Thursday, June 28, 2012

Are You Making a Good Match?

At a recent meeting I attended we discussed what kinds of activities we like to do and what makes a particular activity or type of exercise a good fit for us as individuals.

I know from personal experience, that I am not likely to stick with something that takes a lot of effort for me to ‘get there’, unless it is something I reallly love to do.  I will drive to a golf course to warm up and play 18 holes.  But I will not drive to a gym to work out, or to a swimming pool to do laps.  Showering and changing clothes is something I would just rather do at home.

At one time I did a session of Jazzercise with a friend, and a couple of sessions of ballet lessons with that same friend.  Those were really fun outings so I put up with getting ready to go and the driving… but I also have done ciruit traiining on my lunch hour with a work friend and hated the rush to walk there, do the circuit, and then shower and head back to work.

So how do you know if an exercise or a workout or a physical activity is a good match for you?


It is right for you if:
  • you look forward to it
  • you lose track of time while you are doing it
  • you want to extend it; you want it to carry on longer
  • you hate to miss it
  • you love the way it makes you feel physically and/or mentally
  • you get a sense of accomplishment and self worth from it

It is not right for you if:
  • you make excuses to avoid doing it
  • you watch clock throughout and wish it were over
  • you don’t put any real effort into it
  • you don’t care how it turns out
  • you feel cranky/uncomfortable afterwards
  • you have a medical condition that is aggravated by the activity
  • it causes pain
  • you don’t care for the way it makes you feel about yourself
  • it costs too much
  • you just don’t engage mentally or physically

It may deserve another chance if:
  • you sometimes feel reluctant but go anyway
  • you don’t look forward to it but like how you feel afterward
  • you feel it is doing good things for you
  • you like the people you are doing the activity with or the atmosphere of the venue
  • you experience muscle soreness at first but you want to keep trying
  • it seems hard but not impossible and you can see yourself improving
Let’s face it.  All workouts and activities are not for all of us.  And sometimes you change your mind about things, or your body changes which causes you to look at new options… or a friend introduces you to something new that you thought you would never try.

Or you just get burned out and need a change, or some new challenge.

Be open to new experiences… don’t limit yourself with labels and stop wasting time and energy doing things you don’t really like to do.   There is too much out there that is fun so find a few things you love to do, and go get it!

What makes a good fit for you?

Are there any thing that make an activity just not worth it?  Cost?  Distance?  Gear? Weather?

14 comments:

  1. A good fit for me is something with a goal that I can go after. My type A personality likes to go after that "prize" and I can keep going strong to reach it. I do like to minimize the travel to go exercise though!

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  2. oh great points!! it's so true that I love to run because I don't have to get in my car and go anywhere or wait on anyone!

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  3. Hmmm... My running kind of fits into the "not right for you" category, but I do keep going back to it so maybe it's a "deserve another chance" activity. I imagine it'll always be like that!

    I love ballet, swimming, skating, surfing, etc :) I would travel a long way for these activities!

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  4. This is a great way for people to figure out what works for them:) Especially those that are just starting out. Great way to avoid frustration:)

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  5. what a great post! so smart because so many people dread exercise...and I tell them, obviously they haven't found what's right for them or they wouldn't feel that way! ya know! SO eye-opening...great job!

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  6. Great post! I like these questions and ponderings. It's making me reflect on my current fitness plan and see what I should mix up! Great post!

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  7. I don't want to have to go into town to do anything or stay late after work, or go in early. So lucky for me I love running so much. I used to belong to a gym and I loved it, but now it just is no longer practical and I don't want to pay for it. I want to spend that money on overpriced running skirts!

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  8. This post came at a perfect time, just as I am re-considering my gym membership! It's not that I dread the gym or don't think it's a good fit, it's just not for me RIGHT NOW. The weather is beautiful and I have a workout buddy for the summer so the choice to bring my workout outdoors was pretty easy (now that I think about it). It's nice to mix things up sometimes! When it gets cool again then without a doubt, the gym will be for me again!

    Jazzercize sounds like it would be a lot of fun!

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  9. great post elle! i think it's really important to evaluate what you're doing and make sure you really like it!

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  10. Right now if I am able to do the exercise then I find it fits. I cannot do yoga, I'm just to obese to make it worth the time now, so no fit. But I can walk, lift, stairs; these fit now. In time, I want to fit into more exercise options as I do clothing options.

    -Patrick
    http://responsibility199.wordpress.com

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  11. Great post! I use my mom as a great example of this. She's been a dancer her whole life and recently got back to taking classes. She loves it and keeps going back and feels better than ever. For me, that would be torture. Give me some running shoes and an open road :-)

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  12. This is a great post. I think that Gear (and fear) are what hold me back much of the time. For instance, I LOVE to kayak, but a good kayak costs a lot of money. So I don't kayak very often. The same goes for Stand Up Paddle-boarding, Surfing, Biking etc... That's why I run; it's cheaper, you don't have to have a car to transport stuff, you can do it anywhere!

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  13. OH MY GOSH! You did it again, my Sailing Friend! A great post. I am bookmarking this and re-reading it everytime I think running "isn't for me." It is! It is! For as much as I can complain and groan, it is the thing for me. :) THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I am so happy right now! I will run again!!! :)

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