Growing up I was a pretty sporty kid – a fair runner and able to turn my hand to most sports (that don’t involve jumping). To be clear, there are MANY things that I can’t do - my dancing is particularly painful to watch and my singing is only appreciated by my children.
Being athletic is both empowering and exhilarating. However, I had something many of my school friends did not...muscly arms. Sounds great right? But here’s the deal...I’m a girl! A GIRL with big biceps. Imagine that.
When I was young, people would comment on my muscular arms, which made me feel embarrassed about my appearance. At High School I gained the nickname ‘Strength of Ten Men’. This amuses me greatly now, but at the time, as I navigated through those awkward and challenging teenage years, I felt masculinised.
Through University, my self-perception softened a little, and as a drunken party trick I would sometimes show them off or challenge the guys to an arm wrestle. On reflection, this was a way of hiding my vulnerability.
As time went on, I married a better-than-average guy and welcomed 3 little monkeys to the world, two of which arrived at the same time...twins! These pregnancies led to significant medical complications that left a lasting effect on my body (that’s a whole other story for another day) and resulted in nearly 6 years without proper exercise. Rehabilitation was a long and difficult process, but I’m now able to enjoy performance-based exercise once-more. The overwhelming feeling of relief that the days of constant pain were behind me has laid way to genuine excitement, that I could once more use this body of mine in the way it was intended - including the purest of all sports...running.
Most importantly, it has taught me to stop worrying about the appearance of my body, but focus my attention on its functionality...it's true purpose!
Nowadays, I am in the best athletic condition of my life. I still receive negative comments regarding my ‘muscular appearance’, but these are dwarfed by the overwhelmingly positive support that I am receiving as I chase new goals.
I was born with these muscles. Sure, the fitter I get the bigger they grow, but I don’t train for a bikini-body - I train for speed and endurance!
My daughter is now 4 years old, and I have every suspicion that she will also have the ‘strength of ten men’. Regardless, real strength comes in many forms, and if she goes through life with self-acceptance and self-assurance, I have no doubt that she will find her own kind of happiness. Whatever the future may hold, I have no doubt that girl will move mountains and I will be there to cheer her on every step of the way.
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