Banging Bumpers in Box Builds Big Butts: WSJ or New York Post?

The February 17th article titled "Fans of Crossfit Training Brag About Extra Bulk" in The Wall Street Journal focused on the "re-proportioned" backsides of Crossfit women.  This article didn't surprise me but it did make my head spin.  Red meat (WSJ's op ed section) and sex sell.  The issue of strong and hypertrophic gluteus muscles has played out in the Crossfit (CF) community, or so I thought, so it is curious to see an article about it now.  Of course CF is so popular at present that we will probably see more of these human interest/health/soft porn articles.

As I have mentioned in this blog before, your muscles will increase in size the heavier you lift and the more you eat.  One trainer I know insists that a woman's buttocks will not increase in size unless they eat and lift enough to increase muscle mass.  This may be true but in my experience all the endo and meso women I know have gained some size in this particular area following a CF program.  Ectos tend to become more toned than big in in this region but why are we wasting our time on this?

You go to a gym to change your body.  You want to be bigger, smaller, lighter, heavier, faster, healthier and...to look good!  You define "good."  A trainer is there to help you achieve what you desire without hurting yourself.

If you like a larger butt lift heavy and eat a lot.  If you want more tone but not size perform more repetitions at a lighter weight and eat less.  If your goal is to be as strong as you can be, do as the woman in the article did and throw out the scale, tailor your pants and feel beautiful.

We are all so hung-up on how we look and we will never escape society's standards of what is considered desirable.  Hopefully you have the self confidence, education and guidance to set realistic expectations for yourself so that you do not become a victim of society's norms and your unrealistic goals.  Easy for me to say  - I am a man (who is supposed to be big, strong, have a full head of hair, piercing eyes, a good sense of humor and a nice package).

What I find most attractive in a person is a rock solid sense of self - an inner strength and understanding.  This attitude is often accompanied by a healthy body because one emerges from the other.  The ideal body comes in all shapes, sizes and textures.

One of my friends at the gym had an interesting thought about the thrust of the WSJ piece.  She asked me "What if a man's penis was going to shrink if he engaged in a Crossfit regimen?"  Well, steroid eating body builders have no problem making that sacrifice but for the remainder of the male gym population the answer remains a mystery.  I am certain there are guys who would sacrifice size for size, but there isn't a single answer to that question.  In our culture there are no limits to the aesthetic modifications both men and women impose on themselves to "look good" to others and "others" is the issue. When do you cross over from me to we?  Sometimes it is an inextricable paradox but you have to decide what is most important to you.

Which brings us back to health.  If you are working at the gym to fit into someone else's ideal of beauty - go for it.  If you are trying to get stronger - great!  And if you want to be fit and pain free - excellent!

But spare me the details concerning the size of your ass - that information is personal and by focusing on it you only call more attention to women's bodies as objects, where they stand firm beside the image of uber men, and detract from the benefits of being strong and healthy.