The exercise routine is an eclectic one. Earning a living no longer falls within the realm of fitness field. Working a ‘conventional job’ forces a prioritization of fitness activities. Struck up a conversation during a recent resistance training session. The person happened to be female, as it is not typical to see a female engaging in resistance training at the local community center. We complimented each other’s workout routine. Discoveries were made about each other’s motivations. The downside of female fitness competition, for her, was brought to the fore. She explained that she ‘now’ works out for self-improvement and health maintenance.
Exercise, for the sake of exercise, is great. It is a mood enhancer. It is beneficial to health. It can be motivational for others. Yet, exercise can become an ‘all consuming’ endeavor. The attraction to exercise can become an addiction. There are the athletes who excel in their given events. The female who was training in the fitness center recounted to me that she had been a fitness-figure competitor. She stated that the competition scene had become emotional. The situation of being short pointed on specific aspects of her physique (glute fullness, hamstring striation, whatever the case) was causing (some) emotional distress.
This became, for her, a source of duress, a source of discomfort, a source of deprecation. It seemed that there was a fixed amount of stagnation that precluded her attempts to improve her body, her physique, her overall presentation. Thus, she made the decision to dissociate from the competitive arena. She realized that her mental health was for more valuable than her outward presentation. She chose to become a whole person, completely grounded in being, becoming a healthfully, conceptualized, self-actualized individual. She liked working out and truly enjoyed strength training. It is always a pleasure when a woman is utilizing resistance equipment in a purposeful and engaged manner.
Athletes ‘TRAIN’ their bodies. For the average ‘Josephine’ and ‘Joe’ this degree of dedication cannot be sustained. Unless one has (unfettered) access to training facilities along with commensurate time to train, peak levels of performance and fitness are comparable to the ‘will-o-the-wisp’. Yet, train one must, exercise one must, move (the body) one must. One cannot allow to the body to follow the physiological path of temporal depreciation. One must take the proverbial bull by the horns, ride it ‘til it exhausts itself, insert the nose-ring and lead to withersoever thou wilt (i.e. – take your own health into your own hands). Do not fall victim to the judgements of others or the limiting perceptions of self. Weigh all advice and criticism in the light of what is best for you. Be your own worst critic (in a positive sense) and your own best cheerleader.
All else will fall into place . . . . . .
Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness 