If you go to UCLA, you know about the Wooden Center. A Sports Complex housing a student gym, athletic training facilities, dance studios and much more, Wooden truly caters to the widest variety of students with even the slightest interest in athleticism. As a casual gym goer, it truly is a daunting place to be.
My freshman year, I have the clearest memory of my first time in Wooden. It was early morning, no later than 8AM, because I had somehow convinced myself that I was a morning workout person. Despite the time, the gym was already packed with students and adults all clamoring for the free weights and forming lines for the treadmills. Across the way, floor-to-ceiling windows showcased some of the school’s top gymnastic and cheer athletes, flipping across springboards and tossing each other high into the air. Directly in front of me, some of the largest college students took turns lifting well over 200 pounds, grunting and yelling with effort, roaring in victory and sending weights slamming to the floor.Â
As a 5 ‘1, beginner weightlifter, freshman, woman student—I couldn’t help thinking. “what have I gotten myself into??”
Yet, I was already there, and with the walk back up the hill not getting any more tempting, I decided I might as well get through my workout the best I could.
It was about fifteen minutes later when I found myself in front of the cable machine without a clue of what to do. The setup was much different than any I had used back home. My vision swam with various dials, pulleys, knobs and attachments. I had no choice but to ask for help. Glancing around my vicinity, I found the only other woman, an impressively muscular girl with glasses who must have sensed apprehension and tentatively asked her for some guidance. Her response was immediately kind and welcoming as she guided me through the setup and execution of the exercise. She asked about my year and how long I had been lifting. I told her and with an unusual openness, confessed how nervous the entire Wooden environment made me feel. “Don’t worry,” I recall her telling me, “the place clears out a few weeks into the quarter.” To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would last that long.
It’s crazy how far a bit of gym kindness can go. A few weeks later, I was still at Wooden, mostly keeping to the corner but still showing up as much as I could. The gymnasts and gym bros still intimidated me but not enough to deter me entirely. I began moving my workouts to the outdoor space away from all the noise. Sometimes when I was feeling brave, I would even wear a sports bra or shorts.Â
Maybe this article’s title is misleading. It’s been about two and a half years since I first stepped foot inside Wooden and honestly, it still scares me: the students can be rude, the music too loud, the machines with lines that stretch on forever. There’s no one looking out for you, but isn’t that just like everything in life? Working out can be so much more than a to-do list item. It is a way to navigate the challenges both inside and outside the gym walls. It’s about finding your own space to grow in a crazy world and a reminder of how much a little comment can change a person’s perspective. So, I’ve come to appreciate the strength it takes me to walk into Wooden and the pride you feel when you face your fears head-on, one lift at a time.