“If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” so the saying goes and fitness people certainly subscribe to this mantra. Seen a health or fitness mag lately? Unless it is Experience Life, I’d bet you a trailer of tuna steaks with whole wheat couscous and arugula (’cause everyone has those on hand right?) that the cover model is in some state of undress. The bikini-clad-standing-thigh-deep-in-generic-water pose is so popular that I don’t think Shape has done a cover in the last 5 years without it!
Fitness TV shows, DVDs and podcasts are no better with female trainers sporting tiny booty shorts and sports bras. All the better to show off your hard-won physique right? Why else do we work out if not to get a body worth publicly baring? Ahem. Heck, even CrossFit’s been porni-fied. And if you’ve ever tried CrossFit you will understand how very weird that is.
But is the trend going past flat abs and cut biceps towards something more… porno?
Reader Katie recently wrote me about a fitness site she feels very conflicted about:
The website is www.bodyrock.tv . […] This website has really started to transform the way I approach workouts. They are short, intense workouts–from as little as 9 minutes to 45 minutes-tops. It’s all bodyweight based and just requires a floor mat and the ability to do pull-ups someplace. The woman on the site is very fit and is not shy about sharing that these workouts are ALL she does and that a lot of her battle is also in the kitchen.It all sounds great. Until you look at the site. I’m embarrassed to look at the site around other people because of the way her videos are shot, and the photos taken to show the individual movements. I feel like I’m looking at a soft-porn fitness site! When I’ve showed people where I’ve been getting several of my workouts from, they react with this same mixture of raised eyebrows, but then respect for her solid routines (and body). On the one hand, she sends such a positive message about being physically fit, nourishing your body with healthy food, and to a degree to not be ashamed to show off your hard work. On the other hand, she totally exploits her body and this razzes my feminist sensibilities. Therefore, the message gets a little muddled between the obvious display of silicone and play toward sex appeal and lack of modesty. This site combines so many of my vices—fitness, sex appeal, my love/hate relationship with this site’s goals, and finding the real reason I work out–how much is for my own fitness and how much for outward appearance?
Here’s a screen shot of one of the videos Katie is referring to: (to see the whole video, click the picture to go to her site. Her videos aren’t enabled for external embedding – sorry!)
And here’s a shot of Zuzana from her home page demonstrating a lunge:
I have to admit that while I am very used to seeing how sexified most fitness women are, this site seemed a little extreme. It wasn’t the clothing per se but more the poses, expressions and mannerisms – ones our society normally associates with porn rather than fitness. Hawt TV trainers may dress like the sexy gym teacher or co-ed cheerleader every man dreams about but – here’s the difference – they don’t usually act like it. Zuzana calls our bluff and refuses to allow us to pretend that we’re not looking at her boobs.
Celebrities on magazine covers and mad-hot Czech women on the Internet are one thing but what about real life? I remember the last time a girl showed up at my gym with night-club makeup, teased hair and sporting cleavage on both ends. People, both men and women, made negative comments about her look and the attitude they assumed she had. Jealousy rearing its ugly head? Or indignation about the breach of the implied moral code? Both?
On one hand, sex sells. Duh. Who wouldn’t want to look like Zuzana? I do! And I tried a couple of her workouts – they’re solid. (I also wrote down that apple cake recipe because even though I was rolling my eyes at her Daisy Duke getup the cake still sounded really really good.) But on the other hand, is it necessary to go all Jenna Jameson to pimp your fitness routine? Fitness is often a weird place where, like acting and modeling, your body is your product. Is there a line between showing off what you worked so hard to create and being sexy? Is there a point where overt sexiness in fitness ads actually turns you off the product?
And be honest – how much of your motivation to workout is for your health and how much is based on how you want to look?
PS> Anyone else really irritated by the banner on her homepage advertising her auction for her workout pants because her size 4s are now too big and she needs money to buy smaller ones? We get it: you are tiny and adorable.
For me the oversexiness tends to make me think they have as much depth as a teaspoon. I don't tend to look at their product/ watch their workouts as a result. I don't think it's jealousy, more I think from being sick of having boobs (especially Pamela Anderson style ones) shoved in my face (metaphorically).
Perhaps unfairly I equate half naked, overly sexual, overly enhanced women with being brainless twits. I'm probably being a bit harsh, I should work on that š
I second Amber Rose – I don't tend to take them all that seriously when they flaunt boobs and bum in my face. Yes, you have a great body but I don't feel like watching soft porn to get my exercise fix thankyouverymuch.
And yes, I too see "bimbo" and "brainless twit" when I see all the boobs and bum on show.
I'm a huge fan of your blog, but never post in the comments. I feel inspired to write though, in part because of the comments above…
I too, rolled my eyes figuratively when I saw her pictures in your post, but I decided to check out her site and was pleasantly surprised.
This article that her partner wrote, http://www.bodyrock.tv/2009/10/15/are-women-holding-themselves-back/, discusses female body image issues related to fitness; and this article, http://www.bodyrock.tv/2009/10/07/being-fit-vs-being-skinny/, which stresses that being FIT is > than being skinny. I think there is value in their online presence, as evidenced by the fact that almost all of their comments praise her strength, energy, and skill–not her cup size.
Oops, to add to my first comment, I work out because it makes me feel good… being able to do push ups and run for miles at a time will do that to you. Looking banging is just a bonus š
as always you have me pondering and the more I think the more I realize the women I aspire to look like RARELY do the softcore photo ops.
(dara torres etc)
And Im with Amber Rose as well in that I just roll my eyes and go quickly from OH THEY HAVE GREAT QUADS to kind of (cringe) judging them and nonetoonicely.
(which means I need to ponder this whole thing a little more)
AND THEN I started thinking how mens fitness mags have gone the same way as well.
Are they targeting straight men? us? gay men?
Have you seen Mens Fitness lately?
it's… interesting.
For me (to finally get to your question :)) it has all been an evolution.
Initially I wanted to lose weight to fit in my interview suits (which was vanity and poverty. had no fund fer new suits š but definitely an emphasis on the former) but these days its not at ALL about how I look on the outside but about LONGEVITY.
100%
i just think that no matter how amazing my body becomes from an aesthetic point of view, however pleased with it i am am, however confident i eventually become (haha – look at me sounding like that might actually happen!) i am NEVER EVER, not in a million bazillion years going to look like that when i work out? Wanna know why? Because no matter how fit i get, i will always be a red faced sweaty mess no matter what workout im doing. And frankly, concentrating on technique and form and not injuring yourself and doing it right not just doing it is bloomin well enough to think about without the whole sex factor!!!!! good GRIEF! š
While I do think the "sex factor" of many workout videos and magazine covers lures me in a bit out of my desire to have that look, I also find I'm turned off by it b/c it makes the instructor seem trashy, and usually a little sad.
It seems to me, not that I can understand, that the power of sex with women is a double edged sword. Many mature women seem to feel glad when they no longer have that "power" which in many ways can be a burden rather than a blessing.
Hey Charlotte, I have a good friend who dresses like this quite often at the gym (and the clubs). She also has the accompanying attitude that we would expect comes with the outfits. The bottom line (and I know this because we have been lifelong friends) is that she is INCREDIBLY insecure. I don't know many people with her level of insecurity. Sure, she is beautiful, but her actions are not and most of my guy friends that she has hit on have also noticed. For me, I just find it sad. I wish she knew she didn't have to act this way. P.S.- bodyrock's body does look great :). I may try the recipe and workouts too…but I will wear actual clothes.
It is a very conflicted message! I think many of us want to look good & that is why we start this whole process & then it becomes being healthy & other things. Some may start just for the health but want to look good too.
Yes, things seem, to go this way. Shape sends me surveys about their covers & I am sure I am one of the few saying I don't like either or I like the one with more clothes.
Dr. J has a very interesting point as well!
I think, in part, that trainers and people who work in the industry feel the need to show off the "product" in order to prove its effectiveness. But the pornification? That I just don't understand. It turns me off, even if the workouts and advice are great.
But I'm also with Miz on this one. My fitness role models are people like Deena Kastor and Dara Torres. Its about health and function, with looking good being a nice bonus.
I can respect someone who works hard for a great body, but seriously…the boobage is unecessary.
I just feel a bit bad for her…cause it's just not necessary.
I am with Amber Rose and others regarding the boobage in my face. That part annoys me so much because I feel that sports/fitness is the last place where there are women who are strong and sexy and REAL.( ie Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh) I admire their athletic talent, dedication to training as well as their rockin physique.
i thought it was offensive…my fitness role models are covered too(you are one of them Char!)! But what else can we expect in this world!
Mary Kate
i always feel slightly embarrassed when i read those fitness magazines with half naked women on the cover. it's like unless i'm on a tropical beach i'm not walking around in a bikini every day and i want a model to at least reflect that i wear clothing. but maybe that's just a reflection of our society because lots of girls/women i know do walk around in very little clothing
I am really conflicted about this. I totally hate that so much of women's fitness pushes the idea that it's all about appearance, losing weight, and looking sexy.
Yet I have to confess that at least a small part of what motivates me is not just health, but liking the way my body looks when I'm more lean and muscular.
I do think being gay makes it easier for me to aspire to a body type society sees as "healthy" rather than "sexy"–just because my own view of what's sexy is more about muscles and less about cleavage. So I can "tsk tsk" those soft porn images since they seem silly and tacky unsexy to me–yet I'd frankly love to look like Dara or Jillian.
Great topic, and I'm loving hearing what everyone has to say about this.
In part, I understand. If magazines showed women doing exercises in oversized T-shirts and pants, it'd be harder to show fitness. Plus, it'd be harder to see how your body should look during the moves.
But that doesn't mean the women need to be wearing glorified string bikinis. And as for Shape–I'm also getting sick of the same cover they've ran since 2007. Bikini + water + sunset + hot movie star with killer abs. Since I assume most magazine covers are all Photoshopped, I'm not impressed by the abs. I'd rather see the actress in clothing.
I think it smacks of desperation and insecurity. "Look at me! Look how hot I am! LookatmelookatmeLOOKATME!!!!!" Geesh! It's like being in Los Angeles again!
And the really sad part is, we DON'T take these folks seriously! How tragic is it to spend all your time, energy and money to look a certain way, only to have everyone around you treat you as if you are a ditz, because that's how you present yourself? What happens when the looks fade, when all the workouts and plastic surgery in the world can no longer make you "hot?" What are you left with?
Not a whole lot.
There are ways of showing how fit you are without demeaning yourself. Does she really think that if she wore a top with full coverage and an actual pair of pants that we'd think she was out of shape? And by presenting herself the way she does, she undermines all the good things on her site. Because pictures speak louder than words, and hers are screaming.
And THIS is the message we're sending our kids; women are objects. Sex toys. The only thing that matters is their looks. It's OK to treat them like crap, because they are, after all, disposable.
I get irritated when I see this kind of thing, especially the silicone boobs and bleach blond hair (maybe if she were brunette it would tone down the sex factor…or not). Her site seems solid, and after watching some stuff I'm conflicted. I like it but I her stuff on female body image seems hypocritical since she probably has breast implants and is exploiting her body. Tara Stiles also have fitness/yoga videos but she dosen't exploit her body or amp up the sex factor to get viewers.
Bottom line it's solid fitness and a decent positive message, but the boobs irk me (and not because I'm jealous, my AA boobs are my favorite part of my body!).
I was an athlete in college (XC and track) so I'm used to working out for reasons that have to do with getting faster and stronger not smaller and tighter (though that was the result), now that I'm not competing anymore I still have the mentality that running is not solely for looking good, though that gets me out the door more often now than the thought that training will help me beat my rival. I honestly think its more about what I eat than how much I run that influences how I look more, so I really do run to feel better, it mellows me out, relaxes me, helps me think more clearly and I am ALWAYS in a better mood when I get back from running, even if I didn't want to go…and THATS ultimately why I run.
You are so right! Is there really any need for them to wear these tops that flaunt their cleavage and the shorts where you can see everything hanging out?!
I can't get beyond the association I make between fake boobs and fake person.
And, call me Jimmy the Greek, but I think it's impossible to be at your peak as an athlete with EEE-cup silicon boobs whacking you in the face every time you take a step. Evidently, Jana Rawlinson agrees. http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/50305/fake_breasts_an_apparent_deterrent_to_olympic_hurdling_success
(Now, that's giving everything you've got for your country…)
Slightly on topic: did you see that one of the Australian olympians is having her fake boobs reduced in size to improve her performance? That's giving your country your all…
Some of Shape's covers have broken the mold ie. the one with shorts because the model was sensitive about their thighs, but you're right generally they're stock.
As for the sex-i-fied workout shots… i'm used to it at this point. Silicon boobs aren't motivating for me, but great abs are.
It has been so nice to read everyone's comments so far. Thank you, Charlotte, for posting this!
I am still so conflicted about the site–and I guess I will have to concede that this is just a really tricky subject and raises so many different issues (and eyebrows). I think many of her articles are hypocritical. I know her partner usually writes them, AND he's also the guy behind the video and digital cameras. Obviously, she is ok with his choices in where he chooses to pause with the camera when she's working out (at her chest or rear). However, it's funny that they write about women holding themselves back, talk about (in the last 5 or so videos at the beginning) about women celebrating their health and being thankful for bodies that carry us through each day, while being so unapologetically shallow in choices of outfits and video shots. In her most recent video focused on buns, she addresses a commenter who I suppose was chiding her for all the cleavage shots. Yet, she still wears an unzipped jacket, workout tights, and proceeds to shame the person for not understanding that the "focus of this week is on the ass", while turning to stick her butt out for the camera. hahaha. the irony.
Anyway, I have been benefiting from her workouts. I'm getting stronger, but now at the cost that I'm starting to feel like almost as much of a hypocrite. I think I've probably learned enough now to be able to write my own routines. Hey–maybe I'll start the U.S. version!
Sorry fellas (and ladies), my videos would have shots of a lanky girl wearing old old bball shorts and pitted out t-shirts. So much for sex appeal… š
This reminds me of an experience I had in high school gym class. I took "dance" for my gym elective from a 105 year old dinosaur and the class was a joke. We had an aerobics unit and our teacher brought in a video for us to workout to. It was an aerobics video, per se, but it wasn't meant to do aerobics to if you know what I mean. Some of class member tried to explain to the teacher that this was a porn video that men watch if aerobics turn them on, but the teacher wouldn't hear a word of it. She was sure it was a clever excuse not to do the workout. When some of the girls said they weren't going to participate, the teacher started threatening us to either follow the woman in the workout or fail P.E. That was an awkward class to say the least and not my only less than ideal experience with the public education system.
I'm just that weirdo that feels like if someone wants to run around and put their boobs in people's faces, let 'em. It's their body and their life. And if that sells, then wahoo for them!
And honestly – I remember when I first started this whole be-healthy thing and it was PURELY vain. I didn't realize how horrid my energy was, I didn't realize how not-normal it was that I hurt all the time, but I did notice that I didn't like the way I looked. Three years ago, if you would have taken me and just shrunk me, I would have been happy as a clam. Today? Not so much. I love the way I feel now and it's more important than losing the last 20, but if you would have asked me that three years ago, I would have picked the weight loss.
Long winded way of saying that roping new people into fitness might just be showing them what they could become. I was TIRED of people complimenting my brains and professional accomplishments. I just wanted to look HOT dagnabit.
I discovered bodyrock.tv a couple of weeks ago and have had the same reaction as your reader who emailed you. When i checked two days ago her auction for her size 4 lululemon pants had gone up to $102 from her starting price of $20. With 7 days left to run the intensity of bidding for her pant's disturbed me. Who are they going to and why??? Not someone who actually wants a pair of cheap 2nd hand workout pants….
Zuzana has wonderful, solid workout routines. But i'm comflicted about the lack of clothing, cleavage and when my bodyfriend saw me watching her videos he said, c'mon no-one's looking at that for the workouts are they? Are they?
Thanks for this great post and issue to discuss Charlotte!
Can i please add one last thing – i do think there is a move towards some kind of odd fitness porn as Charlotte has written about. But is that wrong? Zuzana has the (hard won) right to say and dress how she pleases. If we really don't like it we don't have to pay any attention.
The issue in this is really how (as some commenters have raised) her partner is caressing her with the video camera (and in editing focusing on)in what are clearly shots to up men's interest in Zuzana. That is what i find disturbing.
Why do they make lingering shots of her ass and cleavage the focus of the workouts? Anyone have an answer?
I'm so tired of seeing everyone's breast tissue. I worry about the message it's sending to my daughter– that she has to have a D cup to be socially acceptable. Magazine covers, billboards, ads, even Paula Abdul when she was on Idol– it's all about the cleavage! I'm SO tired of cleavage!
Thank you for pointing this out. I wish we could do more to stop it. Whenever I got my fitness/bare belly & bare breasts magazine, I'd take a permanent marker and give them more of a cover-up. That way I could focus on the moves and such and not on the chest size!
Just had this conversation with my husband as we saw an add for Julianne Hough's new fitness video. I know she dresses skimpy on the show but her persona is rather wholesome and then we see her video clip and wow – not looking very wholesome any more. Did not know you needed to dress that way to work out. Was really bummed.
I get Muscle and Fitness Hers and did write them when they put Kim K. on the cover – almost canceled my subscription over that one! Usually, their covers are fitness models and/or winners from a recent fitness contest.
That said, when I gave Lindsey conflicting goals – lose fat on my thighs and add more muscle to my upper body and she asked which to focus on first as they are tough to accomplish together – I choice lose fat.
Can't do it. Can't do it. Too much boobage.
I definitely prefer my fitness straight up instead of with a splash of sexy. One of the instructors of the weight lifting class I go to wears ridiculously short skirts and thigh high stocking to lift weights in. To me it takes away from focusing on strength and power and instead focuses on creating an image of being attractive. Plus, I find it de-motivating – I will never look like the lady in this video. But I can get a little bit stronger each week. So I'd rather focus on that. š
Her boobs are awesome. Did I just write that? I'm pretty sure I work out to feel good, but then I don't have boobs like that…See I can't get past the boobs…
Interesting post! Call me a prude, but when I do the 30 Day Shred I keep willing Jillian not to bend over – doesn't she know I can see inside her sports bra???
LG
OK the daisy duke getup while making the apple cake is just plain weird and obviously aimed at getting as many readers (viewers) as physically possible.
I really think that you are right- it's about marketing their product: sex sells. the end.
As a fitness instructor myself I think there is a big difference between being healthy and fit and promoting the lifestyle and what they are doing over at Body Rock. There is also a difference between wearing fitness gear (sports bra/shorts) to show moves and correct form and wearing a top that your cleavage falls out of or a top that you don't fasten up. What she's doing is selling sex, with a side order of fitness.
I wear sports bras/tops with shorts or yoga pants. I'm a size 3, my boobs are B's which are perfectly fine with me and my husband š I know I look more sporty than slutty because I have the muscle definition and attitude that says so. I also don't wear the low cut sports tops. Even at a B cups I make sure the girls are contained!
I just watched her latest video and found it pathetic that she addresses the cleavage comment whilst wearing a zip-up top revealing her whole cleavage!
My main concern is that if she has had surgery for boobs, which clearly she has, then what other surgeries has she had? Is she sending a false message to her 'fans'? I believe she is. But then IMO cosmetic surgery shouldn't be done on anyone who is advocating HEALTH and fitness. Fake boobs are NOT healthy!
I'd say my motivation is split 75% on health and 25 on looks, but that is mostly a weight and muscle definition 'look' not a sex kitten look. Like others have said I'd rather look like Dara Torres than Pamela Anderson!
Wow…. Why are so many women afraid to be sexy? There is nothing to be ashamed about wanting to look the best you can look. It would be interesting to see what the majority of everyone on here looks like. Fake boobs or not she works hard for that body. She is ripped and you don’t get that from plastic surgery.
But the main reason for my reply to this post is … Have you seen the Maxim magazine layout with Dara Torres? In pretty much only a see-through shirt completely unbuttoned down to her navel! Oh noooooo….your olympic athlete role model is also a damn sexy woman and showing it off! So just because she has “real” B cup boobs she is allowed to show them off provocatively. Doesn’t bother me… and the message I send to my daughter is not to be ashamed of your body no matter what shape, take care of it, respect it and you too can look hot and sexy over 40.
So let me get this straight…
Her recipes would taste better if she were less attractive? Her workout's would be more solid if she didn't wear off the rack lululemon clothing? If someone shows this much skin it's ok but then this much automatically invalidates them? I think that if you dig a little deeper into her message you will find real value in what she is sharing on her site. Tara Stiles started out and rose to fame as a FORD model – that's not exploitation? If anyone is insecure here it seems to be the people who are casting the stones at this person.
I guess my thoughts on this are much akin to my thoughts about Twilight (I'm neither bashing nor condoning twilight here, my opinion on said book is highly convoluted).
Regardless of its merit as a work of literature, if Twilight introduces kids to reading, and encourages them to read more then is has served a wonderful purpose.
Clearly her workouts do have merit, and I wouldn't mind trying a few to mix things up. If she gets someone into the world of fitness – then kudos to her.
But it is still very hard to watch her videos, as from my viewing there were several messages coming across.
I am very sorry to hear the automatic assumption made by so many of the comments posted that implants are a sign of compromised intelligence. As a survivor of breast cancer I can honestly say that breast reconstruction was a very positive step for me. At 34 I did not want to spend the rest of my life living with only one breast. I did opt for a larger size and I make no apologies for my decision. Unless you have actually spoken to this woman you have no idea if and why she may have made this decision. As to her "working her sexuality" I see you have no problem posting a photo of yourself in full hair and make-up. You look well groomed – sophisticated but not too sexy, very nice, very middle class. It seems we aren't really bothered by enhancing the image – it just seems to be a question of degree or individual taste. Taste however, is also a very political issue and "good" taste is neither obvious or natural but is socially constructed – a product of class or culture. Does this woman offend your middle class morality? Has she stepped over some invisible line? Can you let me know the correct size for breast reconstruction so I don't inadvertently offend anyone? For the record I would like to remind everyone that there is no correlation between breast size and intelligence.
Awesome reply!
I actually stopped my subscription to SELF because I was so sick of these bikini clad covers!
the reason why her videos have that "soft porn" idea around them is due to that fact that zuzana used to be a soft porn actress. she had smaller boobs during her porno days, but that's just it. she has both horny male fans AND inspired female fans that want to be fit. it comes naturally, but at least she's become successful.
I get Muscle and Fitness Hers and did write them when they put Kim K. on the cover – almost canceled my subscription over that one! Usually, their covers are fitness models and/or winners from a recent fitness contest.
You guys, she is a softcore porn star. She goes by the name Susana Spears. She used to have small boobies and brown hair. So obviously she is uber comfortable with her body. She had done A LOT of softcore porn pics and movies so I guess to her dressing like that doesn't make her think twice. None of this bothers me at all. She is a very nice person (atleast what I can tell from her videos on bodyrock.tv)And what and how she dresses or does shouldn't matter. Don't watch it if you don't like it. I personally use her workouts and I look fantastic.
Lynn
I would like to see her wear more clothing too. She is very pretty and in great shape.
If she was doing a bikini shoot, great, but to work out in a bikini that is so revealing and have the heavy breathing and her husband taking these pornographic angles of her, it's just too much.
I think it was bodybuilding dot com, there was a discussion about Zuzana half a year ago. People there said her videos are more soft porn than fitness. They also meant she had implants and uses ephedrine or ECA stack to stay that lean. Can't stay that lean with 10 minute workouts. I look if I can find that topic in that message board.
I having been following Bodyrock Tv since last summer. I agree with others, Susana does dress in a very sexy manner but not any more sexy than the women in women's fitness magazines (i.e. Oxgen magazine).
She has an amazingly lean fit body maybe a bit too lean now, but the breasts implants in my opinion take away from the beauty of her figure. I thought her body was much more attractive with her natural small breasts.
She had a great figure before. Although her figure and body weight appears to have fluctuated quite a bit based on the photos that I have seen of her in her previous profession. In fact she really has done a remarkable job at resculpting her body. In some of the photos that I am referring to, she appeared to carry her weight like a lot of women in her lower body. In fact her legs were much thicker, thighs especially and her butt was much larger as well compared to now. Those photos to me were inspirational because they show what hard work can do to a body.
I don't believe that she takes any supplements to stay that lean but I also don't buy that she only does her fitness routines that we see her do to stay that lean. I think she is incredibly active and is probably on the go, doing other activities as well.
I believe that in order to get that level of leaness watching what you eat is paramount. She eats like a bird and watches her fat intake. She has shown how much she eats and what she eats. Most people are not willing to make the right cuts to their diet.
I know I have been super lean and fit in the past. Diet was everything to get me to get me to that level of leanness and I know that if I want to achieve it again I will have to make sacrificies, food wise.
There is no way around it. Eat little, eat mostly vegetables and small portions of lean meat, stay away from white starches/ and/or all starches for a period of time while you are trying to lean out, eat fruits with a low glycemic level, cut out fat except for healthy fats like olive oil but use those in moderation as well and engage in high intensity cardio daily.
Vanessa B.
I can totally relate to the orginal poster. Body Rock is one of my fave sites and I work mostly from Zuzana's workouts. I am personal trainer and prefer to use body weight routines with my clients like body rock does. But I would never feel comfortable telling a client to go to Zuzana's site without being there to explain that "they are good workouts, despite the first appearance!"
My husband will often ask me things such as why on earth she is working out in her togs (recently she bought a new swimsuit so did the workout in it… just odd)
Also as far as I can tell from spearsfever.com she is still doing porn and that makes me uncomfortable following her. I love who she appears to be and I find that person inspiring but that person wouldnt sell herself so short.
And I totally agree with the posts regarding the screen shots for her videos… I dont need to see a close up of her arse to be convinced to watch her workout, I'm looking to get trimmer and fitter, not get laid.
The remark about how the videos are shot is a good point…I do believe the element of porno type filming is evident,because I heard this is a former porn actress…nothing wrong with this as people have the choice to do what they wish.we do have to live within codes of conduct,rules and regulations,as adults we make the choice what we wish to do and what we wish to view. what I find interesting with this woman is how she has gone on to do more positive things with her life.5 years ago she can be seen smoking like a trooper on some smoke fetish web sites as well as you tube…there are the adult sites where she did what she did..what is amazing is concentrating on fitness and looking good for herself and encouraging other within reason to do the same,sure the videos look slightly porno in presentation it works in a none porno way ? power to the woman….I would certainly be inspired to work out with her and I am no spring chicken either and have a few extra pounds on me which i dislike..but i have become a bit lazy so she inspires me to stop being a bum and become fit again..
She is inspiring and has great workouts on her site. How on earth can her cleavage affect any of you people who write you would like to see her with more clothes on?? Must be typical American hypocrites. If it bothers you don't watch it, easy as that. She has a hot body and has every right IN THE WORLD to flaunt it and show it of. For a lot of people this is inspiring too, that she has this fantastic body where you can see all the muscles move when she works out. She mentioned herself she had her boobs done because she was insecure about herself but that she realised that you have to find self esteem in yourself, and not in your appearance. And still, they looks nice so why not show 'm off?? Who cares. They make money fom having visitors on their site (advertisement), and the more 'sexy' shots they put in, the more hits their videos and site will get. Stop 'worrying' and complaining' about such a superficial thing as 'why is Zuzana acting like she is doing soft porn' and do her workouts instead and get results. Maybe you will want to flaunt your body too when it starts to look like hers (boobs or no boobs).
I get the idea that most of you wish she wore a potato sack while working out. Then it would be ok. She has an amazing body that took and takes hours of hard work to achieve and maintain. Part of the marketing is for her to wear these "skimpy" workout clothes so that YOU can see how well her routines and diet actually work!
As for the porn, who cares. You're taking her DIET and EXERCISE advice!!! She's not guiding you spiritually, employed as your life coach nor is she giving you lessons on morality or ethics.
She is free to do as she likes as are you. Use her workouts and site to your benefit or not.
And, BTW, I'm sure many of you after months of hard work have been quite happy to show off your body in some manner as you have become healthier and fitter, no?
I discovered this lady's videos on YouTube and watched several of them. I found her work outs intriguing and went to her website. I was fascinated that here was a lady offering up challenging (and rewarding) fitness/diet advice without any "we know the secret to a flatter tummy, order now for only $19.95" crap. As a guy, yes, I found her extremely attractive, but that was more about the shape she was in and also that she works out very hard. She may be overtly uninhibited but could that be partly from her European heritage? I don't know, I'm just thinking about my upbringing in the Bible belt in the south. Anyway, I didn't see anything "pornographic" on her website, maybe I didn't look that hard or read that much into it. I guess personally speaking, if I had to watch "soft porn" in disguise I'd rather watch her than a Brittany Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian that the media force feeds us with all of their latest trailer trash detoxification!!!
Thank you so much for this interesting article. I was silly enough to make a comment about her workouts on a Bodybuilding forum, and was accused of being jealous and stuck up.
What I had said? SImply that Im not sure that it is necessary in order to understand the workout to actually have the cameraman ( her boyfriend and coowner of the site by the way) zoom in on her boobs so much, and that if these workout is targeting women, it is funny that only men had made excited comments about her routines.
SImply make a google image or video of her name (Suzana SPears) and you will understand why she is so comfortable in front of the camera…and being naked…..
I am far from envying her, and I am used to checking out IFBB pro models and athletes workout videos. They are also pretty naked but the difference is HUGE. THe camera angles help you understand the exercise and the videos make me want to go train. They are well packaged for marketing purposes.They look confident and professional (Lyzabeth Lopez has amazing ones)WHen I look at Suzy workouts, Its hard for a beginner like me to understand any of it, since she is moaning most of the time. And zooming constantly on her bum and cleavage is not helping anything
And even the writing on the site doesnt explain much ( that explains the waver saying nobody from fittv is responsible of your injuries).
Finess is really helping to empower women, as opposed to sexy models ( in magazins like Sports illusttrated ext) Sending us the message that you can turn around ur health at any age and after pregnancies, no more excuses to feel better and be healthier.Models in oxygen mag etc show their body with pride, the poses are hardly ever sexual and schocase their muscle groups. Once again as opposed to miss suzy ( funny how she is always sweating but her clothes keep being perfectly dry…she is perfect even in her sweat glands)
Workout videos should be like a long distance trainer for us passionate women who want to improve. If I ever get a trainer coming to me with 75% of her fabe boobs out, and pigtails ,Ill simply laugh at herself and go train ALONE.
When I see her videos I dont get the urge to improove myself like I do with videos of Francisca Dennis workouts, Jennifer nIcole Lee or Tosca Reno or Larissa Reid to name just a few.
When I see her I just want to give her a water bottle and change channel.And wonder what the hell she is moaning so much for
The road to equality is still long, fitness model and athletes ( IFBB), woman bodybuilder,s are there to show that with discipline, heart and more discipline we can do anything, with pride. To have this type of softporn be treated as mainstream is just sad.
…and yes who cares about her past right…but the problem is there are women who see her as a fitness guru, and talk about how spiritual she is,…I just hope my daughter will look up to different type of hardworking athlete as a role model…Bottom line, why when it comes to WOemn, it always has to be oversexually sexy, even when it should be direct to otehr women, if being healthy empower us, and being fit and muscular shows how strong our spirit is as well, why cant she be sexy but in a more respectful way?
Its really funny that I came across this site, I have been following her workouts for a few weeks and not until now did Ihave any clue anyone would consider this soft porn fitness. Granted she has fake boobs I liked to watch her because of it, considering mine are DDs and Every other workout has small chested woman it was nice to be able to relate to someone. Also When your boobs are that BIG and the rest of you is tiny IT is EXTREMELY hard to find clothes that fit. and not be considered as Exploiting yourself. I Get it alot and it really sucks cuz there is nothing I can do about it and I’m not going to wear baggy t-shirts my whole life, There is not a single store in the mall like A&F or American Eagle or anything that has clothers to fit nicely on girls like us. no matter what, it looks like we are exploiting ourselves, when simplt we are not. and her workouts are great. It was more benifcial that the last few months I have been at the gym for hours, One day with her workout made me feel like three months in the gym. I am extremely happy I found her on you tube, and not at all offended by the way she dressesz
This will answer the majority of posts on here. A friend of mine said she found out that Zuzana used to be a pornstar. Her pornstar name was Susana Spears. Google it for yourself to confirm this information. As you can imagine, when you are in or use to be in this industry, you have to be comfortable with selling your body. The industry changes the way you are and the way you think. As my mom always said, “It is easy for a good girl to become bad but impossible for a bad girl to become good.”
It’s comments from mom’s like that that we need to be afraid of.
Re: Porn, Zuzana covered this topic in a really touching interview. I can’t remember where I read the article, but I want to say it was on Bodyrock.tv, actually. Her story, from what I remember, was that she was young, poor, and did what a lot of ex-Soviet bloc young girls do for fast cash: porn. I don’t know if she liked it at the time, but the interview highlighted how much she regretted it and how she was aware it was a reflection of her insecurities. She became depressed and started eating a lot, got fat, and I think this was around the time she met Freddy. Anyway, fitness has been her “positive” way to regain not only her figure, but her self-love. I don’t think we are in a position to judge her intelligence and deepness, because her story and her relationship with her image is much more complicated than most of us could possibly understand. She seemed pretty aware, though.
That said, yeah, I don’t watch her workouts when others are around :/
HIl.
LetĀ“s be honest! I really like that site, ZUzana is great, and for me personally is much more motivated to look at sexy women dressed like a pornstar, than sweaty woman in large clothes with red face. It is her attitude which pumps me up, when i have not enough will to do my workout It can sound sexistist but why? I really like to look like she,be honest again, who wont?!
Zuzana and bodyrock.tv ROCK. Love the website love the work outs. And the sex appeal motivates me. Who doesn’t want to look like that, so follow her steps and look like that.She is the perfect self advertisement. If you actually look at the site and the body rockers who are on it you can see how she is intelligent and completely sweet and not x rated at all. and there are some inspirational stories that have brought me to tears. LOVE BODY ROCK!
I just can’t ever understand why people feel the need to judge other people . I am a very proud male BodyRocker and have been following Zuzana’s workouts for about a year. I have no desire to look like a walking muscle like most guys, I just want to be fit and healthy and I donāt want to have to pay a fortune to get there. Nor do I want to spend 2-hours at a time to do it. Zuzana is an awesome PERSON who is helping thousands of people transform their lives. Take a minute to read some of the stories other BodyRockers post, including the wife of a Marine killed in Afghanistan. Zuzana is a huge inspiration to many people; not because of her boobs but because of what she is helping us learn about a living healthy lifestyle. We need lots more āZuzanasā in this world.
When I came across the website, yes her looks caught my eye, but then I actually watched her workouts and then tried them. In 15 minutes she kicked my butt! I couldnāt even finish a workout. Today I can do 2 of her workouts in 45 minutes, sweat like a madman, be showered and DONE in 60 minutes. Better yet, Iāve lost around 20 pounds. So why would I care what she wears? Thatās her life and her decision. Additionally, I really donāt care what her training is or her credentials are because whatever she is doing, it obviously works.
So for those of you who are āconflictedā about what she wears, I challenge you to do her workouts for 2 weeks, then come back and give her the credit she is due. And seriously, arenāt there more important issues to worry about right now then Zuzanaās workout clothing? Why is our culture so paranoid of the human body? Show it off! She looks fantastic!
My comment may be late, but would like to share the interview she did where she talked about her past. She seems to really regret what she had gotten herself into and actually wants to do something to help those on the same path.
Here’s the address: http://www.bodyrock.tv/2011/01/04/my-interview/
You’re just clearly jealous. If any of you haters could look like that you would dress the same. And who cares if she’s also a web model. She’s from the a country with little opportunity and she looks amazing, even before working out, and she played the cards she was dealt and is reaping the rewards by having the freedom to travel and enjoy her boyfriend who video tapes her. If you follow her, she posts videos several times a week, and has affiliate sales from her FREE site, and she is just a smart entrepreneur. You jealous women make me sick.
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Hey my name is bailey, and i just love zuzana, and the fellow bodyrockers. Zuzana is very beautiful, but she isnt just tits and ass, i first saw her talking in the start of a workout, and shee seemed so down to earth and funny. she supports everyone and i mean everyone she is so motivating. and really wants to make everyone feel better. may it be your looks or your inner strength. i had my son 8 months ago, and I amit i did these workouts to get a better body, but not to fit as Zuzana. But going on to my 50th bodyrock workout im doing this for my health, i love working out she didnt make it boring like my workouts before, she makes workouts that are fun. every workout i feel ten times better, stronger, active, my hairs growing, more flexable, my relationship with my fiance is amazing, sex is mind blowing. And i do get she makes sex noises while working out, but if you actually do her workouts and push yourself to the max. you try and not to make those noises. shes got the body so flaunt it. i could see were jealous women, would feel lilke shes a bimbo, brain less. your all judging someone by there looks, cause you are not perfect. I cannot tell you how many people, who were bigger, or whatever hated me or said the same comments most of you are making cause i was skinny with curves, and i felt comfortable to wear tighter clothing. and working out and feeling sexier while doing it, make you want to push harder.and her wearing what she does, really does sell, but as well shows you exactly what muscles you are working out. and she is no longer a web model she used to be like 7 years ago and then met freddy, and they opened a shop, and on there free time they start filming workouts. and it all started. She is an inspiration for everyone, and i see tons of storys from many different people. i will contiue to do bodyrockers exerices till the day i die.
Can we please discuss this new host thing!? Her face barely moves when she talks in her iPhone coffee talk and she is scary thin. She has her face covered in her pictures lately, what’s the deal? Did they just move to LA so she could get more surgery? It looks like she Botox blitzed her face and possibly did something to her nose. She got cheek implants when she had “tooth surgery”. I kinda feel bad for her. She’s turned into an LA cliche. A beautiful woman what is she doing?! I hope this new host gives her time to get some help and that she stops blitzing her face. She needs a break indeed!
Can we please discuss this new host thing!? Her face barely moves when she talks in her iPhone coffee talk and she is scary thin. She has her face covered in her pictures lately, what’s the deal? Did they just move to LA so she could get more surgery? It looks like she Botox blitzed her face and possibly did something to her nose. She got cheek implants when she had “tooth surgery”. I kinda feel bad for her. She’s turned into an LA cliche. A beautiful woman what is she doing?! I hope this new host gives her time to get some help and that she stops blitzing her face. She needs a break indeed!
Answer a casting call and see if you have what it takes.
To see Kacey Jordan’s ‘Good Morning America’ interview, click on the video player to the left of this article, or click here.
Porn actors including James Deen and Kylie Ireland are up in arms over
the new condom law, with industry leaders scrambling for alternative locales such as
Las Vegas and Florida to film condom-less sex.
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