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May 08, 2008
My Battle With Bigorexia: The Illusion of a Real Athlete
Here's a newsflash: I've been hitting the gym recently. And by recently I mean almost everyday for the past 2 years.
It all started when I started working at 3M. Having a gym within walking distance and a less than stressful job have really allowed me to have an active gym life. Recently it was commented that I was looking really good and I should keep up what I'm doing at the gym to get bigger.
Okay, the truth is, I don't really have bigorexia. And here's why: I don't freak out if I don't get enough protein, I don't stress out if I don't make it to the gym when I want to, and I don't sacrifice other relationships for the sake of going to the gym, and I have no desire to spend money on steroids.
That being said, I do examine myself in the mirror on a frequent basis, I take protein supplements, I get upset if I miss a workout to do nothing at home, and (here's the issue I wish to discuss) I never seem to be satisfied with my body's appearance. I should point out a few things: I am not unhealthy by any accounts, I have around 10% body fat, I have a healthy heart, I can run a six-minute mile at any given moment, I'm 6'3" and weigh 190 pounds.
This is what I do not want to become. What a nutcase. Absolutely not gonna happen. What went wrong with this one? I don't knw. Did anyone see him practice boxing? He's not athletic at all. Why does he get attention then? Why is he even a character on The Real World? Almost every season there is one character on The Real World that takes working out to the extreme. Seattle: David. New Orleans: David (woo woo). Chicago: Chris. Hollywood: Joey. (I know I'm skipping a few, I'm not a huge fan of the show since I got to college.)
Okay, I might not have been entirely clear from the start of this essay. My battle with bigorexia is not the internal one that you might have been thinking of. It has nothing to with being insecure, even though I might be from time to time. I just wanted to get it on the table that I was not a total fatass.
The real battle was prompted by this exaltation of the bigorexic man. What images are evoked when the topic of heroes is brought up? More often than not, a herculean image will eclipse anything jasonian in our mind. (Jason of Jason and the Argonauts was a weak little prick who only is a hero because he was helped by women, only to leave them.)
The problem I am getting at is this: these neo-herculean actors are rarely truly athletic. Big muscles might suggest strength, but speed or agility do not necessarily figure into the picture. And yet, extremely muscular men are idolized in bars, in movies, and other public venues. For why? They spend hours at the gym and consume copious amounts of protein and, if that is not enough, resort to anabolic steroids. Very admirable, unless they are listening to books on tape while pumping iron. I know I love liseting to War and Peace while doing the bench press.
Point of the story: I applaud serious bodybuilders for their efforts and dedication. It's not easy to get to the gym everyday. What I do not applaud is deifying serious bodybuilders into sex gods or superheroes. I'd rather have a decathlete, in my opinion.
Posted by piep0058 at May 8, 2008 01:57 PM | My Mind
Comments
How about an all-american swimmer.
Posted by: JMLA at June 24, 2008 11:20 PM