Forum
>
General / Nonfiction
>
Thread
Log in |
Register
My guess is that it's a question of context. People tend to see crossfit women in an athletic context - competing and performing feats of unreal endurance and strength - in which it would be surprising if they didn't have a more muscular build, and for which there will be a degree of admiration from anyone who is into sports.
Contrast that with the context in which most people see bodybuilders: they're on stage, under spotlights, slathered with fake tan, with minimal body fat, and carbed up so that their veins are sticking out - and yet they are also wearing make-up, fake nails, probably fake boobs, and they are performing all these beauty-pageant-style poses. If you're not already a female muscle fan, I can totally imagine that the contradiction alone would seem completely grotesque.
Also, in Crossfit, just like in any other sport, muscles are the medium (for better results) and the consequence (due to all the training), not an aesthetic objective like in bodybuilding. That may also give a general impression of it being less "shallow", while in bodybuilding it's "just aesthetics".
Crossfit seems to be more mainstream. Women tend to view it as a more desired and acceptable form of training for them than bodybuilding. And they watch shows like "Ninja Warrior" and a lot of those competitors are crossfitters, and they can't help but think to themselves "yeah, these girls are badasses!"
The stigma of bodybuilding is that the average person just focuses on the most extreme examples of women being large and masculine looking, while being completely ignorant to all of the other divisions out there. So once you see it through the eyes of an average person, with little to no knowledge and perspective on these things, to them you're comparing a woman into fitness and health with a woman who doses on everything and looks like a science experiment. While there are exceptions, we here all know that's generally not the case.
It's all about framing.
Most people learn about female bodybuilders from those clickbait stories about how "steroids turned a woman into a man" or some other nonsense. You see a before pic of a normal looking woman and an after pic of her with a five o'clock shadow looking like a homeless person. Of course, the story doesn't bother to mention she looks like that because she's a current meth head, not because she used to be a bodybuilder.
Most people learn about Crossfit from seeing something on ESPN, where of course they're mostly only promoting the tiny minority of Crossfit girls who actually look attractive in a mainstream context. Why do you think Sara Sigmundsdottir gets so much push even though she's objectively a shit athlete?
If the media framed bodybuilding the same way that it frames Crossfit, by focusing on the women who still meet the standards for being conventionally attractive, the perception would change.
It's all about framing.
Most people learn about female bodybuilders from those clickbait stories about how "steroids turned a woman into a man" or some other nonsense. You see a before pic of a normal looking woman and an after pic of her with a five o'clock shadow looking like a homeless person. Of course, the story doesn't bother to mention she looks like that because she's a current meth head, not because she used to be a bodybuilder.
Most people learn about Crossfit from seeing something on ESPN, where of course they're mostly only promoting the tiny minority of Crossfit girls who actually look attractive in a mainstream context. Why do you think Sara Sigmundsdottir gets so much push even though she's objectively a shit athlete?
If the media framed bodybuilding the same way that it frames Crossfit, by focusing on the women who still meet the standards for being conventionally attractive, the perception would change.
But who would those comparable FBBs be? And how would you convince mainstream media to frame them in the same light and give them the same push knowing most of them produce fetish content on the side? How would you address the public perception of PED use within FBB? Whether Crossfit athletes are natural or not, they are tested, so the important factor in regards to public perception is that they are at least trying to keep the sport clean. Whereas with FBB it's the complete opposite.
IMO, there are just too many hurdles to expect FBBs to get the same treatment as Crossfit athletes.
I forget who did this but some dude did, frankly, a terrible art exhibit about FBB with INCREDIBLY unflattering photos. Super dry. A couple of women with big jaws. Huge implants that looked unnatural because of contest shape. Lighting that really accentuated some of the unflattering details of their skin and the dehydration.
Meanwhile I almost never seen unflattering CrossFit women. Tons of smoke shows. TONS. Even mediocre athletes are all hot ex-high school athletes who want the rush of competition and even without the CrossFit regiment would pull anyone they wanted. Sure they might lose the attention of the average guy because they’re yolked but they’re still hot. McKenzie Flinchum. Bethany Shadburne. That chick from the Isle of Man. The already-posted Emmelie.
Who are the smoke shows at the top top of bodybuilding? Even at the middle levels there are a lot of pretty girls in figure but on stage shape bout out of the lights it’s a bit turn off for people.
@fp909 - I think you're referring to Martin Shoeller's series: https://martinschoeller.com/SERIES/Female-Bod.... Honestly, I find these photos (in the context of an art exhibition) beautiful.
Considering most CrossFit women are built like fridges
What!? Where do you get your fridges from?
@fp909 - I think you're referring to Martin Shoeller's series: https://martinschoeller.com/SERIES/Female-Bod.... Honestly, I find these photos (in the context of an art exhibition) beautiful.
I would say they are definitely not friendly to the average person. I know a lot of us would like them!
It's all about framing.
Most people learn about female bodybuilders from those clickbait stories about how "steroids turned a woman into a man" or some other nonsense. You see a before pic of a normal looking woman and an after pic of her with a five o'clock shadow looking like a homeless person. Of course, the story doesn't bother to mention she looks like that because she's a current meth head, not because she used to be a bodybuilder.
Most people learn about Crossfit from seeing something on ESPN, where of course they're mostly only promoting the tiny minority of Crossfit girls who actually look attractive in a mainstream context. Why do you think Sara Sigmundsdottir gets so much push even though she's objectively a shit athlete?
If the media framed bodybuilding the same way that it frames Crossfit, by focusing on the women who still meet the standards for being conventionally attractive, the perception would change.
This right here. Perception is key. Unless something drastic happens within how bodybuilding is VIEWED, it will always be viewed as a freakshow with a ceiling when it comes to its fanbase.
They don't have as serious of (visible) side effects due to doping in different ways, and their upper bodies, while large, aren't really ever of the magnitude of a FBB.
They're obviously more jacked than any woman could ever be naturally also, but it's not to the same extent. Crossfitters you might see some hair on their bodies, but their voices don't usually change, their faces usually don't change (and it's almost disconcerting how pretty the majority of them seem to be) and I don't know of any female Crossfitters who have gone bald from PED use (yet).
The tl;dr is that crossfit women don't look as mannish (in the public's eye) as FBB or even physique competitors do. It's literally as simple as that.
The difference for me is that CrossFit, which follows the principles of multi-functional training, comes off healthy and aligned with a skill an athletic purpose. Bodybuilding is often seen as something for posing and muscle pageants, with many of the women going to extremes to drop water and fat levels.
Also the athletic competitive element of CrossFit makes it something that is easy to go and watch people challenge themselves, while bodybuilding just seems like a lot of standing around with opinions given by judges who have their own biases.
I do CrossFit, but I am usually just below women's RX weight levels and it gives me a real appreciation of the athletic and strength of some of these women. Also, the gymnastic movements and cardio elements, show that strength is not the only skill you need to achieve success in CrossFit.
If I turn on YouTube I am going to more easily be watching a CF event than a pure bodybuilding even. At the same time I will check out the amazing physiques of the women, no matter what sport they practice.
Maybe it’s just the circles I’m in, but normal people seem more ready to accept CrossFit women than bodybuilding women. Considering most CrossFit women are built like fridges, I tend to expect negative remarks. There’s some, but never the same amount for ladies at the Olympia. Why is that?