« Another Olympic Lifting Clinic w/ Jim Schmitz | Main | CFT at CFO »
October 5, 2007
Beauty
If I were feeling a little more lawless, I’d gather all the copies of Cosmo and Seventeen, douse them in kerosene, and strike a match. I’d throw in reams of print ads from Calvin Klein and watch with delight as Kate Moss’ stick-thin image was reduced to carbon. I’d add copies of Shape and Runner’s World until the flames reached toward the heavens, and then I’d crank call the editorial desk at Muscle and Fitness until they stopped publishing pictures of women on steroids.
I’d get the master tapes of America’s Next Top Model and dub over them with “Nasty Girls”, broadcasting the results on every television station in America. I’d skywrite “CrossFit.com” across the Boston skyline, and gently admonish the hoards of long distance runners trotting along the Charles River—with a bullhorn.
I’d take every woman with mass media-induced ideals of beauty, and I’d show them what it really means to be beautiful.
Beautiful women are strong and powerful. They are athletes, capable of every feat under the sun. They have muscles, borne of hard work and sweat. They gauge their self-worth through accomplishments, not by the numbers on the bathroom scale. They understand that muscle weighs more than fat, and they love the fact that designer jeans don’t fit over their well-developed quads.
They know that high repetitions using light weights is a path to mediocrity, and “toning” is a complete and utter myth. They refuse to succumb to the marketers that prey on insecurity, leaving the pre-packaged diet dinners and fat-burning pills on the shelf to pass their expiration date.
Beautiful women train with intensity. They derive self-image from the quality of their work and their ability to excel, and they wouldn’t be caught dead with a vinyl pink dumbbell. They move iron, they do pull-ups, they jump, sprint, punch, and kick, and they use the elliptical machine—as a place to hang their jump rope.
They spend their weekends in sport, climbing walls, winning races, and running rivers. They laugh as they sprint circles around the unschooled, turning the image-obsessed into benchwarmers. Beautiful women don’t care if they’re soaked in sweat and covered in dirt, if their nails are chipped or their hair out of place. They care only about quality of life.
Beautiful women are happy, healthy, and strong, and they’re right there beside me, tossing conventional beauty on the ever-growing flames of what used to be.
Be beautiful.
Jon Gilson --AgainFaster/CrossFit Boston
Posted by Nicole Okumu at October 5, 2007 6:45 PM
Comments
Amen
Posted by: Lau at October 5, 2007 9:18 PM
A few weeks ago I sent the link to "Nasty Girls" to my six sisters and my wife. Loved that!
Posted by: Brad G at October 5, 2007 9:49 PM
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Also, beautiful women have short moment arms.
Posted by: Allen at October 6, 2007 7:26 AM
Awesome post, Nicole (and great find, Robyn).
And great point, Allen!
Posted by: Mike Minium at October 6, 2007 12:21 PM
Just sent this to my wife because it almost made me cry at work. I don't think all the military types would have made fun of me either, they know I CrossFit...and they know I only do it to keep up with her.
Posted by: Cullen at October 6, 2007 4:21 PM
Just sent this to my wife because it almost made me cry at work. I don't think all the military types would have made fun of me either, they know I CrossFit...and they know I only do it to keep up with her.
Posted by: Cullen at October 6, 2007 4:21 PM
I have to admit, it made me a little misty too...
Posted by: Robyn at October 6, 2007 5:52 PM
I have to admit, it made me a little misty too...
Posted by: Robyn at October 6, 2007 5:52 PM
Just saw Jon and Neal in Boston at Crossfit Boston. Really nice guys! If only more guys thought this way.
Posted by: angela at October 7, 2007 8:15 AM
Here on recommendation from my friend Deb Roby (who blogs all over the internet) and this could not have come at a better time. Thank you for posting this.
Posted by: Karen Rani at October 16, 2007 7:05 AM
Great letter...however, it still seems that there are alot of crossfit women who prance around in skimpy workout wear to be just what the magazines you hate promote, outward, superficial beauty. Women should recognize how they appear. And...if crossfit for women is all about strength for women, why does most of the postings of women who are extremely strong always say things like..the lovely, or the pretty...or the beautiful so and so... It still stereotypes women on their looks and not the strength.
Posted by: Brenda at October 26, 2007 10:01 AM