Fitness Doping (eBook)

Preface 5
Contents 8
Part I Contextualizing Fitness Doping 10
1 Introduction 11
Introduction 11
Aims and Methodological Point of Departure 14
Concepts and Terminology 16
Fitness Doping Prevalence 17
Analytical Framework 19
Readers’ Guidelines 21
References 24
2 Doping—Historical and Contemporary Perspectives 28
Introduction 28
The Pre-history of Gym Culture and Doping 30
The Sculpted and Doped Body 33
Female Bodybuilders—Crossing the Boundaries 35
Confessions and Crises in Bodybuilding 38
The Fitness Revolution—Cleaning Up the Mess 41
Natural Bodies and Bodybuilding 43
A Globalized (and Virtual) Drug Market—Entering a Fifth Phase? 44
Conclusions 46
References 48
3 Glocal Fitness Doping 54
Introduction 54
The Hegemony and Limitations of WADA 55
Fitness Doping in the USA and Sweden 57
Welfare Regimes and Doping 58
Individual Freedom and Doping in the USA 59
Fitness Doping as a Societal Problem in Sweden 64
Comparing Policy, Practice, and Prevention 67
Conclusions 70
References 71
Part II Doping Trajectories 76
4 Images of (Ab)Users 77
Introduction 77
The Coach and Fitness Doper 78
Charlie and the Secret Society 82
Christine and the Gender Balance 84
Side Effects and Youth Prevention 87
Variations in Fitness Doping 90
References 92
5 (Un)Becoming a Doping User 93
Introduction 93
Engaging and Disengaging—A Short Background 95
Trajectories, Identities, and Doping 97
Approaching the Gym 99
Thoughts About the Perfect Body 101
Approaching Doping 106
Unbecoming a Fitness Doper 110
Conclusions 114
References 116
6 Fitness Doping Online 120
Introduction 120
Community of Practice and Drug Use 121
Resisting the Law 123
Transcending Identities and Potential Health Risk 126
Steroids and the Genetic Maximum 131
Conclusions 134
References 136
Part III Doped Bodies and Gender 140
7 Re-conceptualizing Doping and Masculinity 141
Introduction 141
Masculinities and the Gender Politics of Fitness Doping 143
Becoming a Man and the Risk of Losing It All 145
Negotiating Fitness Doping and the Bodybuilding Body 148
Inclusive Masculinities and the Symbolism of Homoerotic Practices 152
Online Fitness Doping, Career, and Family Life 155
Conclusions 158
References 161
8 Female Fitness Doping 165
Introduction 165
Enter: Female Bodybuilders 166
A Silent Revolution 168
PIED Use, the Law, and the Other Gender 170
Accepting the Rules of the Game 173
Approaching PIEDs in the Context of Online Communication 175
Conclusions 179
References 181
Part IV Conclusions 185
9 Trajectories and the New Doping Demography 186
Introduction 186
Doping Trajectories 188
Challenging Gender and the Internet 191
Health and Lifestyles 194
Merging Subculture and Common Culture 196
Final Remarks—Issues and Controversies 197
References 199
10 Research Design and Methodological Considerations 201
Introduction 201
Longitudinal Ethnographic Study 203
Fitness Doping Netnography 207
National Comparative Study 210
References 211
Index 214