From the spinach-swigging Popeye to today’s action movie heroes, bulging biceps have always been the province of men.
But what’s this? It’s supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, with a pair of pumped up limbs that could take on Iron Man in an arm wrestle. And here is Jennifer Lopez, with ripped muscles of which any weightlifter might be proud.
Historically, from Greek Marbles to Renaissance Art, women’s bodies have been soft and men’s hard. Even in the Eighties, when aerobics classes brought women’s fitness to the fore, the aim was always for a feminine but supple figure. Not any more: women are flexing their muscles and competing to show off their strength in bulging biceps selfies.
Among today’s fitness addict stars, what must once have been thought ‘unfeminine’ is now a matter of ‘the bigger the better’.
Jennifer Lopez writes on Instagram ‘Feeling like superwoman after the show tonight!’
Personal trainers are certainly seeing a change in attitude among female clients. Whereas it used to be all about the ‘six pack’, nowadays, the biceps is the part of the body they like to show off.
‘Women want to look strong, not super-skinny, but toned and lean with obvious muscle,’ says celebrity personal trainer Tyrone Brennand, who counts former Made In Chelsea star Binky Felstead and The Saturdays singer Mollie King among his clients.
‘There was a time when female clients would say they wanted to tone up or lose weight, but what they didn’t want was muscles,’ says Keith McNiven, founder of Right Path Fitness. ‘Now, more women seek out a strong physique. One of the best ways to see this is through the biceps, so the muscle pops up when you clench your fist. It’s the classic ‘power’ pose.’
Avengers star Scarlett Johansson is a real-life superhero, she shows her bulk on The Late Show
Supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley shows off her biceps in an Elle UK video last year
Cameron Diaz on Top Gear series 15 showing off her considerable muscle
ennifer Aniston Visits “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” at Rockefeller Center in 2015
And achieving it is no mean feat: Colin Crosby, consultant in sports medicine at BMI Hendon, says it’s harder for women to get that ‘ripped’ look. ‘They don’t have as much testosterone, which helps build muscle, so are at a disadvantage,’ he says, which makes the muscle-displaying antics of celebrities all the more impressive.
But what has brought about this change in attitude? ‘I think this trend for ‘masculine’ toning up is incredibly clever,’ says Dr Elle Boag, senior lecturer in social psychology at Birmingham City University. ‘Women want to be treated equally by men. We have changed physically in order to be taken seriously. It’s a form of power dressing, but with your entire body.’
But isn’t this anti-feminist? Women feeling compelled to change in order to fit into a masculine world? ‘I’d say it’s more adapting to an environment,’ says Dr Boag. ‘If you are soft and round, it can equate to weak. If you are physically strong, you are less likely to be perceived as such.’
U.S. singer Madonna gestures as she performs during her ‘Sticky N Sweet’ tour at the O2 Arena
Newsreader Emily Maitlis attends London Evening Standard Londoner’s Diary 100th Birthday
Sarah Jessica-Parker, 53, has very little body fat but still commands considerable biceps
Another strong woman, Chloe Madely not only tames a big cat, but shows off impressive bulk
But what do men think? ‘Strong women are sexy,’ says Tyrone Brennand. ‘It’s about being powerful, healthy and strong, and that’s incredibly attractive.’
Unsurprisingly, there is no short-cut to bulging biceps. Keith McNiven says it needs strength training and lots of ‘curls’, where the arm is squeezed at the elbow to curl up a barbell or dumb-bells to shoulder height. ‘The key is progressive overload, gradually increasing the weight you lift.’
It’s worth pointing out that in order to have muscle definition, you must have reasonably low body fat. Also, you’ll need to eat a protein-rich diet, to help build muscle. But as they say, no pain, no gain . . . no Instagram likes.
We asked Keith McNiven to rate the celebrities who like showing off their biceps, and suggest how they keep their arms in shape.