Fitness and porn have always had some overlap, after all one could say that both are in the skin profession but the two were fused a couple of years ago with the arrival of Bodyrock.tv and its controversial star Zuzana. Bodyrock.tv is an exceptional fitness site with killer workouts and healthy recipes - all for free! - but they've gotten the most attention for the way they've packaged their, ahem, goods.
Zuzana, an incredibly fit and gorgeous Czech woman, is filmed and photographed by her boyfriend Freddy whilst performing a variety of different exercises and cooking demonstrations. The filmography and techniques, however, are definitely not what you remember from your Jane Fonda VHS days. Sure we all snickered as Jane and Co. tightened their buns while pelvic thrusting or when Suzanne Sommers made the crotch shot a late night staple with her Thighmaster infomercials but Bodyrock.tv takes it to a whole new level. Videos often start with a shot of Zuzana's ample cleavage on display and then zoom out to show the food. Workout moves are illustrated by pictures of her wearing a sports bra half on/half off and a miniskirt.
I'll admit to a love-hate with the site. As a woman in the fitness industry, it bothered me that sex was the main selling point and a mostly unclothed female body was the main advertisement. I prefer to tout exercise as a way to better physical, mental and spiritual health. Bor-RING, I know. But women's bodies can do a variety of amazing feats and the sexual ones have been pretty well covered, I think.
Zuzana is no mere sex toy bopping around the studio in legwarmers, though - girl gets crazy sweaty and has sculpted muscles that are the envy of any fitness competitor. She is serious about her workouts and her health. She works really hard and has earned all her accolades. I have to respect that.
The controversy in this whole thing enters the discussion the first time you google Zuzana. There's a reason she knows how to drape herself so seductively over a chair: she worked for years as an erotic model. Something, she says now in an interview with a German fitness magazine, she really regrets. The interview includes an honest, raw look at the porn industry machine that chews up and spits out so many Eastern European girls, just like Zuzana. She explains,
" It is a trap that a lot of young girls in eastern Europe fall into and I feel very lucky to have survived the experience, because many girls don't. When you see these girls in the pictures smiling almost like they are happy having their clothes off and being exposed like this - it is the biggest lie of all. I have never met a single girl who was happy to be doing that job. Contrary to popular belief these girls don't make a lot money doing this and they end up broken inside and left with no self-confidence or feelings of self worth. Many of them turn to drugs and alcohol to help numb the pain."
Even worse, Zuzana adds, is that the system is set up that way on purpose.
"The only people who benefit from the wreckage of all these lives are the photographers and the multinational corporations like visa and mastercard who pocket money every time images of one of these girls is sold online."
After breaking free of the industry that she says almost killed her, she has overcome her past feelings of guilt, despair and shame - common to all victims of sex crimes - to create a life " full of love and happiness." She'd adds, " I have a dream about doing something to help stop the cycle of exploitation that feeds on these young girls and destroys their lives."
While I don't plan on filming my next exercise movie in a tiny tube top or storing my interval timer in my cleavage a la Zuzana (how does it not get ruined from the sweat? Am I the only girl with seriously sweaty cleavage??) her message of strength, resilience and living life on her own terms is one I can definitely get behind. No more waffling for me: I love her. I hope she accomplishes her dream.
What's your take - does the pornifying of fitness bother you or does it inspire you to workout more? What can be done to help keep vulnerable girls from be exploited like Zuzana was?
Follow Charlotte Hilton Andersen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharlotteGFE
If we are honest enough with ourselves, a major part of working out is to look good, whether it be for ourselves or for others. So why would you workout "with" someone who isn't looking their best.......................you wouldn't would you. No-one would hire an out of shape personal trainer! Like everything, there will always be people who take things too far, and idealize someone. People ask for Posh's nose, Scarletts lips, Pamelas boobs etc, so wanting to look like someone else is nothing new. As a woman who is using the Bodyrock TV workouts to loose weight and get into shape, I don't see a woman using her sex appeal to make money, I see someone who is passionate about fitness in workout gear i would love to wear, helping me out! If you don't like it don't look. Pretty easy really.
Except research has consistently shown that for women to merely view images that are sexually objectifying may contribute to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, low self-esteem, depression, physical health problems, and even poor academic performance. Ms. Light's success, especially on YouTube, only further promotes that sexual behavior and appearance are approved of and rewarded by society, causing girls and women to internalize these standards and engage in self-sexualization. Girls and women who frequently view stereotyped and sexualized images of women think of and treat their own bodies as sexual objects. (Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, 2007). This may lead to chronic assessment of one’s body and physical attributes and an increase in mental health risks.
We all like the story of redemption; however, I take issue with Ms. Light's statement "I have a dream about doing something to help stop the cycle of exploitation that feeds on these young girls and destroys their lives," given her porn site was in continued operation during the building of the bodyrock community, the sexual comments that both Ms. Light and her husband permitted to remain on YouTube (until their growth), and the sexual images they continue to use (how about the see-through dress, was that by accident?).
If she really wanted to help she would present herself as more than a sex object.
She presents herself as a trainer. I guess I missed the see through dress. Why are we so quick to attack victims of sexual exploitation who in turn act out in a sexualized manner, rather than calling out those who post raunchy comments and treat women like trash--the exploiters? If she were linking to a porn site or something, I would take issue with that. But with everything so sexualized in society today, it's the girl who is trying to better herself and bring others along for the ride that gets blasted.
I'm a bodyrocker and i love BodyRock.tv!!!
As for 19 year old girls who need to be told exactly how much bread to eat; there will always be lemmings. Some people want to be told exactly what to do and how to do it at all times. That isn't Zuzana's fault.
I don't really care what Zuzana did with her past. It makes no difference to me. Her cleavage and breathing don't bother me. I regard her as an incredibly fit woman who is kind enough to want to get me to her level for free. Which is awesome. Thanks Zuzana and Freddy.
And Charlotte, I love your blog. Your wit and honesty are wonderfully, never stop.
As a fitness professional I am somewhat bothered that the pics and videos (and audio) on the site all have to be soft porn. Maybe she doesn't feel confident enough in her other abilities to let them be the main focus.
In any case, the site is a bit helpful for beginners at least.
I recently read a comment from a 19year old girl on BodyRock and her story is worrying, she seemed intent on only looking like Zuzana, which I don't believe is a healthy body image to aspire to be at all! She seemed to be crying for help, and was desperate to know exactly how much of a piece of bread Zuzana would eat?!!!
I also don't see how she as transitioned that much from her previous occupation, she could do so much better in helping other girls not be expoited. I would even go as far to say she is doing the exploiting now. If you have a negative body image, which many of us do, this site will do little to help you out of that. Being obsessed with small meals, setting your gymboss for your meal time..what sort of a life is that?
It is sad that more women can't see that fitness is more than skin deep, and it's a shame that leanness seems to = success and fitness :(
Cheers
Marianne
It has been brought to my attention many times that you appear to be on a full out smear campaign attacking BodyRock.Tv and Zuzana in general. You have been banned from many fitness forums for this behavior - and for trying to direct people to your own fitness blog in underhanded ways. You can pursue building your own audience without the constant negative rants and attacks.
How about addressing the issues this writer pointed out?
That would be OK if her workouts work. Yes, they work you hard and make you sweat, and if you stick with it, you will lose weight, especially if you follow the restrictive calorie intakes she espouses. More than likely, you will get injured along the way, especially if you are carrying a few extra pounds. The exercises are especially dangerous for the knees and lower back.
The saddest thing is followers who want to be just like her in every way -- one viewer is begging to know Zuzana's body fat percentage so she can have six-pack abs too. No where has there ever been any mention that women need extremely low body fat to accomplish six-packs abs and that maintaining such a low number for any length of time may do permanent physical damage. (That is why you don't see body-builders ripped year round.)
Despite her popularity, I suspect most of Zuzana's viewers are voyeurs. Which is a good thing, considering the potential dangers of her exercises and her diet approach.
Is this helping women? Is this a healthy message?
I recently purchased copies of Fitness Rx for Women and Muscle & Fitness Hers assuming they would be a step up from Cosmo. I should have taken the hint when the cover of Fitness Rx was Jackie Warner in a gettup I don't even know what to call (is it underwear or a bathing suit? It certainly would not be functional in a workout). After reading through them, I found maybe 3% of the information within the covers was useful.
Good for Zuzana for being able to turn her plight into something positive. I can definitely respect that.