What motivates women to become muscular?

They can never be stronger than men though. They’re wasting their time really. They would be better off concentrating on being feminine

To them, their muscles are what makes them feminine. Some I do admit seem to have some form of body dysmorphia.

Why do they think muscles are feminine? I don’t understand it. It seems popular though. In the 80s women used to wear shoulder pads and that was weird. Women wanting to be like men and men wanting to be like women. The worlds gone mad

Men may generally have the advantage, biologically, but that doesn't mean a woman can't be stronger, faster, more enduring than a man. Anyhow, I don't think any such superiority is the objective at all; I exercise because the discipline, development, concentration (or distraction, depending on how you look at it), health benefits, physical reconnection etc. do me well, and don't see why it should be different for others.

I'm more likely to be attracted to a woman who is physically capable (long as she isn't aggressive about it, of course, but that goes for everyone), and who therefore shows some psychological traits that I find preferable too (dedication, self-reliance, appreciation of physical work). It seems to me, Gypsyking, if you don't mind me saying so, that you're concerned with the shifts of traditional values, but then I'd say that what I've written here is about as old-school as can be: wouldn't a lion want to be with the fittest lioness to support the strength of their offspring?

I don’t think men look for physical strength in women as a good quality for reproduction. We look for child bearing hips and emotional strength rather than physical strength. Will she make a good mother is what I’m thinking. I don’t care how much weight she can lift

That's what I'm talking about too, though. When a woman shows such physical strength it may also suggest the emotional strength required to develop the former--all the more so if it goes against standard conceptions of what 'femininity' should be; that is to say, when they are capable of going against the grain in their pursuit of what makes them feel better, more developed.

If you work out, don't you ever feel positively closer to the world in its fundamental senses, more stimulated to tackle (personal) issues, and therefore simultaneously freer to be considerate of others? These are all qualities I esteem.

As someone who would like to lead a demanding life in the Bosnian countryside, I for one do find some physical strength in potential partners appealing.

When we exercise we get a buzz from the increased testosterone. Women shouldn’t be craving that same buzz. They shouldn’t want to feel that way. The more they crave testosterone, the less feminine they become. They see estrogen as a hormone that is making them weak when in reality it’s making them female. 

Wouldnt you prefer a woman that depends on you to protect her?

I don't much like saying what women--or men, for that matter--should or shouldn't do/feel, or what 'feminine' ought to entail. My maternal grandmother (never really knew the other) was an admirable parent who practically ran an entire farm by herself to raise three children under very trying circumstances, losing one newborn and dealing with an alcoholic husband to whom she was engaged right as she became an adult. It all took a lot of physical strength too, but I wouldn't see anything wrong with that being a paradigm of femininity.

The 'buzz' of which we speak I relate principally to proactivity; hormones or what we call them or how we categorize them are secondary: my interest lies in how positive and constructive a person can be, so if exercise helps with that then all the better.

I can admit that there is something appealing in being able to offer a shoulder to someone when they ask for it; specifically in being a man who offers a woman stability, reliability, a sanctuary. That doesn't mean her independence is undesirable--on the contrary, the more steadfast the woman the more I'll be interested in her, the greater my trust in her, the more I can rest assured that she'd be able to continue to take care of things when I'm gone. I am someone with rather limited patience for adults (unless they're significantly disabled) who can't sustain themselves. As for protection, particularly, I for instance love when a woman can push off unwanted advances by herself, though I'd be there as required.

Don’t you think it might be possible that women are being encouraged to become strong and independent as a way of reducing population? Look at that singer Beyonce, she sings about single women being independent and all that nonsense. Women have always depended on men in the past, and that has worked fine. Wouldnt it be better if women were encouraged to be cooperative rather than uncooperativ?

Put that way it sounds like something of a conspiracy, and I don't think I can believe in that. I'm relatively opposed to most mainstream "female empowerment" only because it generally seems to do the opposite.

I really wouldn't say that in the past dependence has worked fine, though. Just looking at domestic abuse, women must to some extent protect themselves from men too. Cooperation is indeed preferable--no discussion there.

By fine I mean most children in the past were raised by two parents that were married to each other. Now that women are encouraged to be independent divorce happens and children are bastardised.

I put the news on yesterday and there was a story about men being victims of domestic abuse! The media are portraying men as victims of violent women. We will keep hearing stories like that. Soon there will be safe houses for men that are victims of violent women. The world has gone mad

would you say the woman in the picture I posted looks fit or muscular? I used to think she was a very attractive woman a few years ago. She looks masculine now to me

No ... that is fit.

She still has the feminine curves in all the right places.

Here's a link to some muscular women:  https://giphy.com/explore/muscular-women

Definitely fit, not muscular. 
Compare her with real body-builders, athletes and professional dancers, and you'll soon see the difference.

The woman in your photo is close to one of the Hollywood ideals for Western culture - she could earn millions selling swimsuits or staring as Cat Woman.

One other point. All women are feminine by virtue of their genes. They don't have to be any special way to make them women. The idea of what femininity "should be" varies between cultures, and with epochs and fashions. Look at Ruben's paintings of Saskia and tell me if you think she's beautiful. She was the quintessence of beauty of her day. But she died of that lump in her breast.

Really? I disagee. I don’t think many men would describe her as hot

I'll ask Randy.

Andrew M. Greeley (February 5, 1928 – May 29, 2013) was an American Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist and popular novelist.

He once made a comment that he though the male sex drive died about 5 minutes after we men did.  

Greeley was a Professor of Sociology at the University of Arizona and the University of Chicago, and a Research Associate with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC). For many years, he wrote a weekly column for the Chicago Sun-Times and contributed regularly to The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, America, and Commonweal.

I look at women and think they have nice boobs but I don’t go and get a boob job. It’s weird that imitating the opposite gender is becoming normalised. I hope it doesn’t keep getting worse. Its a depressing thought

I guess it depends on your sexuality.
There's been cross-dressing men and lesbian women who look masculine for long time.
I don't have any problem with it, but I know how you feel as straight guy.
We like women to be soft and feminine with womanly features for the most part.
It's what I'm attracted to anyway.