Strong is strong. Skinny is skinny.

Hanley

Motivational slogans of starved and dehydrated figure models with "strong is the new skinny" on them can go shut the **** up.

I'm SO glad this article has been written. I just wish it was by me.

http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/strong-is-still-strong-skinny-is-still-skinny

Jerrica

To quote someone from another website:

This shít will never end, because self-hatred for women in a billion dollar industry.

But... and here's where I really run the risk of p*ssing people off... the problem isn't just perpetuated by the facebook slogans and whatnot. Women are told by "The Industry" to look a certain way, they are objectified en masse. And while I know that the vast, vast majority of guys who train and frequent this forum love to see women training too, just be mindful of the language you use in everyday situations.

For every "I really like to see a woman lifting strong in the gym" there's a "I'd hit that so hard she would break through a wall" comment. So we can have these conversations about how "The Industry" advertises unrealistic ideals, but a brief read through the Squats the Story thread will tell you that the objectification (is that a word? spellcheck thinks so) of women is rife at all levels. Maybe instead of describing how you would slam a teenage Russian powerlifter with an incredible physique, respect her for what she does. That everday language says it doesn't matter if strong = skinny or sexy or slutty or whatever, we're going to get hit on/ objectified regardless. Those messages mean just as much as the bullsh*t we try and filter out of our minds' eye when browsing the facepages.

kevpants

Jerrica wrote: »

To quote someone from another website:

This shít will never end, because self-hatred for women in a billion dollar industry.

My wife just had a baby, if I see or hear an article or ad or conversation that mentions how quick some dead behind the eyes, vacuous attention seeker got her miserable husk of a womb to contract quickly enough to appear in public in her pair of skinny jeans, which frankly I'd rather have a conversation with than her, I have a full on public rage-gasm. I basically turn into Germaine Greer, possessed by the spirit of Emily Davison, if Emily Davison had spent the last few decades in hell watching Satan post encouraging messages on a pro-ana message board with one hand and taking away women's voting rights with the other, while wearing a "father's for justice" t-shirt.

But... and here's where I really run the risk of p*ssing people off... the problem isn't just perpetuated by the facebook slogans and whatnot. Women are told by "The Industry" to look a certain way, they are objectified en masse. And while I know that the vast, vast majority of guys who train and frequent this forum love to see women training too, just be mindful of the language you use in everyday situations.

For every "I really like to see a woman lifting strong in the gym" there's a "I'd hit that so hard she would break through a wall" comment. So we can have these conversations about how "The Industry" advertises unrealistic ideals, but a brief read through the Squats the Story thread will tell you that the objectification (is that a word? spellcheck thinks so) of women is rife at all levels. Maybe instead of describing how you would slam a teenage Russian powerlifter with an incredible physique, respect her for what she does. That everday language says it doesn't matter if strong = skinny or sexy or slutty or whatever, we're going to get hit on/ objectified regardless. Those messages mean just as much as the bullsh*t we try and filter out of our minds' eye when browsing the facepages.

Never underestimate how a sizable percentage of guys objectify women... doing anything. This happens if things go into guy mode. For this to happen it generally means there's a collection of guys and things have gotten slightly jovial. Take a work environment, if there's a meeting and once the meeting is finished people start making a few jokes, having a laugh. It becomes subconsciously apparent there are all blokes in the room. GUARANTEED a handful of them will make a comment on some female employee's posterior chain development or ability to pleasure many members of the accounting team simultaneously.

It also happens on message boards about manly things like lifting all the weights or kicking all the footballs.

It's not about fitness, a % of people are just mouth-breathers. Eugenics is the only way to stop it.

Kev M

It's 99.9% about looking sexy.
Most girls who start lifting do so as they're told don't bother going running etc, what you need is to squat and deadlift to get your dream body... The purpose from the get go is to look good, not to improve strength on lifts.
It's advertising. Girls will respond to sexy figure models getting attention from men.. Not to female highland games competitors hoisting logs up in the air.
I mean that for the most part, because there probably are some wannabe Becca Swansons out there.

Hanley

Bloody marketing. It's all so evil.

Oryx

When I first saw one of those 'strong is the new skinny' posters, I loved it, because it was such a change from the 'emaciated is sexy' message you usually see in women's advertising and fashion. I thought it sent a better message to women than the usual schtick about tits, hair, and weighing less than a ten year old boy.

But yet again, the message is missing the mark, because it is focussing solely on looks. I suppose that's natural, we are a culture obsessed with appearance, a tendency that is fed by the way our society is run. Take for example, this forum. The majority of the posts we get here are to do with losing weight, how to get a six pack, whether lifting or cardio gives you a better looking body and so on. All about how your body ends up looking, rather than what it ends up able to do.

What I'm waiting for is a meme that sends the message 'you are what you do, not how you look'. Fitness means being adapted for a purpose, and sadly, for most people, that purpose is looking good in a mirror, an aim that is inevitably doomed to failure because a) you'll probably never match your aspirational goals (particularly if they are based on a photoshopped image of a bodybuilder) and b) anything based on looks is short lived, age/life will scupper whatever you manage to achieve anyway. Bodybuilders only look competition ready for hours, not years.

Strong is the new skinny is not a bad message, lets face it, it's a better message than starve to death or obesity is fun! but unfortunately it is yet again setting normal people up against abnormal goals which mean they don't have fun trying and give up when they don't get the poster looks they want.

Able is the new skinny, or strong, in my book. Get fit for a purpose.

Alf Veedersane

Jerrica wrote: »

But... and here's where I really run the risk of p*ssing people off... the problem isn't just perpetuated by the facebook slogans and whatnot. Women are told by "The Industry" to look a certain way, they are objectified en masse.

I know you're not saying they're not but men are becoming more and more prone to trying to achieve a goal that is more aesthetic than athletic. Once it used to be about not being fat. Now the goalposts have moved, for a lot or men. They want to have abs/pecs/ biceps like the bloke on the cover of Men's Health. Or some other ripped mofo. That's why the term 'manorexia' exists.

It almost seems so easy to just flip it around that imrpoving your body's capabilities was the primary goal rather than secondary but unfortunately it's not.

amazingemmet

Hanley wrote: »

Bloody marketing. It's all so evil.

Its not all Tits, Ar$e and Bingo wings :pac:

the drifter

Hanley wrote: »

Motivational slogans of starved and dehydrated figure models with "strong is the new skinny" on them can go shut the **** up.

I'm SO glad this article has been written. I just wish it was by me.

http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/strong-is-still-strong-skinny-is-still-skinny

Can you not just write a similar one on it and stick a revfit log behind it and release it in a 14 part ebook series where you just "have" to sign up to receive all the copies for a one time limited to just you and 14 million other people for a super low price of 99.99 with free shaker and foam roller.

Hanley

the drifter wrote: »

Can you not just write a similar one on it and stick a revfit log behind it and release it in a 14 part ebook series where you just "have" to sign up to receive all the copies for a one time limited to just you and 14 million other people for a super low price of 99.99 with free shaker and foam roller.

Yup. But why would I do that when I can post on boards?

the drifter

Hanley wrote: »

Yup. But why would I do that when I can post on boards?

that true...plus you cant be see to be productive during normal business hours. What you need to do is release it at 10pm and then people will think your actually working 14-15 hour day.

Hanley

the drifter wrote: »

that true...plus you cant be see to be productive during normal business hours. What you need to do is release it at 10pm and then people will think your actually working 14-15 hour day.

Yup and then piss and moan about other people doing the same because they're sell outs and I'm legit.

Ush1

Skinny bulimic girls have really strong throat muscles though.

the drifter

Hanley wrote: »

Yup and then piss and moan about other people doing the same because they're sell outs and I'm legit.

now you've got it!!! your destined to be a success now!

Alf Veedersane

the drifter wrote: »

now you've got it!!! your destined to be a success now!

Do you even sarcasm?

Esoteric_

Kev M wrote: »

It's 99.9% about looking sexy.
Most girls who start lifting do so as they're told don't bother going running etc, what you need is to squat and deadlift to get your dream body... The purpose from the get go is to look good, not to improve strength on lifts.
It's advertising. Girls will respond to sexy figure models getting attention from men.. Not to female highland games competitors hoisting logs up in the air.
I mean that for the most part, because there probably are some wannabe Becca Swansons out there.

I don't know about that. My trainers also train over a hundred people a week (some pt, some group work) and they always, ALWAYS say that 'strong is sexy.' They make everyone doing pt or group classes to combine cardio with squats and weights, and push you constantly until you're using heavier weights. I started off struggling to lift a 2.5kg kettlebell, now I'm using two 16s anytime I train. I do pt and group work with them, and every single woman in the group classes has improved with the weights they're lifting.

Alf Veedersane

Esoteric_ wrote: »

I don't know about that. My trainers also train over a hundred people a week (some pt, some group work) and they always, ALWAYS say that 'strong is sexy.' They make everyone doing pt or group classes to combine cardio with squats and weights, and push you constantly until you're using heavier weights. I started off struggling to lift a 2.5kg kettlebell, now I'm using two 16s anytime I train. I do pt and group work with them, and every single woman in the group classes has improved with the weights they're lifting.

The question is if the building up strength is the primary goal or if looking sexy (y virtue of becoming strong) is the primary goal.

It'd be great if it was the former but the problem is that too often the improved capacity of the body for doing stuff is secondary to looking much better.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

A large part of me feels that the current trend in calling out the "stong is the new skinny" type of meme advertising is just another marketing exercise.

One where one group, desperate for a new, controversal, social media friendly message, tell us that this muscular look is as invalid as a skinny look, the undertone being that their idea of the new aesthetic or their training system is better, more achievable and kinder to the female cohort potential clients.

I dont think that its in any way revolutionary to point out that a picture of a woman in facebook with dumbbells in hand, 3% BF, excellent lighting, in a state of starvation and dehydration is not realistic for most people....well duh sherlock.

amazingemmet

@Fitzgeme Couldn't of said it better. The first blog I read about it was by a pilates instructor so I wrote it off as such.

Oryx

Arlo Rotten Weirdo wrote: »

I don't think that its in any way revolutionary to point out that a picture of a woman in facebook with dumbbells in hand, 3% BF, excellent lighting, in a state of starvation and dehydration is not realistic for most people....well duh sherlock.

Most 'normal' people won't even realise that woman is in a state of dehydration and starvation, though. They think she looks like that all the time, and then, when their crossfit or bootcamp or whatever doesn't change them all that much, they give up and go 'well sod getting muscles, that sh*t is just too hard'.

runawaybishop

Hanley wrote: »

Motivational slogans of starved and dehydrated figure models with "strong is the new skinny" on them can go shut the **** up.

I'm SO glad this article has been written. I just wish it was by me.

http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/strong-is-still-strong-skinny-is-still-skinny

You hurt her feelings.

Jessie Hilgenberg IFBB Pro
Since it's me in the "too dehydrated and calorie deprived to lift much more than their own body weight at the time the photos were taken" photo I just wanted to say that I really do like where you're going with your post. But...muscular, lean fitness models do exist that are more focused on health and wellness than dehydration for a photo shoot. I look that way year round (you can follow my Facebook or Instagram to easily see that), drink at least 1 gallon of water per day (even the day before a figure competition or photo shoot), am a certified yoga instructor, put a HUGE emphasis on movement and the maximizing the capabilities of my natural body, and practice and experiment with many styles of fitness "trends" (not just picking things up and putting things down). Yes, there are many fitness and bodybuilding competitors that go to extremes and give us a bad wrap occasionally. I know that is out there. But, since my photos are used so widely with random quotes that I have nothing to do with or no control over - I often find them and they are laden with "ews" and "gross" and steroid comments. So, sometimes I get sensitive about being the poster girl for articles like this one On the exact same day, I can make myself look the way I am in your article - or I can look feminine and soft. It's truly all in the photography, lighting, getting a pump on and some glycerin. Keep the healthy discussions going!

Rower2

Kev M wrote: »

It's 99.9% about looking sexy.
Most girls who start lifting do so as they're told don't bother going running etc, what you need is to squat and deadlift to get your dream body... The purpose from the get go is to look good, not to improve strength on lifts.
It's advertising. Girls will respond to sexy figure models getting attention from men.. Not to female highland games competitors hoisting logs up in the air.
I mean that for the most part, because there probably are some wannabe Becca Swansons out there.

the girls doing it for vanity that ive seen are generally lugging some handbag weight in some variation of a straight leg dead lift infront of the mirror simultaneoulsy trying to build muscle and not to build muscle. The ongoing fear of looking like arnie after a 4kg bicep curl still reigns.

The women I've seen doing proper lifting are doing it for competition and testing how far they can go. But I agree I haven't heard much talk about 'the female highland games competitors' look being the goal

Mellor

Arlo Rotten Weirdo wrote: »

I dont think that its in any way revolutionary to point out that a picture of a woman in facebook with dumbbells in hand, 3% BF, excellent lighting, in a state of starvation and dehydration is not realistic for most people....well duh sherlock.

The problem is the average girl who sees these posters won't realise any of those conditions are in place for the photo. They'll just jump to the incorrect weights make women bulky conclusion. Which ironically, is probably the very misconception they want to fix.

ClubDead

Oryx wrote: »

Most 'normal' people won't even realise that woman is in a state of dehydration and starvation, though. They think she looks like that all the time, and then, when their crossfit or bootcamp or whatever doesn't change them all that much, they give up and go 'well sod getting muscles, that sh*t is just too hard'.

:eek: That would be me! Bloody hell I really thought the women in these pic’s really looked like that all the time, Ive tons of ‘inspirational’ photos on my Pinterest account that I dream of aspiring to.