'As a fitness professional, this is what I want to say about THAT Nicole Kidman cover.'

You've surely seen it: Nicole Kidman in a power pose sporting a barely there outfit, owning the sh*t out of Perfect magazine's front cover. And haven't the reactions been... emphatic.

"Unrealistic!" "Too old!" "Yuck!"

All I want to really know is how you sit down in that skirt.

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As a fitness professional (and human) what I love the most is the conversation it sparks with the opportunity to challenge perspectives. Here are my thoughts.

"Unrealistic."

Probably. But: genetics. You are allowed to be inspired by an image without the desire to look exactly like it. Seriously – how do you even cope with that haircut in the morning? 

What isn't unrealistic is the type of training you can do to replicate the strength depicted in the image. You don't need nannies, millions and billions of dollars or Keith Urban to regularly pick up some weights consistently.

"Too old."

Appropriately programmed strength training at any and every stage of life is essential. It's life-saving. This attitude absolutely grinds my gears and is more dangerous than the perceived danger of an image of a 55-year-old woman looking bloody strong.

I do wonder if there would be the same negative response if she were in her twenties? While you might not rush out to purchase the Diesel top she is wearing (like we could afford it anyway), what it does is expose us to what 55 could also look like.

"Yuck!"

Would we be having this same conversation if Nicole Kidman was on the front cover in a shapeless smock knitting booties? (Christ, the woman is 55, not 104). What if she had more fat coverage in the same outfit? Would we then applaud her?

No judgement. Just asking.

Being in the fitness industry, I applaud and appreciate the message this image communicates and the conversation that it sparks around age, ability and possibility. For me it's never been about looking like this – because frankly I don't think even Nicole Kidman looks exactly like that. As Cindy Crawford once famously quipped: "even I don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford."

Other comments pertaining to this image include, "this isn't an invitation to comment on her body". If I may open a can of worms here: the pose she is striking is a traditional bodybuilding pose to deliberately show and exaggerate the size of muscles.

Gulp. De-activating comments on social media as we speak.

Other valid comments that have been doing the rounds are regarding the link between looks and health, such as, "she looks so healthy!" Fair call, you can't assess someone's health necessarily just by looking at them – there could be a myriad of mental and physical challenges just below the surface of a seemingly "healthy looking" body. Health doesn't look like one thing specifically.

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Quite frankly, right now I'm drooling at the thought that strength training is back in the conversation. 

And not the "strong is the new skinny" conversation. The kind of strength training that primes your body to do everyday tasks. The kind of strength training that allows you to maintain independence as you age. The kind of strength training that has associated mental and social benefits. 

And sh*t, if a by-product of that strength training are some biceps and you want to show them off? Then strike a bloody pose!

Read more from Marie:

• 'I'm a personal trainer. These are my 3 golden rules of fitness.'
• 'I'm a personal trainer. Here are 5 easy hacks to get more movement into your day.'

Marie has been a fitness industry professional since 2005 and currently owns UBX Boxing + Strength in Belconnen. Her book, 12 hours in the life of a fitness professional (because I’m too tired for the other 12), can be pre-ordered  now. Marie is a qualified Personal Trainer, Les Mills group fitness instructor, CrossFit coach and Pilates teacher.

Feature Image: Tina-Nikolovski/Instagram @zhonglin.