Gym Covers Mirrors With Signs Reminding Members Fitness Is About More Than Looks

A gym chain is covering all its mirrors throughout June to remind its members what fitness and exercise is really about.

BlinkFitness, whose gyms are located across America, will replace mirrors with signs saying: "Do it for the mood, not just the mirror."

"All month long, @Blink_Fitness will be covering up mirrors to remind us that exercise is about more than looks – it’s about a state of mind," blogger Jackie Aanonsen explained on Instagram.

"I work out because it makes me feel powerful, especially when I lift weights."

BlinkFitness' vice president of marketing, Ellen Roggemann, said she hopes the campaign provides an antidote to the "beach body ready" message we see so much this time of year.

"By covering the mirrors, we’re encouraging our members to take a stand with us and sign the mirror cover showing their support that exercise is about so much more than what we see in our reflection," she told InStyle.

"With ‘swimsuit season’ getting into full swing, we want our members to shift their summer fitness goals to feeling healthy and confident versus chasing the perfect ‘summer body.'"

We'll be keeping their feel-good mantra in mind next time we're at our local gym.

Exercises That Fitness Trainers Would Never Do

Presses Behind the Head (01 of05)

“Anything behind the neck puts your shoulder muscles in a vulnerable position. So don’t do presses, chins and pull-downs behind your head,” Pomahac said. “It's an unnatural and unsafe position and puts your shoulder joint into an extension, external rotation position which places a large and unnatural strain on your rotator cuff muscles. I recommend military (front) presses or dumbbell presses, both of which work front delts much more safely. I never lower the weight below chin level. You'll notice this is about as far as you can go without your shoulders dropping. I usually perform military presses on a Smith machine, or dumbbells which lets me roll my palms back and find a more natural position.”Photo Credit: ShutterstockClick Here to See Exercises that Fitness Trainers Would Never Do

Seated Leg Machines (02 of05)

“I stay clear of the seated leg extension and seated hamstring curl machines,” said U.S. Track and Field Star and ACE Certified Personal Trainer Monica Hargrove. “When the leg is fully extended, that puts a lot of stress on the knee joints, ultimately risking injury. Squats and lunges are a safer and more effective way to work the quads.” She recommends trying front squats, back squats, split squats, walking lunges, stationary lunges, and reverse lunges.“When it comes to working my hamstrings, I'm more concerned with functional performance and the hamstring curl strengthens a motion not designed for running or sprinting. Straight leg dead lifts and good mornings are two exercises that train my hamstrings in better positions for running.”Photo Credit: ShutterstockClick Here to See Exercises that Fitness Trainers Would Never Do

Crunches(03 of05)

“I rarely ever do crunches,” said ACE certified pre- and post-natal fitness trainer Sara Haley. “To me it’s a waste of time -- too much risk of doing them wrong... I’d rather be more efficient and work my entire core with exercises like dead bug and plank variations.”Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Single-Leg Plyo Box Jump(04 of05)

"One exercise that I see people attempt, but I would never do is a single-leg plyo box jump (using the high platform). This is a move that is unnecessary and extremely dangerous,” said Basheerah Ahmad, a celebrity trainer and lifestyle coach. Click Here to See Exercises that Fitness Trainers Would Never DoPhoto Credit: Shutterstock

The Tricep “Bench” Dip(05 of05)

“This exercise places extreme stress on the acromioclavicular joint as well as the labrum,” said Chief Clinical Officer of Orthology Dr. Josh Sandell. “[Which] can lead to all kinds of shoulder problems and perpetuates the problems on anyone who has forward head posture.”Photo Credit: Shutterstock

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