If we do Parkrun as a family, my husband shoots off into the distance as soon as the whistle sounds, leaving me to coax the children round. While my exercise is limited to blocks of 20-30 minutes, between work and childcare, he exercises instead of doing childcare.
I’m one of the lucky ones: there are many women living in the UK whose husbands, or cultures, stop them from exercising altogether. I also know he’d swap if I asked – he just doesn’t think of it first. This is very important because, according to the team behind I Will if You Will – the Bury Council-led initiative aimed at women – I’m not alone in this. In fact, this is one of the common barriers to many women being active: mothers are conditioned to put their children first. If childcare options or family activities aren’t available, they don’t exercise.
There was a general consensus among the women I spoke to that there needs to be a cultural shift, whereby husbands and partners are supportive of women exercising.
Equally however, the industry can also help make it easier for women. Allowing mothers to bring babies into studio classes or poolside would be helpful, as would running sessions the whole family can join; offering childcare; or putting on an adult class or swimming session that coincides with a kids’ activity.
There’s a refreshing level of energy around the bid to get women active. Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign looks set to be a gamechanger, partnering with a range of women’s brands from outside the industry. I Will if You Will – the inspiration behind This Girl Can – is a project which encourages women to support each other to become active and helped 7,500 women to become active. Now in phase two, it wants to take this further, working with more clubs.
Is your sports club welcoming to women? Do you provide women-only teams or activity sessions? Are your sessions at convenient times? What else could you be doing?