has become one of the biggest factors shaping how young people view fitness, discipline and body image.

 

Elaborating on this, Mashego stated, “Some students might go to the gym because they saw someone well-built and wanted to look like them and imitate their fitness lifestyles, like Ashton Hall, for example.” However, Phati also added that while social media can inspire students, she also believes that constant exposure to influencers and idealised physiques can also create unhealthy comparisons and standards among young people.

 

As fitness culture continues to grow online and on campus, these comparisons can often develop into pressure for students to achieve certain body types or physical standards within unrealistic timeframes. Phati explained, “People try to chase the physique that others obtained by going to the gym for many years.” 

 

Despite the pressures and comparisons that can sometimes come with gym culture, both students agreed that exercising and maintaining a fitness routine can also have a positive impact on confidence, emotional well-being and overall mental health. Ultimately, gym culture among students is more than simply chasing the “perfect” physique. It’s a journey of finding the different ways one can better themselves mentally, emotionally and physically.

 

Image displaying two young adults preparing for a workout (Source: Deposit Photos).

 

Edited by Antoinette Tshikota