And what is wrong with a solid pack of abs?

I am slightly ticked off by this piece (just so you know: if you follow all the links some of them will show girls in bikinis). I get it to some extent (i.e. men do not want their girls to look like men – fair enough; I don’t want my men to look like girls). But to come down so hard on the Miss America contestants for having toned physiques is perhaps a touch exaggerated. We can’t all look like this…

True, I am biased. I’ve always exercised, and I’ve always enjoyed being fit and as much on the slim side as I can manage. I’m coming up to ten years in the same dojo (traditional karate). I don’t have Ms. Holloway’s hips but honestly I don’t want them either. I prefer to have curves that are more discreet but decent muscle underneath. Because you know what? After a while (not that I’m looking at any calendar in particular), without exercise, those nice curves just kinda fall apart on you. Also? Being trained in some kind of martial arts means you’re equipped to wallop the first clown who shows up behind you intending to whack your pretty little head with a hammer. It also helps you handle more, ah, serious weapons. Not much point being armed if you’re not strong enough to control the thing.

So. By all means let’s try to keep looking like girls. No, it’s not necessary to look like you’re headed for the body building competition. But come on. Abs on a girl are not necessarily ugly.

[h/t]

_____________________
Véronique adds: I don’t do karate, I run. I run two half marathons a year. (If one-and-a-half years makes a habit.) Last week, as I was leaving work to go for a run, my darling co-worker printed out the sketch of the “hammer dude” so I could get familiar with his face. Maybe I could outrun him, if it was at the beginning of my run and he was drunk. Running will get you some nice legs and burn some fat (assuming you don’t reward yourself with a Starbuck’s Trenta with a cup of whip on top). But it won’t help you wallop clowns.
Recently at home was our annual “Vero starts the generator day” to make sure I can survive when my husband is away. And sure enough, I have great running legs and cardio-pulmonary capacity but not enough raw power to crank-up the genny. So if looking like a guy means that you can survive hammer attacks and crippling blizzards, I say “bring it on”.

____________________

Andrea adds: There must be something wrong with me. I looked at the links above and whether said blogger was criticizing or applauding, all I saw was beautiful woman after beautiful woman. I have issues with bikinis and high heels though. It’s just not practical.

by