The Ironman: A new symbol of health that's unhealthy

There is a difference between fitness and health. Fitness is not a guarantee of health

- MANU JOSEPH

Where has the bicep curl gone? There was a time when every gym had the image of a man lifting a dumbbell and curling the bicep—a muscle that signified strength and health. You don't see this as much today because it has been downgraded to a show muscle, though that is a bit harsh, as it has uses beyond aesthetics. In any case, even at the peak of its defamation, the bicep curl was never unhealthy. Unlike some of the new symbols of health, such as the Ironman triathlon.

The Ironman contest requires swimming about four kilometers, then immediately cycling about 180 kilometers, and finally running a full marathon of over 42 kilometers. To lure ordinary people, there is now the half-Ironman, which is a very odd name. But even this is unhealthy.

There's a difference between fitness and health. Fitness is not a guarantee of health; it is the immediate ability of a body to perform certain tasks. But some of those tasks can be unhealthy. Even meaningful training for a half-Ironman can be simply too much for most bodies, and frequent attempts in a year—even at less grueling sports such as the full marathon—can irreparably damage the body. Extreme endurance sports are an abuse of fitness.