Welcome to Wednesday Word, a weekly linkup for everyone, not just health and fitness bloggers. Each Wednesday you will have a single word prompt to write about. Let your imagination run free and share with your readers your interpretation of that word, or simply use it as inspiration for your post. Today’s word is juxtaposition….. I’d love to have you link up, and if you do, please remember to follow my six simple rules.
Juxtaposition – the act or an instance
of placing two or more things side by side;
also the state of being so placed
~ Merriam-Webster
The juxtapositions of thin and overweight; fit and unfit… What unfair conclusions do people draw from these comparisons, taking nothing into consideration other than outward appearances?
The average person’s perception on what makes a person fit became obvious to me about twenty-five years ago while training a tall, thin woman who hired me to help her build muscular strength and endurance. Just after finishing a session with this lady, another gym member came up to me and in a rather nasty tone said, “Why does that woman need to work with a trainer? She’s not fat!” At that point it dawned on me, most people perceive thin people as fit and overweight people as unfit.
The point became even clearer when I overheard a fellow runner complain when anyone heavier beat her in a race. She thought that heavy people should be slowed down by their weight; and therefore, should be at the back of the pack – or at least behind her. I had to remind her that some runners are just genetically gifted, no matter their weight.
Years later, when my slightly above average size friend packed the studio night after night with her extremely challenging aerobics classes, I became baffled. Based on my previous experiences with people’s perception of “thin meaning fit” and “overweight meaning unfit,” it didn’t make sense why people would want to take a class from a “not-so-fit-looking” instructor. Turns out, class participants loved her because she was real. She worked them hard, she was obviously very fit if she could teach an hour-long advanced step aerobics class, and she looked like one of them!
So let’s place these various body types side-by-side, and take a closer look. The tall and thin person might have appeared to be the fittest, yet she was weak and had poor endurance. The slightly overweight runners and aerobic instructor were strong, had great endurance, and were obviously very fit. This juxtaposition of body types shows that you can’t judge a body by it’s outward appearance.
What juxtapositional situations can you think of that occur in the running and fitness world?
Grab My Button!
Next Wednesday’s Word: Visceral
You bring up some very good points Deb! I think people are way too quick to judge someone’s activity/fitness level based on their size. When I first started going to PT, my PT assumed I was like a 3 hour marathoner! I was like Umm, definitely NOT!
HaHa, it just goes to show judging can go both ways, and the judger isn’t always thinking the worst!
We jump to so many conclusions based on outside appearances. Neither stereotype is true.
Coco recently posted…Cycling Heart Rate Versus Running Heart Rate
Indeed!
In my job, I deal with this misconception on a daily basis. It always amazes me that parents actually bring their kids to see me because they think they are “too thin” and unhealthy. No parents ever bring their kids to me because they are overweight. So there is this perception that overweight kids are healthy and skinny kids are not. I spend a lot of time convincing both sets of parents otherwise. Then the perspective shifts as kids get older, suddenly it’s skinny adults are healthy! Again, I talk about how you can be an active overweight person and be healthier than a skinny couch potato. It’s just crazy. I could write about this ad nauseum.
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…This or That….Juxtaposition in Running
It’s interesting how parents view their children’s health based on their size, and how that changes as the children get older. Good for you for bringing the facts to their attention!
I have learned that you see it all on the race course, and admittedly, I am sometimes surprised at what I see. I think a lot of people (“average-sized” and otherwise) are also surprised at what they can do when they brush those stereotypes aside and just get out there and do it.
Kimberly Hatting recently posted…Juxtapose me this….
That’s a great point; and I say for them to go for it!
As a run/walker now, there’s the notion that if you run/walk you can’t possibly be a serious runner. And sometimes I have to admit I feel like I’m not a “real” runner because of it — but I’ve found it easier to get a *little* faster with my intervals and also stay mostly injury free.
I may be BOTP, but I am almost always sprinting to the finish while a lot of people around me are walking it in.
Great question, Deb!
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Juxtaposition: Searching for Connection
Jeff Galloway would argue that his run/walk method is definitely the smart way to train and your best bet at staying injury free, so you’re in very good company! 🙂
Doesn’t it feel good to pass other runners while sprinting toward the finish line?
Since I am struggling with weight, I was afraid to click on this and read it lol
I do think there is an association when you are overweight you are lazy and I think that is what bothers me about carrying a good bit of extra fluff.
Some times I cruise along not worrying, but then someone will say something and those things just kind of stick with me. We are in a minutes challenge for activity at work…someone seeked me out to tell me they were shocked I worked out so much….sigh,., again, it is likely because I am not the typical lean person….one day I will come up with a gracious response for that.
Karen Bayne recently posted…It’s Just A Mile
Since I am struggling with weight, I was afraid to click on this and read it lol
I do think there is an association when you are overweight you are lazy and I think that is what bothers me about carrying a good bit of extra fluff.
Some times I cruise along not worrying, but then someone will say something and those things just kind of stick with me. We are in a minutes challenge for activity at work…someone seeked me out to tell me they were shocked I worked out so much….sigh,., again, it is likely because I am not the typical lean person….one day I will come up with a gracious response for that.
Karen Bayne recently posted…It’s Just A Mile
Since I am struggling with weight, I was afraid to click on this and read it lol
I do think there is an association when you are overweight you are lazy and I think that is what bothers me about carrying a good bit of extra fluff.
Some times I cruise along not worrying, but then someone will say something and those things just kind of stick with me. We are in a minutes challenge for activity at work…someone seeked me out to tell me they were shocked I worked out so much….sigh,., again, it is likely because I am not the typical lean person….one day I will come up with a gracious response for that.
Karen Bayne recently posted…It’s Just A Mile
Since I am struggling with weight, I was afraid to click on this and read it lol
I do think there is an association when you are overweight you are lazy and I think that is what bothers me about carrying a good bit of extra fluff.
Some times I cruise along not worrying, but then someone will say something and those things just kind of stick with me. We are in a minutes challenge for activity at work…someone seeked me out to tell me they were shocked I worked out so much….sigh,., again, it is likely because I am not the typical lean person….one day I will come up with a gracious response for that.
Karen Bayne recently posted…It’s Just A Mile
One thing that we all have to remember is that our genetics play such a huge role in our build. Good for you for rocking your challenge, and boo to the woman who made you feel badly.
So often people judge and it drives me nuts. They see me as someone who “should be” faster because I am smaller framed. Nope!
Michelle recently posted…Weekly wrap 6/27-7/3
Meranda said the very same thing happens to her. Isn’t it interesting how people just jump to their own conclusions?