(This is cross-posted at BlogHer.)
In recent weeks, Michelle Obama has been featured in multiple photos wearing sleeveless shirts and dresses (including official portraits, magazine covers, and her husband’s address to Congress). As we’ve all seen, the woman has awesome arms. While some people have commented that she’s taking the bare-arms look to an extreme, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being proud of something you’ve worked so hard to obtain.
Let’s face it, even if everything on Ms. Obama’s body was as toned as her arms, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to show it in public. She may have enviable legs, but we’ve only seen them from the knees down (that’s all I’ve ever seen, at least). And if she had six-pack abs, it’s not like she could walk around in midriff-baring tops. The arms are her only option.
Defined arms are an outward, easy-to-see symbol of physical strength. I’ve been checking out my arms in the mirror ever since I started lifting weights regularly in the summer of 2007, and I wouldn’t be surprised if every lady who’s ever purposefully hoisted a dumbbell has done the same.
Last year I went out of my way to compliment a woman whose arms I admired in a public restroom — and she was thrilled. I can’t help it. I like seeing a woman with muscles in her arms. I’m not talking about gigantic, over-inflated, steroid-assisted, body-building arms. I’m talking about arms that look like they could hoist heavy things with ease instead of having to ask for help. I feel proud when someone notices my arms, and I suspect that’s the same feeling Michelle Obama gets when she wears something sleeveless.
One fitness blogger in particular, MizFit, has inspired many readers — not only with her toned arms, but with the advice and encouragement she gives to help people achieve similar results. MizFit has a great motto that I’ve adopted as one of my own: “Don’t be afraid to take up space in the world.” I take “space,” in this instance, to mean not being afraid of physical strength — physical power — and not being apologetic.
(For a MizFit arm-lust example, watch this video of her explaining how to do bicep curls. You can find more of her video posts here.)
Results don’t happen overnight, so it’s important to stay motivated. It took months before I noticed a discernible change in the shape of my arms, but it will be different for everyone depending on your starting point and how much effort you’re willing to put in.
As for having arm-lust, I admit that I do. For Michelle Obama’s arms, for MizFit’s, for the random lady I met in the restroom last year, and for my own. If someone is proud of their arms, they shouldn’t be afraid to show it — I don’t care whether they’re 20 years old, or 40, or 60. It doesn’t matter if they do manual labor for a living or if they’re First Lady of the United States. Michelle Obama isn’t hiding her physical assets, and neither am I.
When you see a pair of toned, muscular arms on a woman, does it make you want to work harder?
Related Reading:
I’m not the only one who finds it interesting when so much attention is placed on someone’s arms. Via email, BlogHer contributing editor Megan Smith said:
I just find it interesting the interpretations that can be made by someone wearing something sleeveless and exposing a part of her body that signifies strength.
The arms carry things, the arms embrace, the stronger they are, it’s perceived, the stronger the woman. The subtle cues and how we react to them are fascinating.
Lynn’s Weigh says Thank You, Michelle Obama!
I’d like to thank the First Lady for encouraging me to go for three sets on the strength training today. After the first two, I whined, “Ugh, I’m tired, I want to stop.” Then I remembered the picture of Michelle Obama in that rockin’ pink dress on the cover of People magazine last week. Do you see those arms? Um…yeah…I want me some of those.
Vanessa: Unplugged says First Lady Michelle Obama Looks Fabulous: Deal with it!
It’s such a shame that media air time has been wasted on the First Lady’s penchant for sleeveless ensembles. [...] [She] has awesome arms and legs. Actually, she has the total package so let’s just admire her for practicing proper nutrition and exercise rather than the foolishness about her arms on display.
Irish Times: Kate Holmquist says First Lady spurs new arms race.
Pleasing her man by appearing feminine and frail is not a look that Michelle Obama pursues, or would even consider. Yet, her arms aren’t too muscular; they’re within the boundaries of acceptable female strength. No steroids here, just the discipline for early morning work-outs. [...]
Arms that can work and hold and inspire are an erogenous zone that all women can aspire to, while remaining intelligent women, because arms are as androgynous as they are erogenous. Well-toned arms say: “I’m a woman, I’m equal but I’m still beautiful.”
Leslie Goldman from Never Say Diet agrees that Michelle Obama is a positive fitness role model.
At first blush, all the focus on her upper body (versus her brains, for example) made me mad. But the more I write about it, I realize it could be flipped around and looked at from a positive light — she can serve as a wonderful fitness role model for young girls and women across the nation — and the world. She is such a high-profile figure and she exercises, stays strong and places an emphasis on taking good care of her body without being too thin. That could go a long way towards inspiring others to do the same.
New York Times: Michelle Obama Goes Sleeveless, Again
Huffington Post: Michelle Obama Loves to Flaunt Her Arms
Orlando Sentinel: Michelle Obama’s arms are becoming her trademark
On BlogHer, Liz Gumbinner recently talked about the First Lady’s right to bare her arms.
17 Comments
That is so funny that you are writing about this! I was at the gym a few days ago and saw a woman standing outside the basketball room, and she had AMAZING arms. I told my friend I was with “I want THOSE arms”. I didn’t think to compliment her on them (she was in a conversation with someone else) but it definitely made me want to work harder in the hopes that someday (a loooong time from now) I can have arms like that!
This is a timely post! I just started working out again and I keep thinking that I can’t wait until I get some arms like Michelle Obama.
I Michelle Obama looks great, and it’s time to get onto more important matters. I think those who criticize her protest too much.
I do like a woman with a LITTLE bit of tone in her arms (no lunch lady arms please!), but that said I prefer women to have a little bit of… softness to them.
I know that sounds sexist, but it really isn’t! I just don’t want my girl to have a better six pack than me. :)
Tone is appreciated, though definitely not required. You’re right: really solid arms look great; unless they look like those steroid arms that could squeeze and break aluminum cans or something – too much.
I’m glad you wrote about this. I’ve been lifting and to get over the self-consciousness of having increasingly larger arms (albeit less squishy), I have been going around having all of my friends feel my guns! (granted all I have are egg-sized lumps of muscle, but just you wait.) I feel more validated in showing them off :-)
The woman does have seriously nice arms. I bought a couple of 5 pounders a few months ago, hoping to achieve a similar effect.
They collect dust REALLY well…
She’s a gorgeous lady. She should flaunt those arms.
midriff-bearing? Baring!
Signed: Boring.
Ron: Oh, my gosh! I hate missing stuff like that. I just fixed it. :)
You’re fast as a bullet, aren’t you! Don’t know how you have time while being careful all the time about upskirting.
I remember a carnival at primary school and there was a boy with a mirror that could be fixed on his shoe. Even since then, I’ve been aware of some few energetic perverts with the same thing in mind. I like to look, I admit, but I’d be way too embarrassed to admit that I needed to go to that much trouble just to see it! Of course, I’m also too lazy, a thing which has saved unknown numbers of ladies from various outrages. Oh, and there is that little matter of being MORTIFIED if a really great girl like you caught me at it. (Mortified: what you get just before that boot in the crotch?)
What’s that old song lyric in the Janis Joplin song about “a woman can be tough”? I always figured that Janis WAS tough, but she also seemed to preclude anyone needing to “peek”. Still, I wouldn’t have wanted to make her (or Zandria) mad about such a thing!
It’s a really interesting part of the body to compliment. A friend of mine who was really working out in the months leading up to her wedding told me I motivated her in the gym because she wanted my arms as her “wedding arms.” I was sooo incredibly surprised and flattered.
I never cared much about strengthening my arms until I started reading MizFit. My eyes were opened!
Michelle is wonderful.
Ive gone back and forth SO MANY TIMES from thinking its great (fitness role model) to wondering if she, in how own inimitable way, would love to ask is to SEE BEYOND AND SHUT UP :)
just saw Sagans comment above.
*blushes* and wonders if its a good thing!
“Wedding arms” makes me want to throw up.
had you seen this?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/opinion/08dowd.html?_r=1
There is definitely nothing wrong with complimenting your body and it’s not like the First Lady is ever trashy in public. It’s amazing how people don’t think twice with seeing cleavage shot after cleavage shot at the grammies but fit, toned arms? Crazy! And like you, it’s quite the compliment to give/receive someone with muscles. We work hard for our bodies and it’s nice to have someone recognize it.