…are another reason I dislike women’s mags.

I was drawn over to Glamour.com this morning, after reading a blog post mocking a ditzy article of theirs. I lost interest in the targeted article (about finding the right cocktail dress for your shape) pretty quickly, though, since a) I can count the number of times I’ve worn a cocktail dress over the last decade on the fingers of one hand; and b) some of those so-called “inspirational” dresses looked like they should be accessorized with “Trick or Treat” bags…even if I had the $$$, I’d pass.

In other words, it was the typical “wimmin’s mag” bushwa… But while I was there, I decided to check out the fitness/nutrition info. In particular, since I’m “in” to fitness toys (like push up bars, door gym, weighted hula hoop, weighted vest, TRX suspension trainer), I zeroed in on an article link: “The 5 Fitness Products Every Woman Should Own” – to see what I might be missing.

Evidently, not much… there were only a couple priorities on Glamour’s list that I really agreed with…and – what’s worse – I found the whole list riddled with stereotypical assumptions about “wimmin’s” exercise.  Here’s the (annotated) list:

1. iPod

“Any type of portable music player can do wonders for increasing motivation during cardio or weight-training sessions. Behavioral psychologists call it ‘dissociation,’ a method by which a person’s attention is purposefully diverted away from unpleasant sensations. For the typical exerciser who struggles with exercise, listening to her favorite music can be a pleasant distraction, helping her stick to her workout routine.”

I don’t own an iPod or any other portable music player.  I find music (not to mention wires and ear pieces) rather distracting.  I DON’T want “pleasant distractions”…when I’m lifting weights, focus is EVERYTHING.  Even when I’m doing cardio, I don’t like to be distracted from the activity…For example, the machines at my gym are all equipped with TV monitors.  I ALWAYS turn them off.

There are two assumptions embedded here…The first is that a “typical exerciser” is someone who “struggles with exercise.” The second is that exercise is this horrible, unpleasant thing that requires some form of anaesthesia to cope with. Needless to state, neither assumption is valid.

If some people enjoy listening to music while working out - great…whatever floats their boat.  If it helps, then it helps…but it’s only a “must have” in individual circumstances.

2. Pilates Mat

“Unless your only form of exercise is yoga, a Pilates mat is a good choice. Pilates mats are thicker, while yoga mats are stickier. Exercisers who use mats for all types of activities (e.g., crunches, core work, push-ups, balance training) will find the thicker cushioning of the Pilates mat more protective of the spine and other joints. Because Pilates mats are thick, they make an excellent surface on which to train standing and one-legged balance (they are more squishy, which makes balancing more of a challenge). Plus, at the end of the workout, Pilates mats can be rolled up and put away, just like yoga mats.”

Two more assumptions here: a) women work out at home; and b) do a lot of ab work and/or passive “balancing” exercises requiring a mat.

I don’t own a mat. I work out in a gym, and use their mats, for the (relatively little) floor work I do. A mat is hardly an essential piece of fitness equipment, in my view. Mat exercises aren’t “bad” of course, but active exercises that challenge multiple muscle groups are vastly better for strength, coordination and fat loss than most of the floor exercises described here.

As far as I’m concerned, one of the best “balancing” exercises evah is walking lunges, with the heaviest dumbbells you can manage.  Walking lunges are officially a “leg” exercise, but they engage your entire body: they force you to adjust your balance repeatedly to maintain good form while changing leg positions; and they strengthen your grip, forearms and shoulders in the bargain.

3. Heart rate monitor and exercise journal

“Success is an objective measure. That is, you can’t see improvement if you can’t measure it. Using heart rate monitors and reporting in an exercise log are powerful methods for tracking fitness improvements and for getting people to exercise more often. A study that measured exercise program adherence among women participating in a 6-month walking program found that those who used exercise logs and heart rate monitors exercised more frequently and increased their aerobic fitness more than those who didn’t use the tracking devices.”

I’ll award Glamour a point here: keeping tabs on your progress is important, so a journal or other form of exercise log is important.  But a heart rate monitor???  The assumption here, of course, is that cardio is the primary form of exercise…which may or may not be true (it’s strictly secondary for me). 

But even if true, I’d rate a simple stopwatch waaaay ahead of a heart rate monitor.  When I had an active running program going some years ago, I never used a monitor…instead I relied on perceived exertion and time to keep tabs on my progress.  For example, if I traveled a greater distance in the same time (or improved my time for a given distance), then I knew my cardiovascular fitness was improving. 

Perceived exertion is highly correlated with heart rate, anyway, and a basic digital watch with a stopwatch function has more uses, too… Even though I don’t run 10Ks any more, I still use one for timing intervals and rests between weight lifting sets.  And, of course, it doubles as a regular ol’ watch when I’m NOT exercising, too (I’m a big believer in the K.I.S.S. approach).

4. A fabulous water bottle

“Dehydration during exercise can be a real problem. If your body is not properly hydrated, you could suffer from performance losses, fatigue, and a decreased ability to control body temperature. Experts recommend drinking fluids before, during, and after exercise and paying attention to thirst to determine water needs. Fortunately, you can purchase reusable water bottles made of aluminum and stainless steel and avoid plastic- or BPA-containing bottles.”

Once again, the assumption here is that one is doing some sort of prolonged endurance exercise.  I’m all for preventing dehydration, of course, but I don’t need to pack a water bottle around with me to manage that, much less a “fabulous” one.  I simply walk over to the gym water fountain periodically to take a drink when I want one.  Even when I do cardio, I don’t work out for hours on end – I’m done in 30 minutes (less if I’m doing HIIT).  Thus, I’m at practically zero risk of dehydration or hyperthermia.

5. The perfect shoes

“Exercisers should select a shoe specific for their workout activity. For example, running shoes provide far more cushioning and stability than walking shoes…If you participate in an activity for more than three hours per week, use a shoe that makes sense. Proper shoes can enhance performance and ease the stress placed on your joints during specific activities. Tips for finding the right shoes for you can be found at the American Academy of Orthopeadic Surgeons Web site.

Ok…we can (finally) score another one for Glamour!  And- truth be told – I’m remiss on this point.  I really need to get myself a pair of Chuck Taylors, or some other shoes more appropriate for lifting than the cross-trainers I typically live in.

Nonetheless, the illustration used in the article itself – once again - implies that endurance walking/running are the exercises of choice, rather than lifting (or biking or swimming, for that matter).

So much for those “must haves” – Glamour gets only 2 points out of a possible 6 (Number 3 counts double) from me.

Now, in and of themselves, the other items recommended in this article aren’t bad…within specific contexts, they can be pretty useful.  But that’s precisely the problem: the context isn’t stated up front…it’s simply assumed, and applied – across the board – to all women under all conditions.  Thus, if you’re a woman looking for advice on getting into shape, those assumptions are likely to influence your attitudes about exercise and (potentially) limit your activity choices.

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