Strength training: Another fad for women to follow?
This article explores the shift in fitness culture for women, moving from cardio-focused weight loss to strength training for long-term health. While highlighting the benefits of muscle building for bone density and empowerment, it also warns against replacing old beauty standards with new, equally unrealistic pressures.
Why it matters
It addresses the intersection of physical health and societal body image standards, providing a nuanced perspective on modern wellness trends.
Like the rest of my Gen X peers, I grew up with the message that striving for the “Buns of Steel” body was about how you looked in a leotard, not how much weight you could squat in the gym. Women were actively discouraged from strength training for fear of becoming bulky. For women, cardio has been king — or should we say queen? — for decades, but new awareness of the health benefits of building muscle, particularly for those in middle age, has led more women to start lifting weights. Strength training can be important to protect bone density and overall well-being as we get older. New pressure to lift heavy and count protein grams to build muscle mass can lead to another problem for some women, however: an unhealthy preoccupation with exercise and food and yet another aspirational appearance standard.
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