Help! Am I a “muscle guy” who ignores myself?

When I told Anthony, a faithful friend who already knew me at twelve years old when I wore rings and fishnet gloves, that I had been regularly going to a gym for several months, he made an incredulous exclamation: “Soyy! But JPP, are you a ‘bodybuilder’?! »

His surprise prompted me to reflect representations regarding bodybuilding today, and the reasons why it seems so incongruous that I indulge in it.

What is “Go muscu”?

See that big guy showing off his sculpted arms, drinking protein shakes, and posting on social media daily about the weights he lifts? He is the “go muscu”, a caricatural representation of a man for whom sculpting his body is a lifestyle.

In recent years the “go muscu” can also be a woman, a sort of subcategory of the “fit girl”. If the expression is intended to be mocking, many gym enthusiasts today appropriate it with a touch of self-irony.

The gym in a bobo’s imagination

I’m a thirty-year-old woman who works in the field of archaeology, doesn’t eat meat and travels by bicycle (also because I failed the driving test seven times, but shhh, it’s a sensitive topic). I have practiced various sports since adulthood: climbing, dancing, skating, activities that I have defined as “fun”. I emphasized the liberating, artistic or social aspect of these sports, not to tell myself that I liked their benefits on my figure. Anything but appearing superficial.

Instead, I imagined bodybuilding as a boring practice entirely focused on glorifying “me.” Even macho, because why would a man want to develop his muscles, if not to demonstrate that he dominates you physically?

In hindsight, I realize that these representations are accompanied by a class discrimination. Lifting weights in a franchise hangar is a great thing, right? Unless this label stigmatizes a very accessible and popular activity. In France, in fact, there are rooms almost everywhere, the subscription is inexpensive compared to mountaineering equipment, practice times can be adapted to a limited timetable and no particular skills are required.

My first time in the biscuit temple

Two years ago I fell in love with a kind, funny, sweet and intelligent boy, who likes to have biceps as hard as concrete blocks, although I don’t care about that. To take a step into his world, one Sunday morning I offered to accompany him to the gym, convinced that it would only be a one-day experience.

I had prepared my eyes for the neon lighting and my nostrils for the smell of sweat, but I found a bright and airy space, perfectly maintained and much cleaner than a climbing gym. Each athlete cleans their machine after use and an employee constantly moves between the facilities for more thorough washing.

I expected to see only young, sculpted bodies, modeled in designer clothes, looking with hostility at the weak and fat… Instead, I saw people of all genders, all ages and all body types, each focused on his practice, and no contemptuous glances. As proof, my harem pants were tacitly accepted among the shorts and tapered leggings.

All machines can be adapted to the desired level, very beginner or very ambitious. Some train the heart, others the more targeted parts of the body. Finally, switching between the two to design my own little custom session… I had fun. And when I finished, I felt good, so the next week I went back. Like many other people, I’ve found it to be an easy way to stay in shape and get that little rush of endorphins that puts me in a good mood for the day.

Three months later, weightlifting champion?

Fifteen sessions later, and contrary to my childhood friend’s emphatic observation, I do not consider myself a “bodybuilder.” I go to the gym every Sunday morning and generally start by warming up for 30 minutes on the elliptical before moving on to strength exercises that suit my mood for the day, for an hour. Far from being a weightlifting champion, I have no goals other than regularity, I don’t take food supplements, I don’t swallow five raw eggs for breakfast and I don’t record my exploits on any medium. My other sports activities of the week are modern dance and running.

For me, bodybuilding is just one way among others to enjoy the benefits of sport. I see at least three.

1. Focus on how my body feels and functions rather than how it looks. Bodybuilding doesn’t make me thinner, it makes me denser, more massive in places, gives me an appetite, allows me to develop and not fade away.
2. It improves my mood for the day. Starting the morning with a little sweat makes me feel proud, makes me feel energized and makes everyday problems easier to overcome. Sport also saves me from the small ailments I was used to when I was young, in particular back pain.
3. I share pleasant moments with my boyfriend, who also likes to move a lot.

Read also: Here are the 5 physical activity more beneficial for health according to a Harvard study

Is the gym safe?

There virilist representation of the gym make women fear being the target of horny males, but I found this risk to be minimal. Good conduct cards are displayed in the changing rooms and interactions are minimal. Flirting may exist, but it’s not the norm: a friend of mine met the father of her children at the gym and I still struggle to understand how she managed it. Two friends also told me that in these places it is possible to encourage approaches between men.

People are generally quite solitary and respectful towards others, which makes even friendly encounters rare. For those who would like to make friends, I would rather recommend enrolling in a course or playing a team sport.

Tips for getting started

As Jamie would say, trying the gym isn’t rocket science. Here are some tips if you want to get started.

• Look at the different options around you

There are companies that make gyms available to their employees, or staff associations that reimburse part of the subscription to an outdoor gym: find out!

• Prepare your survival kit

All you need is a tracksuit, a water bottle to keep you hydrated, a lock to lock your locker, and a towel to protect the facilities from sweaty skin. You can also shower on site if you have a change of clothes.

• Alone or accompanied

Next to each machine there is usually a diagram explaining how to use it, so you don’t need to have a mentor to teach you, you can fly on your own! If you’re a little apprehensive, you can also ask a more experienced loved one to accompany you the first time, or even have a session with a coach.

* The name has been changed.

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