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"Body image by association" : women’s interpretations of aerobics and the role of the fitness instructor Vogel, Amanda E.
Abstract
The increasingly popular fitness industry targets members of the middle-class who are anxious to lose weight, "tone-up" and "look great." Studies on women and body image consistently show that many active women express a multitude of concerns over their physical appearance (cf. Davis & Cowles, 1991; Markula, 1995). The aerobics class, an instructor-led, exercise-to-music workout, is a form of exercise frequented mainly by women. Many researchers consider aerobics to be representative of stereotypical ideologies of femininity and ideal beauty (Cole, 1993; MacNeill, 1990, White, Young & Gillett, 1995). Other researchers believe there is room for the empowerment of women and body image satisfaction in aerobics (Haravon, 1995; Markula, 1995). Research which examines body image in the context of aerobics as a distinct social setting, particularly with a focus on the role of the fitness instructor, is largely absent from the literature. On one hand, the instructor's appearance and discourse can be influential in reinforcing cultural standards of an ideal female body among aerobics participants (Kagan & Morse, 1988; Kenen, 1987; Valdes, 1995). On the other hand, some researchers have suggested that the instructor has the potential to focus participants' attention away from weight loss and appearance enhancement in aerobics (Frederick & Shaw, 1995; Haravon, 1995; Kagan & Morse, 1988). This study examined how female aerobics participants and female fitness instructors interpreted the role of the instructor and how this role relateed to the body image experiences of participants. Unobtrusive observations and one-on-one interviews were conducted with volunteers from a popular Lower Mainland fitness facility Results from this study indicated that both participants and instructors constructed personal meanings for their involvement in aerobics. Further, the impact of the instructor's role on the body image experiences of participants was multi-dimensional. Instructors who emphasized appearance and weight loss in aerobics offended some women and inspired others. Certain women preferred an instructor who resembled an image consistent with media representations of a fit female body while others resisted this stereotypical look and sought an instructor with a larger, more athletic build.
Item Metadata
Title |
"Body image by association" : women’s interpretations of aerobics and the role of the fitness instructor
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1998
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Description |
The increasingly popular fitness industry targets members of the middle-class who
are anxious to lose weight, "tone-up" and "look great." Studies on women and body
image consistently show that many active women express a multitude of concerns over
their physical appearance (cf. Davis & Cowles, 1991; Markula, 1995). The aerobics class,
an instructor-led, exercise-to-music workout, is a form of exercise frequented mainly by
women. Many researchers consider aerobics to be representative of stereotypical
ideologies of femininity and ideal beauty (Cole, 1993; MacNeill, 1990, White, Young &
Gillett, 1995). Other researchers believe there is room for the empowerment of women
and body image satisfaction in aerobics (Haravon, 1995; Markula, 1995).
Research which examines body image in the context of aerobics as a distinct social
setting, particularly with a focus on the role of the fitness instructor, is largely absent from
the literature. On one hand, the instructor's appearance and discourse can be influential in
reinforcing cultural standards of an ideal female body among aerobics participants (Kagan
& Morse, 1988; Kenen, 1987; Valdes, 1995). On the other hand, some researchers have
suggested that the instructor has the potential to focus participants' attention away from
weight loss and appearance enhancement in aerobics (Frederick & Shaw, 1995; Haravon,
1995; Kagan & Morse, 1988).
This study examined how female aerobics participants and female fitness
instructors interpreted the role of the instructor and how this role relateed to the body
image experiences of participants. Unobtrusive observations and one-on-one interviews
were conducted with volunteers from a popular Lower Mainland fitness facility Results from this study indicated that both participants and instructors constructed
personal meanings for their involvement in aerobics. Further, the impact of the
instructor's role on the body image experiences of participants was multi-dimensional.
Instructors who emphasized appearance and weight loss in aerobics offended some
women and inspired others. Certain women preferred an instructor who resembled an
image consistent with media representations of a fit female body while others resisted this
stereotypical look and sought an instructor with a larger, more athletic build.
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Extent |
7224538 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-04-29
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0077313
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1998-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.