Science takes a hard look at the Instagram-ization of fitness.

Science(ˈsīəns) takes a hard look at the Instagram-ization(ī) of fitness.

By Rainesford Stauffer

One minute, you’re soaked(sōkt) in sweat(swet), silently repeating to yourself whatever vaguely(ˈvāglē) inspirational(ˌinspəˈrāSHənl) mantra(ˈmantrə,ˈmän-) you use to push through each set’s last few agonizing(ˈagəˌnīziNG) reps(rep). (“Go hard,” “Finish strong,” and “You can get pizza(ˈpētsə) after this” are favorites(ˈfāv(ə)rət).) The next, you’re hustling(ˈhəsəl) out of the background of a fellow(ˈfelō) gym(jim)-goer’s workout selfie(ˈselfē)—if you aren’t taking one yourself to document your own hard work first.

“I have clients give me their phones—they’re like, ‘Could you take a quick picture of me?’” said Kenny Santucci(santyo͝ochi), the general manager at Solace(ˈsälis) New York. (Solace, not coincidentally(kōinsəˈden(t)əlē), appears on a list of the “Most Instagramable Workouts in NYC”). “We’re in the middle of class, I’ve got fifteen other people here, and you want me to take a picture of you!?”

The scenario(səˈne(ə)rēˌō) Santucci details is common in 2018, when everything from brunches(brənCH) to crunches(krənCH) can have the insufferable(inˈsəf(ə)rəbəl) “do it for the ‘gram(gram)” slogan(ˈslōgən) slapped on it. “It’s become more of a visual(ˈviZHo͞oəl) game than ever before,” Santucci says. “Instagram specifically has made the fitness culture evolve(iˈvälv) a lot faster.” In a recent poll(pōl) 43% of respondents(riˈspändənt) reported taking photos or videos at the gym, and 27% of those were selfies. And if you were wondering whether the practice based on gender, Santucci says that in his experience, men and women are equally(ˈēkwəlē) likely to stop, wipe(wīp) sweat(swet), pose(pōz), and snap(snap).

The gym selfie, experts say, is more than just a visual brag(brag) or photo-driven pep(pep) talk. Social media is fundamentally(ˌfəndəˈmentl-ē) changing the way we work out—and the way we see ourselves in the mirror(ˈmirər). In a recent study, professors Tricia(trishə) Burke(bərk) and Stephen(ˈstēvən) Rains found that individuals(ˌindəˈvijəwəl) who saw more workout posts in their feeds were more likely to feel concerned about their own bodies, especially if the posts came from a person they felt looked similar(ˈsimələr) to them.

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http://www.gutenberg.org/files/219/219-h/219-h.htm