Why beauty just won’t sit still.

Do you want to look good?  Sure you do.   This is a basic human desire.   Clients often come to work with me simply because they want to look good.

But what looks good to you?  Is it this?

 

Test Shoot - Miina by ZUPAMODOLLZ, on Flickr

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  ZUPAMODOLLZ

 

Look closely.   This is actually a doll.   A perfect example of what I’d call static beauty.   Beauty in form instead of in function.  Here is another example of striving for static beauty.

 

Donatella Versace 2010 Time Shankbone by david_shankbone, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  david_shankbone 

 

But there is a different kind of beauty.   Dynamic beauty.   Instead of trying to look like something, it does something.  I like dynamic, functional bodies.  Like this one…

 

Isinbajewa Stabhoch Istaf Berlin by az1172, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  az1172 

 

or this one…

 

Team Japan by Chase N., on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License  by  Chase N. 

 

or this.

 

 

Something strange happens to us when we forget that we are moving, dynamic and dancing beings.   When we want to look good in a frozen form what results is something like this:

 

 

Now I have to admit this is impressive.  It takes a lot of work to build muscles like these.   But I don’t find it attractive.  This fellow looks like he has strong body.  But I wonder if he could do this…

 

 

And I’m certain he couldn’t do this…

 

 

I like bodies like this one that are profoundly tuned. Coordination mixed with strength is sexy. I’m not trying to be a dictator about all this.  If building big muscles is your thing please don’t let me discourage you.  But I’m also not the right trainer for you.

My ideal of beauty looks more like this…

d2007.08_017w by tbondolfi, on Flickr

Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  tbondolfi 

Fitness to me is more than about looking good.  Though beauty is often the result of building a highly functional body. Fitness to me is about tuning the body’s entire neuromuscular system so that it works in harmony.  It is about building real strength in the muscles supported by nourished bones coordinated by a subtle nervous system and inspired by a playful mind.

 

I think of heaven by sektordua, on Flickr
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License  by  sektordua