What does Exercise Feel Like?

RUSH.

Exercise is good for your health. That is known to a lot of people. In all the ways you can get into exercise – through classes, online videos, professional guidance or otherwise – the feeling of it can only be compared to a select few things.

Especially when you are keeping a consistent routine in whichever way that suits you, the feeling of firstly sticking to that routine is satisfying in on of itself. But the feeling your body has is like waking up from the best sleep.

THE BEST HIGH.

Being able to acknowledge that you had a good workout is sometimes good enough. We cannot always get that high end nice nice feeling. And that is ok. Showing up at least a couple of times a week is enough. The ability to get up and it not hurt, or pick up your shopping bags and not strain as much as you did last year is a win. Remember those. Acknowledge them.

Now, this is not absolute propaganda from big fitness saying that exercise is something that does not take it’s toll. That exercise is not sometimes a real struggle to get through would be a lie. So in those days, those moments it is most important to remind yourself that day - specifically - is most difficult. And yeah, maybe you then end your workout early, or change up the movements you are going to complete – switching to a more cardio based session to still get your body working. Finishing earlier than you intended or switching it up from the plan is all part of exercise. It is a winding path; there are good days, plenty of bad days, and then better than ever days to come.

Exercise is an ongoing journey. Sometimes the path is as smooth and as easy to run on like that scene from cars. Other times it has the biggest crater with nowhere to go but down to it, then a steady set of stairs on the other side.

NOSTALGIC.

I remember not too long ago I was in an odd place with exercise because, I was exercising regularly, and at the time I really felt like I was just going through the motions. The exercises were comfortable, I was getting tired at all the right times, I was needing the rest between sets, yet I could not shake this odd feeling. So on my rest day, I really thought through what it could be. My food had been good at that point. Sleep was good, the best it had been a while. I felt good in myself in terms of my body. So what could it be? After a good moment in my day to think through my situation I did figure it must be the routine – the specific exercise I was doing were not satisfying me the way I wanted my exercise to feel. So I changed it up; some days I would push myself to do an extra set, other days I would try variations of exercises I was already doing. As small an redundant as this may sound, it made the world of difference. Those changes put me in a place where every workout started feeling like a mountainous success.

Of course life happens too, things get in the way. Maybe there is an injury or diagnosis that stops the progress you were making. So long as you acknowledge it. Learn from it, then adapt to it, there is no reason why you cannot still find progress. Yes, maybe that progress looks different now, progress is progress and you should be proud of that. Take time for that.

SUCCESS.

To wrap this up, these words on this page I know can look like another fitness professional or enthusiast boasting how they feel in their workouts. That is reasonable, and I would understand that perspective. I do hope, for the others who read this, you are able to take away the chance to be nice to yourself in your workouts. There are so many different opinions on exercising that all claim to be the one, only correct way. And they all might be, but they mean nothing if the message is not getting through to those who need to hear it.

So, whether it is at the fanciest gym, the closest gym, your own home, or a park, please give yourself the grace to understand that you have exercised and most likely, you have worked hard whilst doing it.