This afternoon I found myself at the gym running on the treadmill. It was one of those afternoons where I could have tried to concentrate on my work (which I had no desire to do), curl up in a ball on my bed and been upset about how life just isn’t fair or I could get off my duff and do something beneficial and stress-relieving. So there I was, ear buds firmly in place going through the first day of week five of my running program. For the first time all day I felt really good.
I’m not one of those people who live at the gym. I’m not buff, I don’t weight train or kill myself on the stair climber. I am a class taker and I use the treadmill (especially lately). Oh yeah, and for the past six and a half years I’ve been a Group Fitness instructor with an emphasis on yoga. I’m not athletic, never have been, never plan to be. I wanted to be a dancer at one point in my life so that may be where my desire to take classes came from.
With all that said I realized today that when the going gets tough for me I head to the gym. It started about 9 years ago when I was going through my divorce. My ex and I were living in the same house while trying to sell said house right after 9-11 when no one seemed to want to buy a house. It was more than stressful and my only retreat was heading to Turbo Kick Boxing twice a week and cycling on Sundays. In TKB I could imagine punching and kicking our realtor who did nothing to sell the house and occasionally the ex (kinda feel sorry about that now). Cycling just proved to be a complete way to clear the mind. One must focus when you feel your legs burning in yet another steep “climb”. I found through those two classes that if you exert bunches of energy and sweat excessively nothing else in the world really matters at least for a little while.
I know there a many ways to relieve stress and I’ve tried a few. I fancy myself a writer so I have spent many hours pouring my thoughts onto paper but that requires too much time in my own head which can be counter-productive. An occasional drink of the alcoholic variety can be relaxing but too much, too often leads to other problems I’m not ever willing to deal with. There is the old standby of a hot bath and cup of tea but Calgon just can’t take everything away. So I go to the gym.
There is something about making it through a workout that lifts my spirits. Sure that feeling may be temporary but it’s something that I often cling to when life just all out sucks. I’m not a competitive person (which could explain the not being good at sports thing) but I love personal accomplishments. So when I complete a Zumba class without falling on my face, teach a really good yoga or Pilates class or make it through another session in my 5K training I’m elated. It’s a good feeling that just happens to be healthy.
For the record, I do go work out/ take or teach a class when life is good, too. But today, when I was pushing through that last 5 minute run and sweat was pouring off my face (yeah I’m quite the looker at the gym) I wasn’t just running to work out I was running to let go. It worked.
On My Mind 
What an inspiring post! You write just like I do.. I love it!!!
Thank God you’re coping mechanism is healthy (not that there aren’t people who exercise in excess to the point that it becomes detrimental). Research backs up that working out positively effects mental health and hygiene. I know taking a walk, a good hard sprint, or having at the heavy bag help break that tension and God knows that I tend to be more prepared and level-headed when stress comes along when I’ve been more faithful about walking daily.
Good for you that you go to the gym first, others go to the bottle or the cigarette. My triglycerides would be a helluva lot more under control if, like you, I went to the gym or the sidewalk every time I open the fridge.
I can sure relate to the relate to how both helpful, and other times how counter-productive writing can be. On the one hand it helps you work through things, but sometimes it’s like wallowing- you’re trapped in the same tank with the sharks you mean to dissect.
Very good piece. Good “SELL” for yoga, palates, and just fitness/gyms inn general. It makes it more “universal”/accessible since you make a point of stressing that you don’t think of yourself as athletic.
Good news, because your coping mechanism is so healthy, you’ll probably get to live longer and experience more stress and anxiety before you leave this planet!
Try writing more even if it is counter productive, because then the rest of us get to have something to read, and you’re fun to read.