This Gym Is Covering Its Mirrors On Mondays In The Name Of Body Positivity

Gym franchise Blink Fitness is making a major statement to encourage body positivity among its members. Throughout the summer, its locations in New York and New Jersey will cover their mirrors on Mondays as a reminder that working out is "not just about what you see in the mirror," as Blink's president, Todd Magazine, said in a statement. The Mondays Without Mirrors initiative is a part of Blink's Every Body Happy campaign, which is founded on the idea that everyone, regardless of size, deserves to be healthy. Magazine added that "fitness has never been just about looking a certain way," but more about making you feel good. Especially during a time of year when most fitness companies are building their marketing around the very problematic "bikini body" theme, it's awesome to see a gym continuing to push the conversation about the real benefits of exercise forward. And Blink really could be onto something: There is at least one small study to suggest that mirrors might be detrimental to how people feel about their bodies during a workout, even among people who don't tend to have poor body image. However, it's worth noting there is a legitimate reason mirrors exist in gyms in the first place: They help you make sure you're maintaining proper form, which is important for preventing injury. As one Facebook user pointed out on to Blink's page, "it's kind of hard to make sure one is using proper form without a mirror. And considering that your gym actively markets to beginning lifters, it's really odd that you'd make an issue of this." Luckily, the mirrors will stay on full display for the rest of the week, and the Mondays Without Mirrors initiative will only take place at various Blink locations in New York and New Jersey at varying times. So yes, the move is mostly symbolic. Still, no matter where you work out, there are plenty of ways to maintain respect and love for your body during your workouts, with or without mirrors. You can check out ideas for keeping your workouts body-positive here.