Exercise Is Scary
Ginormous gyms with machines that we have no idea how to operate from treadmills (what are all those buttons for??) to cable machines (where do I sit/stand, what muscle does this work, how does it move??)
Dumbbells and kettlebells (ok these look uncomplicated but what do I do with them??)
Resistance bands, exercise balls, bosu balls, medicine balls, (uhhhhh...that just sounds like an injury ready to happen)
And that’s just the equipment....
There’s group fitness classes, dance workouts, aerobic workouts, HIIT workouts, (you want me to attempt to move like that with all those other people??)
On demand workouts you can do from home, (ok, now I’m by myself so I won’t feel embarrassed but am I doing any of this correctly??)
Not to mention the intensity of exercise...(60 minutes feels like a LONG time, even 30 minutes would feel like I’m hitting a wall) (jumping, bouncing, quick direction changes...I’m supposed to keep up with all of that??)
With all of these perceptions, it’s crazy that anybody ever starts an exercise regimen. Exercise requires us to step outside of our comfort zone in more ways than one. We have to learn how to move our bodies differently than we move them in our day-to-day activities. We have to stretch our minds to find endurance to help us push through those last few sets or minutes when we start to feel fatigued. We have to find internal motivation to keep returning to our exercise habits. We have to put on our courage and bravery suits to try something new when we need and want to change it up.
It’s always scary to start something new, but with a little time and practice, we soon start to feel more comfortable. It will feel scary and awkward at first because it’s different from our everyday normal activities. How many people do lunges as they are walking into work? How many people do hamstring curls while they are at work or even at home? How many people carry a step around with them and break out some music and start dancing on their step randomly during the day?
Exercise challenges us to move our bodies in new and different ways to help us become stronger for the activities that we do every day. It took a lot of practice for us to learn how to crawl and walk, we just don’t remember. Like crawling and walking it takes practice to learn how to exercise. Be patient with yourself. Have fun with it, laugh at yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to someone who’s been exercising for a while, ask a personal trainer, or look it up on YouTube. There are even books on exercise and how to do exercises correctly. The benefits of exercise far outweigh the scariness of it. We grow stronger not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Listen to your body, if you feel pain stop. If something feels physically uncomfortable stop. It may be that you require a slight modification for the exercise to work for you. It may be that you just need to adjust the movement slightly to perform it correctly. Start out with body weight first while you are learning the exercise and then if weights are part of the exercise or required, add them in after you feel comfortable with the movement. If you are starting a dance or aerobic fitness class, break it down, start with just your feet or hands first. Once you feel comfortable with that then add in the other. If the duration is too long, start with 10 or 20 minutes and work your way up to 30 or 60. If jumping doesn’t work for you, then substitute squats, marching, or stepping instead. If the intensity is too much, start with doing half the time or reps, and perform one rep for every two that the instructor is doing.
Everyone’s exercise journey is unique and different and just right for them. This keeps it enjoyable. Think of exercise like your clothing style and do what you enjoy and what works for you. Any exercise is better than no exercise. What are you waiting for? Let’s start moving!
