Participation in baseball has declined 25 percent to 10.9 million people since 1990. Basketball is down 6 percent over that time to 37.6 million, and it has receded from its 1997 apex of 45 million. Soccer is up 11 percent to 17.7 million. Society's changing view of beauty has also shaped exercising. The idea of women growing muscles is no longer repulsive.
Muscles are sexually attractive and utterly acceptable.