A Rhetoric of Fitness: Persuasion and Perspiration

Beginning of article

EACH SPRING and summer we pay homage to Sisyphus, the patron of modern fitness routines, by pushing our winterbodies up an Everest of dumbbells, Nautilus racks, Nike's, Adidas socks, sit-ups, and Fonda tapes. We hope to round the pinnacle and reach the promised land of skinny bathing suits, washboard bellies, and love ever after. But just as Sisyphus's stone rolls him inevitably back, by autumn too many of us bottom out just in time for 2-for-1 lures at Jack Lalanne's and the 50% off sales on the size 8 bathing suit into which we couldn't skinny down. It's a wonder that we return to fitness centers and canned fitness masters on television and video. If we're not getting our money's worth, …