Female Athletes - Body Image

Body image

Introduction

The body image of athletes is very important in presenting themselves at the competitive level. The body image is essential to maintain depending on the type of sports being played. For females the maintenance of body image is far more essential than the males in sporting careers .

In sports eating disorders and body image go hand in hand. For a sportsperson everything that matters is being the best, to be close to perfect. That can only be possible if one has an absolute perfect physique. Being fit physically is what ensures the sportsperson to be in the best form to perform on the maximum level of competitive sports.

Discussion

To be in a top notch form sportsperson give great consideration to their diet and health. For women what matters in sports is mainly to be thin and light. To gain this aspect many athletes tend to achieve that on the basis of damaging their health. However this mainly is not the concern related to sportsperson themselves. This is sometimes the pressure that is placed on female athletes by their coaches. They are forced to achieve the desired body weight in order to achieve the goal that they are looking for. This is why female athletes pay much concern on being fit and thin physically. (Sears 2007)

According to research made among colleges students the influence of maintain physical perfection was different among athletes of different sports. It can be further categorized relating to lean or non lean sports. Lean sports are one in which the physical appearance and weight were dependant on the success of that sports. Non lean sports were others that were not dependant on the physical appearance of the athlete. Athletes in the lean sport were more considered towards their appearance and weight compared to those of the nonlean sports. Those athletes who were in lean sports were facing more eating disorders and were more concerned about their body image. (Krane, et.al 2001)

The perfect body

In today's time the image that is pictured globally of ideal women are those that are really skinny and beautiful. In athletics the perfect women are those who have a perfect body and have almost no fat. In order to be competitive and perform well in athletics and sports it is essential to have a strong and capable body. For athletes it can be gained by proper diet and training (Cash, 2011).

However what is not accepted in the social circle is female body that is more masculine. This is where the mind of a female body is diverted. A normal athletic routine trims a female body to be strong and shaped. However what is required from the female athletes is to be competitive and at the same time be as thin as possible.

Female athletes were very much concerned about their body and that led to unhealthy diets and eating disorders. Although, athletes are supported by their coaches in this matter. A coach is more concerned about the ...