Weekly musings, 5/14/17: the importance of fun

People occasionally ask me why we are doing a specific exercise.

It’s a valid question. They are spending their money with me to ensure I design a safe and effective exercise program that keeps them strong and fit. They are absolutely allowed to ask why.

Depending on the exercise, my answers can be anything from, “because it’s a precursor of a more challenging exercise,” or “because movement x is challenging for you so I am breaking it down even further,” to, “because it’s fun.” (Fun involves things like working on hand eye coordination with a ball or crawling around in strange ways on the floor).

Somewhere along the line, “exercise” became synonymous with “chore.” It conjures up images of work and drudgery, completely devoid of any enjoyment. We focus on “activating” certain muscles and moving in a specific pattern. However, back before we became adults, playing tag, hopscotch, and creating physical games was a fun way to pass the time, all while using our bodies in a varied way. 

Adding things you enjoy into your exercise regime make life more interesting and keep you more mentally engaged. It breaks up the monotony of lifting ways and improves your physical confidence. Plus, we could all use a little more fun in our lives.

*An essay on handstands: https://nyti.ms/2pKR3zf