Is the Weight Room Culture a Red Flag?

The weight room at school is supposed to be a place where everyone gets stronger and pushes themselves—but not everyone feels like they belong there. Some students say it’s chill and motivating. Others? Not so much. 

By: Liah Rodriguez

At first glance, the high school weight room looks like a space where students push themselves toward personal goals. However, students and staff each have different perspectives.

“I feel like the culture is extremely good,” said Angel Bombela, ‘27, a student who works out regularly. “We all feel like a team… like we’re trying to share one goal and that’s to get better at our own sports.” From his perspective, things feel equal. “Yes, it’s fair. We all share the same goal and workouts.”

But not everyone sees it that way. 

“It’s kind of 50/50,” said Demarie Avila, ‘27. “Some people are cool and help spot, but others can be rude or just don’t mind their business.” For girls especially, it’s not always a safe-feeling space. “Sometimes we get made fun of or seen as ‘weaker,” she said.

That vibe can make the whole place feel like a red flag.

“We’ll get put into groups and have to spot the boys, but we can’t really do that because it’s too heavy,” said Lilah Vargas, ‘26. She added that there are expectations in the gym—just not the same for everyone. “We don’t have to live up to the boys’ expectations. We just want our own space.”

Even Roman Mesa, ‘27, admitted there might be a better way. “Maybe give them their own workouts too, if they want to do their own thing and allow them to train however they want.”

The thing is, even if everyone’s doing the same workouts, it doesn’t mean it feels equal for everyone. Some teachers say they treat all students the same.

“I treat a girl just like a guy, and a guy like a girl,” said P.E. teacher Brian Macdonald. “I don’t think it’s bad, I just don’t think everybody buys in.” But if some students don’t feel comfortable, that’s a problem on its own.

Mrs. Hailey Aston, the ASB (Associated Student Body) Advisor who hears from students, said she’s gotten feedback too. “I’ve heard from female students that it’s not as welcoming as they would hope.” She even suggested having an all-girls weightlifting class, taught by a woman, just to help create a more comfortable space. “The ones you usually see lifting are boys or boys on sports teams.”

So is the weight room culture a red flag? Honestly, it depends who you ask. Some people feel totally fine there. Others feel judged, ignored, or like they don’t belong. If the goal is for everyone to get stronger, maybe it’s time to think about making the space stronger too—by making it more fair, more chill, and more open to everyone.

Kai Korsgaden, ‘26, agreed that there’s probably a bigger issue here. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s male dominated. That probably makes other people not want to join, and then it just keeps happening.”

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