Toned arms have emerged this summer as a fresh status symbol, yet simultaneously an almost unattainable beauty ideal.
From to the , the trend of toned arms has captivated public attention. This aesthetic, featuring prominently displayed deltoids and triceps, is evident across red carpets, Instagram feeds, and even Times Square billboards. For instance, Serena Williams recently shared swimsuit pictures highlighting her visibly muscular arms.
Amid Hollywood’s enduring fixation on slenderness and the recent shifts within the body-positivity movement, GLP-1 medications have initiated a new period defined by reduction. The latest element to emerge in this landscape is muscle.
This isn’t merely a trend; the statistics support it. Women’s engagement in weight training climbed to 14% in 2024, an increase from 11% in 2019, as reported by . Fitness centers like Crunch and Life Time are reconfiguring their spaces, replacing cardio equipment with barbells, largely due to the expanding female membership. Women are also incorporating weighted, camouflage-colored backpacks into their dog-walking routines, while new brands such as and are introducing more streamlined designs tailored for women. The burgeoning industry now advocates weightlifting as a preventative measure against muscle degeneration and bone density loss.
Joanna Strober, CEO of , a telehealth firm assisting over 200,000 women in midlife, observes a paradigm shift: “There’s a growing awareness that being thin as one ages, rather than strong, can be harmful.” She adds, “Individuals are concerned about their skeletal health and are observing older women who appear frail and stooped, thinking, ‘that is not the image I aspire to.’”
Arms, it seems, might represent the ultimate display of strength. They convey power, self-discipline, and signify an ongoing cultural transformation.
Peter Attia, in his , significantly contributed to integrating muscle into the public discourse on longevity, repositioning strength not merely as a component of fitness but as a means to extend life. What was once predominantly a geriatric concern rapidly evolved into a performative and highly masculine pursuit, characterized by , influencers showcasing , and affluent individuals exploring as a strategy for a longer lifespan.
More recently, however, this concept has expanded beyond a niche group of ‘bio-bros.’ Lynn Jurich, co-founder and former leader of the solar energy major Sunrun, now operates The , a Silicon Valley membership club with a $10,000 annual fee. This establishment features a physician and a nurse practitioner to monitor women’s hormone levels, provides facial laser rejuvenation treatments costing $2,000 per session, and includes a gym outfitted with Rogue barbells and eucalyptus-scented towels. Central to its offerings is weightlifting.
Jurich states, “Among my peers, senior vice presidents and CEOs entering late perimenopause, I observed a decline in their professional confidence, withdrawal from their careers, and marital separations.” She adds, “A primary objective for us is to restore feminine strength.”
Holly Rilinger, owner of the Lifted Method studio in East Hampton, NY, which sees 300 women participating in weight-training classes weekly, notes that her clients are increasingly pursuing something intangible: muscle. She explains, “It embodies the notion that ‘I can present my strength as an emblem of diligent effort.’” Rilinger observes, “Women are aspiring to have more robust arms and a more defined physique.”
Throughout the majority of the last century, arms were typically depicted as slender—a standard visible from the waifish 1990s to the posterior-focused 2010s, influenced by Hollywood. However, social media has altered this perspective. A fresh wave of ‘fitfluencers’ and ‘gymfluencers,’ distinct from actors or singers, now commands widespread attention across millions of online feeds, redefining beauty standards through strength training while also endorsing supplements and coordinated activewear.
Dany Garcia, a former professional bodybuilder and CEO of The Garcia Companies—a conglomerate spanning fitness, sports, and entertainment—recalls that strength was once uncomplicated: lift weights, become strong. “The inherent nature of strength is its accessibility,” Garcia states. Yet, she contends that what is currently marketed to women is not genuine strength, but rather its appearance—muscle serving as a cosmetic enhancement, attainable through reduced body fat. Garcia clarifies, “Naturally, if you possess a lean physique, your muscles will be visible. However, that does not equate to being truly strong.”
This paradox is most starkly evident in the arm, which has transformed into a societal statement. Previously overlooked, it is now imbued with profound significance. . . “When people perceive their rights being eroded, there’s an inherent urge to fight back,” explains Garcia, who recently introduced focused on female strength. Arms have thus become emblematic of discipline, self-command, and a woman’s capability to resist.
Conversely, some argue that this emerging ideal is less about genuine strength and more about the pursuit of an unattainable perfection. , a psychology professor at Northwestern University, states, “A fundamental aspect of beauty ideals is that if they are too readily achieved, they cease to be ideals.” She adds, “Being merely thin is no longer sufficient; one must now be both slender and noticeably muscular.” This, she contends, is not empowering but rather its antithesis: yet another mechanism to ensure women perpetually perceive their bodies as inadequate.
Studies conducted by Missouri State University psychologist Brooke Whisenhunt revealed that Miss USA contestants between 1999 and 2013 exhibited both reduced body fat and increased muscularity—a physique combination that young women surveyed increasingly judged as most appealing. In experimental settings, when participants had to select between a slender model and a slender model with additional muscle definition, the .
The allure of muscularity, however, is governed by specific criteria. Arms are expected to be toned but not excessively large, powerful yet retaining a “feminine” appearance. This boundary is culturally enforced and solidified by socioeconomic status. Attaining the precise equilibrium of muscle and leanness necessitates financial resources, personal trainers, dietary experts, and considerable time. Engeln remarks, “One should never overlook that the most crucial element in reaching the ideal body, beyond genetic predisposition, is affluence.” She elaborates, “Wealth provides access to nutritious foods, as well as the time and means to treat exercise as an unpaid, part-time occupation.”
Therefore, the muscular arm serves not merely as an indicator of strength, but also of privilege. Consequently, while it conveys an image of power, it simultaneously reasserts control by subjecting women’s bodies to criteria that are realistically achievable by only a select few.
, who has trained individuals from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Kardashians, observes, “Women don’t come to me requesting ‘big arms.’ Instead, their request is for ‘more definition in my arms.’” He charges approximately $350 per hour and advises clients to also employ a nutritionist.
Peterson notes, “The consistent focus among women attending my gym has historically been glutes, abdominals, and arms. Currently, the emphasis is decidedly on arms.”
