Strength Of A Woman
How do we define strength?
If we pay close attention to the way strong women are described, it’s usually to do with their inner emotional strength.
She’s such a strong woman.
My mother was the strongest woman I knew.
You’re so strong, babe.
But how often are we talking about a woman’s physical strength?
Beyond the obvious characteristics that define female strength - childbirth for one - a woman’s physical capabilities often seem to be forgotten or entirely overlooked. Generations of conditioning have only pushed us to define our sense of physical strength in a limited capacity, so it’s no surprise that as a collective it’s sometimes hard to believe in our own physical power.
But we should - simply because there’s so much of it.
That exceptional mental and emotional strength we’re often praising one another for is why, in spite of being led to believe that we are the weaker sex, women continue to join male dominated industries like bodybuilding, professional sports, firefighting and the armed forces.
This determination is living proof that our strengths do in fact feed each other. But even more, that our unique abilities should be defined by what they are and how we use them to be greater - not whether someone else can do it better.
The exit from comparison mode is the first step to reshaping a perception that’s deeply rooted in our social constructs. Working with women of all ages and across body types, I find I’m constantly reminding my clients that the decision to embark on changing their approach to better health is in fact all about mental strength. Once workouts are in full swing, that reminder changes slightly to one that’s focused more on believing in their physical capacity - but these are all made possible by a strong mental outlook.
It’s clear to me that in many cases, comparison may be the thing that limits us most.
But when we push past our self perceived limits we end up gradually changing our ideas of what we can accomplish within ourselves. If the majority of women are empowered to do so, the greater perception of women in positions of physical strength will eventually change completely.
The idea that women shouldn’t be lifting weights because they’ll end up with a manly physique or that they simply don’t have the genetic strength to do so will be corrected. And it’s important to remember that even though we’ve been told we have just half the upper body strength of a man and are at higher risk for conditions like osteoporosis - we are still outliving men.
Why? Mental and emotional strength are key survival elements.
They empower us to combat stress, trauma, illness and huge life changes with rationale. As women, we’re often multitasking and prioritizing, making room for a disciplined routine, healthy eating and a commitment to better living through exercise.
As we ride the wave of woman power on the heels of International Women’s Day, let’s take a good moment to acknowledge that in addition to creating an entire life from a few cells and bringing it into the world, a woman’s physical strength really is the result of her strong mind.
