Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Know the difference between strong and show.

Now some of you might be a bit confused by the title while some of you already know where this is going. I am, indeed, talking about muscles.

I am choosing to discuss this because while talking to someone my book and the some of the changes I made they pointed out that while I point out that Patrick was a physically strong and fit man in life(a crusader) I don't mention how defined he is, or rather I point out he isn't that defined save from some in his arms and legs.

It then occurred to me most people don't even understand that most men with those kind of muscles are some of the weakest men you will meet. We, thanks to the media, believe highly defined muscles mean strength.  Which isn't  true.  If you have ever watched a strong man competition or MMA fighting things like that, or oil wrestling, most those men are thick like mountains, but they don't have ripped abs or anything like that.

Why? Simply put, they are not starving their muscles to get that oh so popular tone and defined look.  They are actually strong and have muscles worth bragging about; they are healthy.  Which something most people don't know, those defined muscles are often the result of starving and weakening the muscles.  Thus meaning despite their appearance, their punches wouldn't hurt like you think, unless someone actually showed them how to fight.

Something to keep in mind when you want to have an actual strong character in your story.  They don't have to be ripped, they have just strong like a mountain and just as thick as one.

It's these little things that annoy me about other writers.  Again and as always a little research goes a long way.