Whatever happened to being strong?

** Rhetorical question of the day: What ever happened to wanting to be strong, muscular and lean? Every day I see people doing stupid things in the gym and saying things like “I just want to be a little bit toned.” Seriously? A little bit toned? That sounds so weak.. Actually, I believe that most people who say they just want to be "a little toned" are actually afraid that saying "I want to be really lean and muscular and look incredible" would sound just too unrealistic and they are afraid of being judged. I get that. But forget that! I say go for it! If you want to be lean and muscular and look like a superhero then go for it! And what about being strong? I know I’m getting older when I want to use the expression “back when I was growing up” but I’m going to use it anyway. Back when I was growing up strong was awesome. Being muscular was a sign of strength and hard work, it let others know that you were someone to take seriously, someone who could get the job done.  The way I see it, nothing’s changed. Being strong and muscular is still awesome, the only thing that’s changed is that it’s now awesome for women too. And that’s beyond awesome!

Once and for all let’s forget about being skinny and focus on being strong. Think about how we describe the people that inspire us. Whether we are referring to political leaders, military personnel, law enforcement officers, superheroes, or extraordinary moms and dads; the most common adjective for a great leader is STRONG. Being strong inspires confidence and trust.

If you are a leader, in your workplace or in your household, being strong is what your family and your team expects and needs from you. They do not care if you are skinny, they want you to be strong. Our children love superheroes because they are strong. Whether they are male or female doesn’t matter, what matters is that they are strong and that they can protect the world from evil. Now maybe we can’t protect the world from evil, but we can all be strong and inspirational to our children and to our families.

I have noticed a wonderful trend in the gyms lately. I have had lots of women tell me that they are less interested in losing weight and more interested in being strong. They want to be strong for their kids and they want to be strong for themselves. Strength brings an undeniable feeling of self-confidence and that feeling transcends the gym. The feeling of being strong and the self-confidence that comes with it transfers into the workplace and into the home. We all inherently know when someone is strong both physically and mentally and it is difficult not to respect that person.

Being strong is not only physical, but also mental and emotional. Strong means having the ability to carry your child or grandchild on your shoulders for hours at a time or having the strength to defend your family when necessary. Strong can also be the ability to work around the house and in the yard without pain. Strong means believing deep inside that you can conquer whatever challenges you might face. Strong can be holding on and making it through a difficult time.

The good news is that even if you were not “born strong”, you can become strong, both mentally and physically and the training that will make you physically stronger, will make you both mentally and emotionally strong as well. The ability to endure under strain and discomfort can be developed. Strength training can be very basic and it is never too late to start or to benefit from a strength training program. Nationwide, seniors and middle-aged men and women are the largest growing group participating in strength training right now. A good strength program will develop strong muscles and bones, increase tone and even speed up your metabolism for a leaner and better looking body. The benefits of a solid, real strength training program are too numerous to list and too important to ignore. Forget the “toning”, let’s get strong.
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