rhetorical strategies

three modes of persuasion (Aristotle's)

• ethos: ego/advertising

• pathos: based on emotions

• logos: based on facts/percentages etc

my arguments:

ethos based:

• use famous body builder stories such as Schwarzenegger

• if applicable use sources such as NCAA, and other large athletic groups (IFBB for bodybuilding)

• argument: even 'the most idolized fit and muscular guy has suffered with muscle dysmorphia and has come forward with his mental health issues to help others who might be feeling the same"

• using my own experiences with this topic: conversations with fitness trainers and physical therapists

pathos:

• appeal to guilt and fear

• use suicide/bad mental health stories to affect their emotion

• attempt to make them feel something for those athletes who suffer from other mental health conditions

logos:

• use percentages of how many people develop bad mental health due to dysmorphia/ other issues

• show the improvement of this through therapy/ mental health aid for lifters

• look into scientifically based research on mental health and the gym

Mental Health Gyms? they exist.

Due to pandemic circumstances, many gyms had to close their doors. Some however found their way to zoom and have incorporated mental health into the workouts.

Liberate, a gym based in Los Angeles, focuses on not only strengthening the body,, but also strengthening the mind. Its virtual content allows members to access classes on-demand and/or on Zoom.

What is a "Mental Health Gym"?

Many people have used fitness and meditation as an outlet for anxiety and stress, leading to an increase in mental health issues as gyms began to close down in the beginning of the pandemic. This was the case for Oliver Bowser, the founder and creator of Liberate.

For Bowser, her outlet was SoulCycle classes, Bootcamps, and Pilates, while for others it might be strength and conditioning, heavy weight lifting, or cardio. In all, the pandemic pushed Bowser to form a community in which people could virtually.

For $19 a month, members get two Zoom classes a week. In these classes there is usually about 10-15 minutes of yoga or mindful movements with journaling conversations, and meditations combined within. This is used to help relax the students and get their body moving while actively conversing about their mental health issues.

Many students of this classes loved the free flowing conversations, knowing they can log into the class from home at a certain time each week, and the community. They called it a non intimidating and fun routine that has de-stressed them while having motivation from other members to keep moving.

Achauer, H. (2021, October 29). What is an 'emotional push-up'? exploring the concept of mental health gyms. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/10/19/mental-health-gym-emotional-fitness/

note: article also talks about Coa (another mental health gym), maintaining emotional fitness and the concept of emotional pushups.

Muscle dysmorphia: a new syndrome in weightlifters

summary of a report published in Br J Sports Med. 2002.

This article contains a study done to look at the rate of muscle dysmorphia among gyms in the given area (Boston). The researchers are interested in the difference in participants perceptions in their body size and their attitudes and behaviors in the gym.

Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) is a newer syndrome of body dysmorphic disorders and affects mainly men (although the numbers in women are increasing) who are highly muscular. These sufferers believe they are "too small" or not as muscular as they actually are.

Methods

Male bodybuilders were recruited from 23 gyms in the Boston area and were screened to see which group they would be in for the study; MD or control group.

Participants were given psychiatric and psychological tests along with providing their physiological measures. researches used a 69 item questionnaire called the MBSRQ that has seven subscales; appearance evaluation, appearance orientation, fitness evaluation, fitness orientation, health evaluation, health orientation, illness orientation. It also has areas related to body rea and weight satisfaction in which participants rate certain body areas on how satisfied they are with that area.

Results

The data showed that the MD group thought of themselves to be less physically attractive and their appearance was more important as compared the the control group. This group also considered themselves to be less healthy. The MD group was also less satisfied with all body areas, most noticeable was their dissatisfaction with their lower torso area, muscle tone, and weight. They wanted more muscle mass while also being worried about gaining fat.

My issues with this study

• no female participants

• doesn't state the criteria needed to be met to be considered the MD group

Choi, P. Y. L., Pope, H. G., & Olivardia, R. (2002). Muscle dysmorphia: a new syndrome in weightlifters. British journal of sports medicine, 36(5), 375-376.