Go big or go home!

I hit the gym 3 days a week in an effort to keep myself healthy and sane. I've heard that 3 days a week is the suggested minimum but that's not really the issue here.

A quick scan of the health and fitness mags at any bookstore gives us a picture of bodies, both men's and women's, which serve as universal symbols for what WE should look like. Men are supposed to be muscular, ripped, athletic, etc. while women are supposed to be slim, trim, hour glass shaped, etc. And don't forget, both have ridiculously white teeth! These are ideal forms of men and women and serve as intelligible bodies - that is, forms we can readily identify as the epitome of male or female.

Back to going to gym. I have all these reasons for why I go: it makes me feel good, I have a better self image, I have more energy. . .blah blah blah. Going to the gym is a body practice and it's not a far stretch to say that it is a pursuit without terminus. For those of you who go to the gym consider this: have you ever reached a point where you're comfortable not going anymore? I think the answer is probably no. There is no end in sight because there's always room for "improvement." If I can run 5 miles per day why not 6? 100 pushups why not 200? My lats need work. My calves could be more defined.

How did we end up going through this insane cycle? The short answer is that we are what Foucault refers to as "docile bodies." Just for clarification, the term "docile" in this context does not mean passive. It refers to the fact that we partake in this gym activity willingly without being forced. We internalize the images of the intelligible forms of men and women and by choice, subject ourselves to hours of exercise. As a result, we become prisoners of our own resolve and discipline.

Unfortunately, the veil of choice is a fallacy. Since we aspire to the form of these intelligible bodies we are actually participating in an other-oriented emotional economy. We look at others around us, want others to see us, thus seeking implicit and explicit feedback and/or recognition of our body practice. Do I look more like Ryan Gosling, the dude on the Men's Health cover, or the trainers from the Biggest Loser? The way we feel about our bodies is derived from comparison to others.

Despite everything I've ranted about, I'll be at the gym by 6am tomorrow hoping that every extra pound of weight I lift or minute I run will get me one step closer.

Thanks for reading,

Marcus