What will male gym members do to achieve a muscular physique?
This study focuses on heterosexual men who regularly go to gym. Fifty-two people were recruited from two Toronto area gyms. Participants shared their level of desire to have a muscular physique, the qualities they linked to persons with a muscular physique and the risk behaviours (steroid use, use of indoor tanning salons, dieting to change appearance, use of supplements) they would or would not take part in to achieve a muscular physique. This study demonstrated that adult males in gyms had a greater desire to be muscular and related a muscular physique to qualities such as masculinity, attractiveness and maturity. Three quarters of the survey respondents were at-risk or had an unhealthy dependence on exercise. Younger respondents were found to have a greater desire to be muscular. Men who identified themselves as competitive athletes did not differ in their responses from men who did not compete athletically. In summary, this study demonstrated that adult males who regularly exercise
