Description

Book Synopsis
The health and fitness industry has experienced a meteoric rise over the past two decades, yet its slick exterior conceals a darker side. Using ethnographic data from gyms, interviews, and social media platforms, this book investigates the growing consumption of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs), the motivations behind their use, and their role in masculine body image. Addressing a gap in the literature, Nick Gibbs also interrogates both the offline and digital drug supply chains with important insights for IPED harm reduction practitioners, law makers and policy advisors.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction 2. Situating the Research 3. Reimagining the Health and Fitness Industry as a Site of Deviant Leisure Part 1 – Consumption 4. Desire and Dissatisfaction in the Gym 5. Instrumentality, Competitiveness, and Hyper-conformity 6. The Pleasures of Consumption: The Curious Case of Phillip 7. #Ripped: Social Media, Prosumption, and Bodily Desire Part 2 – Supply-side 8. Production 9. The Offline IPED Marketplace 10. The IPED Market in Transition: Commercialization, Normalization, and Digitization 11. The Online IPED Market 12. Conclusion

The Muscle Trade: The Use and Supply of Image and

    Product form

    A Hardback by Nick Gibbs

    £72.00

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £80.00 – you save £8.00 (10%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Tue 25 Aug 2026.

    1 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of The Muscle Trade: The Use and Supply of Image and by Nick Gibbs

      Book details

      Publisher Bristol University Press
      Published 16 November 2023
      ISBN-13 9781529227949
      978-1529227949
      ISBN-10 1529227941
      Also in:
      Drugs trade / drug trafficking Internet, digital media and society Sport Drug abuse in sport

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      The health and fitness industry has experienced a meteoric rise over the past two decades, yet its slick exterior conceals a darker side. Using ethnographic data from gyms, interviews, and social media platforms, this book investigates the growing consumption of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs), the motivations behind their use, and their role in masculine body image. Addressing a gap in the literature, Nick Gibbs also interrogates both the offline and digital drug supply chains with important insights for IPED harm reduction practitioners, law makers and policy advisors.

      Table of Contents
      1. Introduction 2. Situating the Research 3. Reimagining the Health and Fitness Industry as a Site of Deviant Leisure Part 1 – Consumption 4. Desire and Dissatisfaction in the Gym 5. Instrumentality, Competitiveness, and Hyper-conformity 6. The Pleasures of Consumption: The Curious Case of Phillip 7. #Ripped: Social Media, Prosumption, and Bodily Desire Part 2 – Supply-side 8. Production 9. The Offline IPED Marketplace 10. The IPED Market in Transition: Commercialization, Normalization, and Digitization 11. The Online IPED Market 12. Conclusion

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account