Fit Femininity

Exploring the intersection of culture, gender, and exercise.

by Prikko Markula, Ph.D.

“It’s Fun When It’s Over”

William is a fellow academic and a fitness instructor at GoodLife Fitness where they offer Les Mills programs. We happened to talk about a work shop that he recently attended and, intrigued by his observations, I asked to him to share his experience. Read More

The Stress of Undress: Navigating the Public Change Room Can Be a Challenge

I am putting on my workout gear in the change room at my Pilates studio when another exerciser comes apologizing that she needs to enter the change room: there was no space to hang her coat at the studio entrance. Read More

Women and Weights: Resistant to Resistance Training?

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has published its new guidelines for exercise prescription. These include more detailed recommendations for resistance exercises that improve muscular fitness. Good muscular fitness, in turn, improves cardiometabolic health and prevents functional limitations and osteoporosis. Read More

What Does BMI Tell Us?

With Christmas approaching the women's magazines sport headlines like ‘10 Easy Tips on How to Control Your Weight Over the Festive Season' or ‘Our Five Minutes a Day Workout Will Keep Your Weight in Check During the Holidays.' Read More

I Am Exercising—Am I Safe from Illnesses?

Joy is the Associate Director at the Recreation Center at our University. We meet regularly to discuss how to improve fitness instructor training and go through recent research on the topic. Today we were to talk about ‘health-related fitness' and how exercise is necessary to prevent such costly major illnesses as cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, or osteoporosis. Read More

Are Fit People Healthy?

When I was asked to write a response to this question, I pondered who would even ask such a question? Of course, fit people are healthy; this is what fitness is all about, being healthy. Exercisers also know this. For example, Canadian women in Lisa McDermott's study exercised because it was good for their health and doing something for their health made them feel good about themselves. Read More

Tough Enough? What’s the Point When Exercise Modifications Are Also Too Hard?

"Hey, I just started a new exercise class!" Jane says as we meet in one of the numerous corridors at our workplace.

"That's great! How is the class?" I ask. Read More

This Is Exercise, Not Striptease: Who Would Participate in Striptease Aerobics?

In her research, Magdalena Petersson McIntyre explores the popularity of strip tease aerobics in Sweden. The Swedish fitness practice of strip tease aerobics, says Petersson, was inspired by exercise videos originally sold on the Internet by Hollywood celebrity Carmen Electra. Read More