Madonna’s Muscular Arms Are the New Symbol of Female Power

Madonna is a gym freak, that much is known. Even if her own personal trainer, Tracy Anderson, hasn’t said so herself in numerous interviews, the amazing condition in which she is, and that allows her to dress more skimpily than a 25-year-old, speaks volumes. In this sense Madonna’s arms are probably the loudest, drawing many comparisons to the way professional athletes look like, with no body fat whatsoever. Moreover, Liz Jones says for the Daily Mail, these muscular arms are now the hottest accessory for any woman past 50, if social acceptance is what she wants.

Today’s woman must have a happy family life and, at the same time, a successful career. As if this wasn’t enough to keep her busy almost 24/7, the modern woman must also be extremely active, and not just the everyday-jogging type of active. Consequently, to show that, she must have sinewy arms that she is to put on display just like Madonna does, because the ultimate symbol of female empowerment today are the muscular arms, Jones believes.

“They are the ultimate high maintenance, must-have accessory, as ubiquitous for women of a certain age and income as a Birkin handbag. Toned arms, like Michelle Obama’s, are shown off as proudly as the interlocking Gucci Gs. Aerobicized arms are better than any logo because you don’t get them by handing over your wallet; you must surrender your soul. Such arms are the new breasts, stomachs, buttocks, lips, hair and eyes rolled into one. They are the only part of the body that matters if you are over 30 and determined to be regarded by your peers as slim and chic.” Jones writes.

The kind of lean muscles and utter absence of body fat noticeable in Madonna do not say something only about us as people, as they also come with social acceptance. Fitness mania has now reached impressively high quotas, so, for a woman to have arms like these, it's like she has just won the lottery and gained acceptance in the upper social circles. Granted, they are unsightly, with both men and women cringing at the sight of them – but only the latter secretly wonder how they too can get them. But, beyond that, they speak of either complete dedication or obsession, and chances are few are those who’ll not go with the former.

“It is not enough that women should hold down careers and be perfect mothers; they also need the kind of arms that would make Kelly Holmes green with envy to prove they are strong and in control of their lives. The tricep – the bit at the back of the upper arm that is liable to flap, hang and sag – is notoriously tricky to tone. You have to work at this baggy little blighter for decades, using specialist equipment, personal trainers and Ashtanga yoga. The tricky tricep will betray you if you let up for just one moment. This is why surgery to cut out fat from upper arms to reduce bingo wings is on the increase. How and when did the over-muscular arm become the ultimate female status symbol?” Jones writes further on.

For the full piece on the muscular arms as the ultimate symbol of female power and empowerment, please see here.