Christine Belisle: Body Image in Rugby
The biggest turning point I ever experienced in how I saw myself and my body was when I committed to the pursuit of getting stronger and fitter.
This was long before any professional or international caps, or even before I crossed the ocean from Canada to begin - what I didn’t realise at the time - what would be an incredible journey and life in the UK.
I started playing rugby when I was 15, solely because my best friends played, and our high school team was taking a trip to Ireland for a tour, and I knew I wanted to be apart of that. It was the time of our lives, and as it turns out, I had a bit of a knack for this full-contact, stuff, too.
That was a surprise to me (and my mom), because when I was younger, I had spent my free time horseback riding and figure skating, because the idea of team sports really intimidated me. I was super self-conscious of how I was “bigger” than my friends, when in reality, I was just growing taller at a faster rate, and was just the same as everyone else: I was growing up out of a kids body.
Growing up, the perception I had of my body wasn’t necessarily negative, although I can still clearly remember the times I cried to my mom about the stretch marks on my legs or how my arms were bigger than some of my girlfriends.
Looking back now I wish I could have seen that these things were badges of honour - as a horseback rider, I had gained incredible strength in my legs that had them grow and earn those marks, just as my arms grew stronger than those around me from doing farm work.
I wish I could have realised that all of these things were incredible assets I’d have to lean on as I progressed through life and into new sport - one of which would change my life forever.
Following the tour, I stuck with the team, and as I continued to develop as a player, I’d had great feedback and encouragement to continue to push myself to see what I could do. Ontario Rugby team tryouts were coming up in a few months, and inspired by my best friend and the hardest working person I’d known, Tay, I took on working with a trainer so I could actively go after getting stronger and fitter, and hopefully make the team with her.
The time I spent at the YMCA with Wesley - an incredible influence and knowledgable trainer (and now, long time friend) was so positively impactful. Never once did we talk about body weight or composition. He just wanted to see me get strong as all hell - and as it started to happen, I realised, so did I.
The tryouts came and went, and as it turned out, no amount of gym training conditioned me to be prepared to give up my stubborn nature and do something I didn’t want to do, even if it was for an opportunity to play with an incredible team. I was adamant I was a back row, not a second row (god forbid - look at me now), and because I didn’t have the willingness to bend and walk through a different door for an opportunity, I missed out, and rightfully so.
It was a hard pill to swallow, but once I was able to accept that I was the one who let myself down, I vowed to never let that happen again - I would not let myself miss out on something because I wasn’t willing to say “yes” to an opportunity, or because I didn’t work hard enough.
Everything shifted after that. I trained more consistently, started paying attention to my nutrition, albeit not perfectly, just the basics, all while being a typical 17-year-old going out on the weekends.
But the focus I put into getting stronger transformed how I saw my body.
I can still remember the first time I noticed actual quad definition when I was on the rowing machine. It was the first bit of muscle I’d actually noticed and realised I’d built and earned it. It felt as if something sparked inside of me saying, “hey, what you’d doing is working, and you should be REALLY proud of yourself”.
Like most women and girls, I still struggled with negative body image or self-talk days, but they became fewer and far between, because there were so many positive things I could counter those thoughts and feelings with.
All of a sudden, I was squatting as much as some of the boys, and wanted to go after things I never thought I’d care about, like being able to do full push ups or chin-ups. Why would I care if my clothing size was bigger than my friends? It became so much easier to appreciate my body for what it could achieve for me, rather than what size it was or what it looked like. And the more I focussed on that, the more I saw results in my body composition anyways; I was getting leaner and more “toned” looking, because I was working really freakin’ hard at getting strong.
Little did I know that all of these things I’d been learning in the process and this pursuit, I’d be fortunate enough to take into the next chapters of my life.
My inability (or re-framed stubbornness) to accept less than everything I could give allowed me to earn 42 caps for Scotland, play professional rugby in the PWR, and start a business - Strong Friends Club - where my whole purpose is to empower those who follow on socials or work with me to feel and see the changes I did when I first started my strength, health, and wellness journey.
There are so many things created - both as products and as social media ads/content - that have a sole purpose on making you feel as though you must become smaller to have achieved something.
But from experience, and from spending years around some of the most incredible athletes (and people) I’ve ever met, I know it’s safe to say that nothing incredible is achieved by going small - the saying has always been “go big or go home”, and with that, I encourage you to take up space; to have the courage to get stronger, and to not be scared of growing, changing and evolving.
The world and opportunities open up when you do - not only in a sporting capacity, but in all the lessons you learn when you start to show up for yourself.
Getting stronger is one of the most powerful, fulfilling things you can ever do for yourself, and the strength you build - both physically and mentally - alongside the discipline and hard work you put in to create positive change will pour into every other aspect of your life, shaping who you are, and who you’re becoming.
Now let’s get after it, friends.
