I was looking through everyone’s posts and saw a wide variety of body practices and so I wanted to make sure I did not post on the same topic. I was stuck on what I should look for so being as creative as I was, I googled “body practices” and came across this youtube video called ‘body practices’. As I watched the 2 minute video, I saw how this video embodied the idea of body practices that we discussed in class.
The video summarizes what the ‘body practice’ workout is. The workout is meant to combine fitness and wellness in equal parts. It blends martial arts, yoga, and traditional calisthenics. When the video mentioned that the workout requires no equipment but just your body, time, and effort, it made me think back to the ‘pursuit(s) without terminus’ (Bordo, 166).
To back up just a moment and see what the video argues into subjectivity, it emphasizes the importance of being fit and looking like a Greek god/goddess. The two people featured in the video is what people in our society call ‘good looking’ or ‘ripped/buff’. The man has his shirt off and obviously showing off his chiseled 6-pack, showing potential customers what they could aim to look like.
Back to the idea of ‘pursuit without terminus’, it made me laugh when the video said it only requires your body, time, and effort. Saying ‘only requires’ seems as if it is simple and easy to do but when you see society and how hard women/men work in order to fit what society deems attractive or acceptable, it isn’t a easy task at all. Like many bloggers mentioned, there is no end in sight for people who are trying to reach what they believe are deemed perfection. People who choose to do this ‘body practice’ workout will never be happy. Once they achieve the 6-pack they first initially strive for, they won’t celebrate and be happy; they will only want to work on getting more defined legs or more defined chest.
The very people who created this workout are arguing the importance of looking ‘good’ and being in shape. They wouldn’t just make this work out video and try to advertise it if society did not believe looking a certain way and if there wasn’t a demand for something like it. It is rare to find someone who cares more about ‘being healthy’ than ‘being in shape’. I believe ‘being in shape’ is code for ‘looking the way society wants us to,’ which is thin, curvy, muscular etc. depending on whether you are a male of female. We are bombarded everyday with ads, magazines, and propaganda about the perfect body. It’s no wonder we have problems with eating disorders and low self-esteem.
It is interesting how you point out that people never stop trying to reach what they believe to be perfection. However, besides culture and society being the cause of that, it is humans personal, inner desire to strive for perfection that are in play here as well. I think society just adds on to this phenomenon and that is when people really begin to lose themselves like with various food disorders.
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