Some HOT Reflections

This summer, I decided to force myself to practice Bikram Yoga at least 3 times a week. Some call the practice masochistic; others call it absolutely insane; I simply like to call it wonderful. Anyways, sitting in a 105 degree room for 100 minutes at a time provides more than enough time for deep introspection and meditation. Often, I try to not think [it's very hard] and just recognize the harmony within my body [sometimes it's more just reminding myself to breathe and not pass out...kind of the same thing I suppose]. Other times, I don't consciously do anything and let thoughts arise whenever, but I usually wind up dismissing them because I'm too exhausted to pay them any attention. This past class, though, I could not stop thinking about the manly lady who was practicing yoga next to me.

She was older [like 40ish maybe] and was completely ripped. That is, she had a 6-pack similar to that of a GI-Joe figurine. And, boy, did she think she was hot stuff. I, on the other hand, thought she was absolutely disgusting looking...she reminded me of a scrawny, über-fit guy, with breast implants [based on the look on the guy behind me's face, he thought she was pretty bizarre looking, too].

Basically, she definitely distracted my yoga meditation time [not cool]. In fact, she even distracted me after the yoga class, because I couldn't stop thinking about how gross she looked. The more I thought about it, though, I realized that I've seen several women with that kind of more masculine-body builder physique at Bikram [thank God I've avoided having them practice anywhere near me]. So, what's up with this? Why on earth would these ladies want to look super-buff and manly? I don't even know many GUYS who want to look that fit.

There is definitely a line between acceptable and unacceptable fitness. I, for one, never think that a totally ripped figure is attractive OR, more importantly, NATURAL on a woman...EVER. It looks funny and clothes simply don't lay properly on such women [plus, such women have a tendency to think that they can wear super-tight clothing to show off their hideously muscle-ridden bodies---gross]. A nice, trim, figure is certainly preferable and more pleasing to the eye. One can be healthy without being overly-muscly.

After much thought, I have decided that physical fitness has become a way for women to demonstrate their capabilities. It is the most basic way for them to show their strength in an easy-to-understand fashion. I mean, who wouldn't be slightly intimidated by an individual with a woman's head and a body-builder man's body? [Such an appearance is at-least off-putting, if not absolutely terrifying.]

Ultimately, though, I feel like an intimidating exterior never really achieves what it intends, especially if these women are striving to create an impression of power. Confusing people by looking half-man, in my opinion, will never work. It just looks stupid. Developing extreme muscle-mass to establish power is parallel to women abandoning their intrinsic femininity in hopes of being more well-respected amidst a seemingly male-dominated environment. This is yet another simple example of how women are abandoning their femininity when they really need not do so. I imagine that it is easier to gain respect when you embrace yourself [that is, as a woman] and behave in a fashion that yields respect than when you try to be something you're not.


So, maybe next time I see a manly woman at Yoga, I'll kindly tell her that she must have a hard time finding pearls to fit around her bulging neck...and then run.