Fit Femininity

Exploring the intersection of culture, gender, and exercise.
by Prikko Markula, Ph.D.

Build Up Your Guns

What should men's exercise program look like if designed by women? In a recent issue of the British GQ, Olympic gold medalist Jessica Ennis draws from her experiences as a female elite athlete to give men workout advice. Jessica's program focuses on building a six-pack and the 'guns' in addition to weight loss. Is this the ideal male body that women prefer? Read More

Feeling Guilty About Faking Joy

Standardized exercise classes such as Bodypump and Zumba have become very popular. They are based on pre-choreographed movements to provide good workouts and be fun as well. Why are they so popular? Can everyone enjoy them? Read More

Exercise and ‘Flow’

Instructors often ask if exercisers are having fun during their class. At the same time, we know that many participants do not enjoy exercise and can't wait have their workout done and over with. Why does exercise need to be fun? What does having fun while exercising mean? Read More

Feeling Pain

We are often encouraged to 'work harder' in our exercise sessions. It is sometimes difficult to know when one is simply pushing one's body and when one is damaging it by overdoing. But can one work hard without being in pain? What is the difference between 'good' and 'bad' pain? Read More

Why Do Women Run Ultramarathons?

More women are participating in endurance events such as Ironman triathlon, marathons and even ultramarathons. Preparation for such a event requires a lot of training and completing a race often involves pain. What attracts women to these events? Why do they enjoy such extreme endurance events? Read More

The Buzz of Barefoot Running

Running bare feet instead of using running shoes has become increaslingly popular. Some of this opponents claim types of running only causes injuries, while its pronents find it the 'natural' and thus, the healthies way of running. This blogs looks at the pros and cons of running bare feet. Read More

Thinking Eccentricly

While many women embrace resistance training, others fear it makes them look too muscular. Resistance, however, should be primarily designed to improve body's capacity to move, not to change its looks. Including different types of muscle work, such as eccentric training, can help each exerciser too think what type of resistance training is most suitable for her. Read More

Watch Your Back!

I'm in a department store changing room and cannot help hearing two women who want to share the adjoining changing room that has enough mirrors to also see one’s back. They continue chatting, and after some time assessing the garments they are trying on, they start to talk about exercise. ‘You know, my friends who start exercising, their legs become big in the back, like really visible. Read More

In the Fear of Fat

The Canadian governmental physical activity promotion campaign, ParticipACTION, website states that a billion people worldwide are overweight and 300 million are obese. Read More

“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


Pirkko Markula, Ph.D., is a professor of socio-cultural studies of physical activity at the University of Alberta, Canada.

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