Biceps! A New Golden Age?

A little acorn, and a perfectly formed little acorn at that.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them belong to women as yet unknown, others are more familiar. Let others call them 'gross' or 'manly'. I love them all, every single one of them. Can you remember seeing a flexed bicep you didn't like? No, me neither. Every single one of them is the result of hard work and dedication. It takes a special kind of woman to build them, and every single one of them is a winner.


In case you missed it, Andrea Brazier shows you where you should be looking.


Up close and personal with the muscle and veins of rising star Selma Labat.

More and more women are rejecting the mainstream idea of the ideal body shape in favour of a toned and/or muscular one. More and more are venturing into the weights room and lifting heavier and heavier. Whether it feels like it or not, there are more women building muscle now than ever before, and that means there are more female biceps in the world than at any other time.


I've already got my tickets pre-booked for the new Little Red Riding Hood movie.


Does it feel good to have guns like these? Does it look like it feels good?

Last year, the Olympian bodies of women at the London 2012 Games attracted all-round admiration and positive media reporting. This year we have had a female fitness model used in a marketing campaign for a major cosmetics brand. The sport of Crossfit continues to grow in the USA and is now gaining popularity, and, most importantly, air time on major networks in Europe, and now, finally, in Britain. All these examples are signs that athletic women are no longer seen as unmarketable.



Sexy Suzy Kellner revels in her muscular physique.


Both Kortney and Courtney are doing exactly what it says on the sign.

History books will tell you that from the 1880s until the start of the First World War 'strongwomen' acts drew large audiences to their shows, becoming the pin-ups of the day as well as making themselves rich. You might be old enough to remember the so-called 'Golden Age of Female Bodybuilding', usually seen as being around the time when Cory Everson ruled the Miss Olympia and mainstream coverage of female bodybuilding contests was at its height.


Guys like us like Rene Marven's ravishing arms almost as much as she does.


I doubt very much Michaela Schaar's shirt saw another sunrise.

Nowadays, women participate in sport and exercise more than ever before. It seems to me that it is the women who take no form of exercise at all who are starting to be seen as the freaks. Perhaps we are entering (or have already entered) another 'Golden Age', confined neither to vaudeville feats of strength nor specifically to the sport of female bodybuilding, but to a growth in and acceptance of female muscle in general.



Kashma's biceps and a bottle of oil. Questions?

The world might not yet be ready for the likes of Kashma just yet, but everyday, every hour, maybe every minute, somewhere in the world another woman begins her own personal mission for muscle and the sum total of female biceps in the world goes up by two. A 'Golden Age'? Perhaps. Perhaps the dawning of a new era!

And finally, a joyful seven-minute celebration of some of the biggest and the best...




Love and peaks,
6ft1swell

Biceps! The Peakwick Papers III

The Peakwick Papers by Charles Swellickens

Part 3

I’m standing in the queue at the coffee shop around the corner from where I'm working. In front of me there is a group of three young women. The one who’s talking is, I guess from the accent, Brazilian. And she’s telling her friends about her session in the gym the day before. And not just telling, she’s showing too, miming a set of one-armed dumbbell curls, complete with sound effects.

‘I was like this… psssshhhhhht … psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht…’

She’s really putting her all into this set. And though I’m pretty sure her friends have got the idea now, she just keeps on going…

‘… psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht …’

Finally, her friends (who are also foreign, but not Brazilian) start commenting on their activities in the gym, and Miss Brazil stops with the sound effects. I was far too focused on her by now to remember exactly what her friends said, but it was along the lines of sticking to cardio and avoiding weights because they don’t want to get actual muscles and look manly blah blah.

To which Miss Brazil replies, ‘Oh no. I want to be BIIIIG.’ And just in case her friends haven’t understood, she flexes one arm (covered, unfortunately, though she wasn’t obviously muscular, it would have been nice to have had confirmation of that) and with her other hand demonstrates where she would like her bicep to reach.

About 25 and half inches I reckon.

Her friends laugh. Slightly nervously as I recall.

‘I LOVE to be muskle,’ she says. ‘Be BIIIIG strong muskle woman.’

So her English isn’t the greatest, but who cares? She’s communicating, isn’t she? And you can’t fault the ATTITUDE, can you?

No laughter from her friends this time.

‘I go to gym, I…’ (miming again) ‘psssshhhhht … psssshhhhht … and…’ (indicating lack of muscle on her arm) ‘nothing.’

Her friends are apparently speechless.

She turns away from her friends slightly and our eyes meet, momentarily, but they definitely meet. I become aware that I have probably been staring at her the whole time.

‘You might want to lift heavier weights,’ I say.

What’s happening to me? When did I become this cool?

She realises it’s her I’m speaking to because I’m still just looking at her.

‘Sorry?’ she says, leaning towards me with a smile.

‘Heavier weights.’ And I mime a curl.

‘Ah.’

‘It’s not easy for most women to gain muscle. Even when they lift weights regularly. But if you try heavier weights but less repetitions…’ (more miming) ‘maybe…’

She’s smiling and nodding, genuinely interested. I may as well keep going…

‘And you need to eat a lot of protein.’

Her eyes widen. I’m not sure how much she’s understood of what I said, but she's definitely understood the word ‘protein’.

‘Yes, but in England is expensive meat. Meat for protein.’

Just the one alternative source of protein flashes through my mind, but I’m not about to mention it, so there’s a little pause. But I’m still smiling, still looking straight at her.

‘I am student here. UEA. From BraaZIL. Fernanda.’

‘David’.

And just as we finish shaking hands, her friends reach the front of the queue and call her forward. A last smile, and Fernanda is back with them again and I’m getting called forward by another barista.

And that happened last week.

So, why, I wonder, on this occasion, was I able to hold it together. Where was the adrenaline, The Madness, this time?

I’ve been thinking about it quite a lot since last Thursday and have come to the conclusion that it was probably a combination of factors.

First, Fernanda wasn’t actually muscular. I definitely found it a turn-on that she wanted to be, and even more so because she was so vocal about it and cared nothing for what her friends thought about that. But though she was tall, slim and attractive, she didn’t have the muscles (yet).

Secondly, I think the fact that I am somewhat older than in the previous experiences I have related this week played a part. I’m more confident, have more life experience, and am generally able to handle most situations better than I could as a younger man.

And third, I’m married. And having been so for over six months I can definitely say that having that little ring on my finger has definitely changed how I look at other women and also how they look at me. Again, I’m not quite sure exactly how it has changed things, but it’s noticeable. For me, I suppose it’s a mindset thing. I might find other women attractive, and though that doesn’t rule out a look or even a gentle flirt, there’s no way I’m going to actually do anything more. And maybe for women it acts as a kind of guarantee that this is the case, a sign that I am not a predator! And this adds up to both me and her feeling more comfortable.

Whatever the reasons, The Madness stayed away. I’m not kidding myself that I’m free, that I’ve got it licked, that it will never strike again. And I'm not saying that you can avoid The Madness by getting older, getting married and then only talking to women who are not obviously muscular (although that'll probably work). I’m just saying that for once, it stayed away, and it feels good that it did.

Biceps! Michelle E. Russell

(Not Very) New Peaks on the Block

A few years ago, Michelle E. Russell (the 'E' is optional it seems, but I kind of like it) came to the attention of FMS when her posing routine at the 2009 British Columbia Provincial Championships was flagged on the forums. What we, and those on the forums, couldn't get enough of was her incredible most muscular poses...



And while we were enjoying her inflatable traps so very very much, we totally missed Michelle's genetic gifts in the bicep department. What the hell were we thinking?!



Fortunately, this year, Michelle has returned to the stage, this time at the Nova Scotia Provincial Championships, and unsurprisingly she won (as well as walking off with the Best Poser award). And by the way, how much talent is there in Canada? Not only have some of the finest female bodybuilders past and present hailed from the land of the maple leaf, but there's talent like this at amateur shows in the provinces! Maybe California and Florida aren't the female muscle Meccas they are marketed as, maybe small town Canada is where we should all be heading?

Back to Michelle. I may be wrong (I often am) but you don't see biceps with such beautiful peaks everyday, do you? I think of Klaudia Larson, Marja Lehtonen and then I can't think of any other women with such perfectly-shaped guns. That's quite an exclusive club. And Michelle E. Russell is most definitely in it.



According to Real Female Bodybuilding, Michelle had the audience at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Dalhousie Arts Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia on their feet cheering. She was confident, cheeky, beautiful and above all hugely muscled.



We can only hope that it won't be another four years before she competes again. She describes her absence from the stage as the result of a few rocky years, which suggests that we won't have to wait as long this time. Locking away those bad boys again would be nothing short of criminal.



You can get more Michelle E. on her Facebook fan page, another (short but sweet) article at Real Female Bodybuilding, and a really good interview with her from 2010 here.

Enjoy!

Biceps! Keep Your Balance

GOVERNMENT PSYCHE WARNING!

Having your picture taken next to a flexing muscle goddess may cause feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and low self-esteem.

Estefania Saura Moya unbalances the picture above so much it feels like it's bound to topple over. For the correct (psychological and pictoral) balance, two muscle goddesses are required. Preferably of similar, if not exactly equal, size. Let's look at some of the best examples, and some exceptions that prove the rule.


Monique Hayes maintains the balance between herself and Lisa Cross with some classy heels. Brigita is dressed up, so the beefier Elena dresses down. Textbook stuff.

Jen and Megan

If your insanely hot and slightly meatier girlfriend is going to be wearing a bikini, make sure it's less eye-catching than yours. Choose a skimpier, brighter one.


Few can balance out Yaxeni. Ruthie shows how it's done. First, make sure you are the one nearest the camera. Second, get your hair done. Third, wear something risqué. And last but not least, make it look as though you mean it. On the right, hardcore meets hardcore as Dana Capobianco slugs it out with Sue Scheppele and just about keeps the photo steady with a slightly wider stance and a slightly saucier expression than her bigger, blonder colleague.

Karen Garrett vs Aleesha Young

Advanced stuff this. How can Karen possibly get away with going up against the mighty Aleesha, standing behind her and wearing more? Seems impossible, but somehow KG pulls it off. A team of top FMS scientists are trying to work out how it's done. Currently they are working on the so-called 'Bend Theory' that supposes that Karen's slightly greater tilt is the key to the balancing act. Results to follow.


And here Marina Lopez demonstrates exactly what you should do when surrounded by A-grade professional female muscle beef at its best. Smile.

Not easy to maintain balance. You might say 'It's Hard'. Which brings us to this...


Told you it was hard.

Enjoy!

Biceps! The Peakwick Papers II

The Peakwick Papers by Charles Swellickens

Part 2

My father moved to Guernsey (an island in the English Channel off the coast of France) after my parents’ divorce, and after I’d graduated, I went down to visit him (and his new partner) in their new home.

It was a difficult time for both of us. There was plenty of mutual misunderstanding that came out of not having seen each other for the best part of seven years. We’d both changed in that time, but when he looked at me he still saw the grumpy teenager he’d left behind when he’d moved out. And for me, he was the angry, largely absent and obviously unhappy man he’d been in the last few years of marriage to my mother.

After a couple of particularly disastrous days, his new partner intervened. I wasn’t going to just take myself off to the beach the next day. I’d come here to spend time with my father. We were all going to do something together. We were going to visit a National Trust property. I agreed, although the prospect of spending a day where old people look round an old house at old things didn’t exactly excite me.

We entered the house, think Downtown Abbey on a very much smaller scale if you’re unfamiliar with National Trust properties, and began the tour. It was the usual stuff. Portraits of past owners, the dining room set up exactly as it would have been in the 1920s, etc. etc. Yawn! You can probably tell what’s coming.

As I entered another room, among the sea of grey, a younger woman, her face positively glowing with health and vitality. For a moment I can’t see anything except her face, then she moves and suddenly that good old adrenaline rush shoots into my bloodstream as the muscles on her bare arms come into my view.

She’s no bodybuilder, but she’s tanned and lean. She’s talking to someone, moving her arm, pointing up towards the ceiling, and my eyes are fixed on her, watching the bicep dance, my heart pounding harder and harder as the rush grows ever stronger.

My father says something to me and breaks the spell. By the time I look back to where she was, she’s gone. All I can think about is getting out of this room and into the next one. I’ve got to see her bicep dance again. I just want to rush after her, in fact I have to stop myself doing just that. My father’s still talking to me. I can barely hear what he says over the cacophony in my head as my thoughts try to work out how I’m going to get out of here (where she isn’t) and into there (where she is) without making a complete fool of myself.

Go. If you don’t go NOW… Creepy… GO. NOW! Tell him you need a pee and just GO… You’re sick... Muscle… Abnormal… Go go go go… Tell him you feel sick… Get CLOSE to her… Stalker!... What are you waiting for?... If these people would just move a little you can get by no problem… GO GO GO… So CREEPY… Tanned… Muscle… Oh God!... Go!... Now!... Where IS she?... MOVE!

Probably not a very good representation of what goes through my head during The Madness, to be honest, a lot of it is visual rather than words, but hopefully you get the idea.

What happened next? Well, I did move, eventually, though by the time I’d got to the next room, she had gone on to the room after that and so it continued. I must have been like a child with ADD, itching to get around as fast as possible. I’ve no idea what my father or his partner thought, or even if they noticed at all. When The Madness descends I always feel as though there must be outward signs, that people must be able to see there's something 'wrong' with me, but it’s impossible to know if The Madness shows until someone actually comments on it.

I did catch another couple of glimpses of her later, outside the house, but she’d put a light cardigan on, so I didn’t get to see her arms again. And here is where The Madness really does earn its name – when I saw her heading towards the car park with her family (I assume it was her family anyway), the idea that I should get my Dad’s car keys off him and then just follow their car did actually pop into my head momentarily.

The power of a female bicep is not only a physical power.

Biceps! Little Acorns

I personally can't wait until I have enough of a bicep to actually flex it.
'blond71'



One month of working out! I'm seeing some muscle yay!!!
'Blaqheart'



Very early days, but I'm proud of them all the same.
'Zombie Chaser'



This morning while I was brushing my hair I noticed that I could see the muscles moving. Then I spent a few shameless minutes flexing and watching in the mirror. I've been doing my program for the last month and a half and it seems to be working, which I already knew because for the first time since I was about 11, I can do a real, non-girl push-up. Anyway. I just wanted to share my excitement.
'larsa000'



I started to work out very hard 6 days a week because I wanted to stay in shape, and as a result my muscles have become big and hard. I find I am very proud of my muscular body and would like to get bigger and stronger. I love being muscular.
'mumusport'



I've been working my way through Rachel Cosgrove's 'Female Body Breakthrough', and the most exciting part has been seeing the definition I'm getting in my arms. They're not 'gross' or 'too muscley', they make me look strong and fit and that motivates me to keep pushing it week after week.
'Tara'



I entertain myself by watching my biceps jump around in the mirror sometimes.
'Sarah'



I love the look of biceps on myself - I often flex in front of the mirror, but I'm glad no one's caught me doing it at work! I love developing muscles and increasing my strength because it makes me feel strong mentally as well as physically.
'Ilyse'



There was a time when it was considered unfeminine for a woman to be educated. We now know that the first women to become doctors, lawyers, and engineers were heroes. In time, the same will be true of women who reject a lifetime of weakness.
'Hari'



I enjoy flexing my biceps especially when I know I have some of the fellas beat! I think it is important for women to feel strong and powerful. I will see you at the gym.
'AJ the Muay Thai Gear Girl'

Yeah!

Biceps! Beauty and the Peak

It's the May Bank Holiday here in the UK, so especially for those of you in places where you have to work today, a Monday blues-beating selection of our favourite muscle beauties old, new and in-between, all showing off their pride and joys.


First up, Juliette Bergmann's exotic beauty takes us (well, she takes me anyway) back to the old days. Days so long ago that back then Swell thought all women in the Netherlands would be as heart-stoppingly gorgeous as Juliette and her compatriot, Erika Mes. But although I grew up and learned that wasn't true, I can still gaze at Juliette, her eyes seeming to bore into me from out of the picture, and I can still feel that same thrill I felt on seeing her for the first time all those years ago...


2012 Woman of the Year Tarna Alderman and FMS readers' favourite Nataliya Romashko in very different settings and with very different stylings. But they're both absolutely stunning, I think you will agree, and at the end of the day a single bicep shot is always a single bicep shot, no matter what the goddess in question is wearing, how she's lit, or whether she's blond or brunette. It's all about the muscle.


And talking of muscle, one of my current pin-ups (or post-ups perhaps would be better, whatever) here's Marthe Sundby and her pumped up body. That's quite a blood flow she's got going on there. And if what's happening under that vest is anything to go by, she's absolutely loving it. Swell has spent a fair (some might say 'unhealthy') amount of time with Norway's finest so far this year. Time well spent. What a woman!


Physique competitors do it with their hands open, as stunning and sporti Susanna Tirpak demonstrates here. Apparently, there's a vest exactly like this one that is also available, but it's not for hotties, but for women who are somewhat overweight, and there's a different word on the front: SEDENTARI.


I do like a nice pout to go with my flexed bicep. The kind of pout that says 'It feels so good to have a bicep like this, don't you wish...' You get the idea. And when the pouter is as volcanically hot as Juliana Malacarne at the time of this photo, well, that's just cream. But that's not to say I can't appreciate a good bicep unless the woman in question is pouting. Take Geraldine Morgan, another FMS reader favourite, and her tattooed python, for example. Nothing to complain about here, is there?


Friend, compatriot and sometime training partner of yesterday's muse, Sophie Arvebrink, Sarah Backman is rumoured to have joined WWE, and is therefore about to get a lot more famous. So we thought we'd better post something now before everyone's jumping on this armwrestling champs' bandwagon. As a result of the rush job though, this picture was chosen before editing staff had the chance to take a really close look at it. Only when it was too late did one eagle-eyed member of the team notice there is something rather strange going on with Sarah's elbow. Nothing wrong with her looks though. Or her big, strong arm. Well, except that anyway! Is this the price top armwrestlers pay for their sport? Or maybe just evidence of a careless photo manipulator? Any readers care to comment?

And we leave you today with another beautiful European and her mighty arms. Katka Kyptova may have officially 'gone Physique' now, but it should be apparent to all and sundry that this clip was done long before that happened. Long long before. My advice is to turn the sound up if you're a fan of full-on grunting.




Enjoy!