Working Out: Consumers and the Culture of Exercise
After reading this article, I found it very informative about how people work out, how people who work out on a regular basis differ from those people who don’t work out on a regular basis, and how people and their bodies can be classified as a certain category based off a theory of “Body Use in Action.”
After investigating the participant’s answers, they were all considered members of each of the categories in the topology. All of the participants have predictable exercise schedules, exercised to keep their health good, enjoyed working out by themselves or with other people so they had someone to talk to, and felt very good when they worked out and very frustrated or lazy when they didn’t. Furthermore, each of the participants agreed that if someone doesn’t work out a regular basis then they don’t care about their health. Some of the participants even stated that people who don’t work out are associated with bad habits, like drinking, smoking, or breathing hard, will never exert themselves in life, and will die much quicker than someone who exercises on a regular basis. While discussing the participant’s results, the article continues to explain in detail each of the body types and the corresponding type of exerciser.
After reading this article, I found it very informative about how people work out, how people who work out on a regular basis differ from those people who don’t work out on a regular basis, and how people and their bodies can be classified as a certain category based off a theory of “Body Use in Action.”
The article begins by asking questions regarding why a great number of Americans purchase billions of dollars worth of exercising products each year, including: exercising equipment, club memberships, diet supplements, and so forth. Are these purchases based off from actually motivations to exercise, media stereotyping, or social comparisons? To help figure out this question, in depth research was performed on six individuals, three woman and three men, to help explain Arthur Frank’s Topology of Body Use in Action. To be eligible for interviewing, participants had to meet the minimum government requirements for the amount of physical activity. Some of the requirements included: at least 30 minutes of light to moderate exercising at five times weekly, ages between 25 – 30 years of age and are at proper weight for their height, no prior knowledge of exercising, fitness, marketing strategies, or advertising strategies, and spend approximately 4 – 9 hours a week lifting weights, jogging, aerobics, or other sporting activities. Once each participant was decided, they were interviewed and asked open-ended questions where they could input any additional information into the discussion or bring up other topics on their minds. Some of the example questions asked what the best times were to exercise, if they worked alone or with a group of men or woman, how they felt when they couldn’t exercise, equipment needed when they exercised, and what they thought of individuals who didn’t exercise on a regular basis. Each of the members responses were compared and identified as one of the four body types in Arthur Frank’s Topology shown below:
After investigating the participant’s answers, they were all considered members of each of the categories in the topology. All of the participants have predictable exercise schedules, exercised to keep their health good, enjoyed working out by themselves or with other people so they had someone to talk to, and felt very good when they worked out and very frustrated or lazy when they didn’t. Furthermore, each of the participants agreed that if someone doesn’t work out a regular basis then they don’t care about their health. Some of the participants even stated that people who don’t work out are associated with bad habits, like drinking, smoking, or breathing hard, will never exert themselves in life, and will die much quicker than someone who exercises on a regular basis. While discussing the participant’s results, the article continues to explain in detail each of the body types and the corresponding type of exerciser.
The disciplined body is the first type discussed in the article. This type of exerciser is constant with always wanting more, no matter what they have, they believe they are always lacking something and their body is not good enough. They don’t like to be social when exercising because they are insecure with themselves and always feel anxious. They feel they cannot change the world around them, but focus on inner body health and maintenance. Many of these people cannot handle problems they have with their inner bodies, like old age, diseases, and death. Lastly, disciplined exercisers believe in dissociating their body from itself. The example in the article states when a weight lifter is trying to endure a lot of pain, they will go in front of a mirror and visualize their body separating from itself to take their mind off the pain.
The mirroring body is the second type discussed in the article. These people still lack something, but try to hide their desires, and for everything they need, they believe the solution is to consumption. They believe by purchasing the right gloves, belts, or shoes that they may meet their goals faster. These people are also very obsessed with themselves. They believe you are the same inside and out, so your physical appearance is very important. Where the disciplined body is concerned with internal health issues, the mirroring body supports their inner body because they believe it represents their outer body. The example given in the article is a weight lifter who takes steroids. He believes the steroids will make it appearance more attractive, but don’t care what harm they are doing to his body. They also believe if they are physically attractive then they will be socially accepted and live happier lives. Lastly, these exercisers are considered monadic because they have the desire to work out at home until they have the physique they desire and then they can go out into the public to work out.
The dominating body is the third type discussed in the article. These people, mostly males, also experience a sense of lack, but instead of inner body like disciplined bodies, dominating bodies believe they lack outside of their body. Dominating exercisers believe in what they see in the media and advertisements, showing that powerful men are fit and strong looking, but are unable to actually express their power in front of others at work, in public, and so forth. The example given for a dominating exerciser is a bouncer for a club. They are shown as broad and strong men to avoid altercations with potential customers at the club. Another topic mentioned in the article based around the dominating exerciser is in the world of sports. Men have always been considered the dominating gender because of their strong masculine looks and the superior number of sports that men are included in. Some sportsmen often say that woman sports are not as aggressive or powerful, while others refer to woman’s sports as lesser versions to the real men’s sports.
The communicative body is the last type discussed in the article. These types of people are considered the ideal body. It believes in its outer body to express its inner body feeling to others. Communicative exercisers are viewed as exercisers who workout to understand themselves, express themselves, or share enjoyment with others. The examples listed in the article include yoga, dance, and team sports. Opposite of the dominating exerciser, communicative exercisers are often considered woman. These people are well known for wanting to work out in groups for support, interaction, and motivation.
The communicative body is the last type discussed in the article. These types of people are considered the ideal body. It believes in its outer body to express its inner body feeling to others. Communicative exercisers are viewed as exercisers who workout to understand themselves, express themselves, or share enjoyment with others. The examples listed in the article include yoga, dance, and team sports. Opposite of the dominating exerciser, communicative exercisers are often considered woman. These people are well known for wanting to work out in groups for support, interaction, and motivation.
The last sections of the article are discussing a mix between the participants because they all had sections of each of the four quadrants of Arthur Frank’s Topology. If was found that none of the contributors could fit under just one of the quadrants, but extensive exercisers can enclose bit and parts of each of the body types. After extensive research and experimenting, the author developed a diagram (shown below) containing information for each of the participants to show how each one compares.
Reference:
Phillips, B. (2005, February). Working Out: Consumers and the Culture of Exercise. Journal of Popular Culture, 38(3), 525-551. Retrieved December 5, 2007, from Academic Search Premier electronic database.
