Exercise junkie: Madonna's body shows signs of strain

[Honey]

Exercise junkie: Madonna's body shows signs of strain | the Daily Mail

As most fitness enthusiasts of a certain generation will testify, the older you get the more effort it takes.



But Madonna, 48, has never been one to duck a challenge.
She is pulling out all the stops to reach a physical peak for her headline spot at the Live Earth concert next month. And her efforts are showing. Scroll down for more
Rippling fit: Madonna shows the effects of her rigorous regime


Flashback: to 1984



The honed physique she has maintained for years looked more muscular than ever as she dined out with friends in New York, showing off her bulging biceps in a vest-top outfit.
The physical contrast to the 25-year-old who rocketed to stardom in 1984 was stark.
Friends say she feels under huge pressure to give an impressive performance at Wembley Stadium on July 7, where she tops the bill at the British leg of a string of concerts across the world to raise awareness of global warming.
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Madonna's arm is covered in large veins, which can be a sign of too much exercise



"The state of the planet is something she feels very strongly about," said a friend. "She feels that at Live Earth she will be speaking to the planet. And she obviously wants to look her best.
"The eyes of the world will be on her and she is very conscious of her advancing age. She has thrown herself into the fitness regime like never before." Sources say Madonna has been using the so-called gyrotonic expansion system, a wooden contraption of levers and pulleys which elongates muscles. She also practises pilates and yoga and does between 200 and 400 sit-ups a day.

Her arms scare me

[Melyanna]

There's been a time when she looked somethink in the middle between the two pictures and she was really fit and beautiful: I liked her body so much.
Now she doesn't look that good anymore... the combination of veiny + muscular + skinny is soo bad.

[Lalique]

I actually gasped out loud when I scrolled down and saw her. Holy sh*t she looks awful! As you age you need to have some body fat on you to soften all the hard angles. Wow.

[Chilly Willy]

Ew. I just threw up in my mouth. How dare you shock me like that!

Pix like this are the reason the Just Plain Scary section exists.

[jlo25]

I think she looks awful now, she looked much more attractive in the 80's.

[Voodoo Child]

No different from Jolie's arms except Madonna has the excuse of being older and at least seems concerned with fitness.

[Yoko Ono]

I think the reason why Madonna persists with this is that in everyday life when she's papped she often looks awful.
But when she's on stage and in videos, her body looks awesome.
And she looks fighting fit and lean.
She's probably chosen looking good in her career over looking soft and supple in her day to day life.IMO

[sweetness]

UGGHH..... Her face actually looks okay there, but those arms are dreadfully disgusting.

Her body is like that of a 75 year old man who's been working out. Get this woman some estrogen.... and quick!!!

[travelbug]

The 80's Madonna was probably "fat" by today's standards, but I tell you that back then there wasn't a guy alive who didn't think she was sexy as hell. Her arms weren't as sculpted back then but they sure as hell looked better.

[Picara]

UGGHH..... Her face actually looks okay there, but those arms are dreadfully disgusting.

Her body is like that of a 75 year old man who's been working out. Get this woman some estrogen.... and quick!!!

Maybe she really needs that. She looks terrible.

[SunShine23]

she has to be lying about her age. no way shes under 50. closer to 55

[Icepik]

I have this strange desire to poke that huge vein with my finger.

[MrsDark]

There's been a time when she looked somethink in the middle between the two pictures and she was really fit and beautiful: I liked her body so much.Now she doesn't look that good anymore... the combination of veiny + muscular + skinny is soo bad.

I agree. I couldn't find a pic, but after she'd already become famous but when she was still younger and blonder, like sometime in the early 90's I think('Open Your Heart' and 'Vogue' videos?) she looked good. That was when she'd just gotten into working out hard and looked very 'fit' but hadn't taken it to the extreme like she has since she became a mommy and "Esther"/"Madge" (or "Vadge, if you will. )

During that time she'd lost the mushiness, and got a bit leaner. But still had just enough bodyfat to look decent in the face, sleek and womanly in the figure. Now she looks like a ripped-to-the-bone man in strict training for an Olympic event. The fact that she's a woman pushing 50 makes this look even less flattering.

[MarieAntoinette]

have this strange desire to poke that huge vein with my finger.

Now that you said it, I feel the strong need to poke somebodys huge arm vein.

But yeah, she has gone way over the top with the exercise, it doesn't look nice anymore, and it ages her in my opinion. She should have stayed somewhere in the middle between these two pictures that were posted.

[sprynkles]

I think she looked great until the Madge thing happend too.