Why Exercise?
I exercise because I love the way I feel during and after. Of course I feel the surge of energy from the endorphins and adrenaline, but I also get a sense of accomplishment and self-worth from having pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, or from completing my workout goal/s. When I exercise, I feel satisfied for the rest of the day because I know that I have done something good for my body. It encourages good health and in result boosts my confidence. When I am confident and comfortable in my own skin, the possibilities for happiness and success are endless!!
As a professional ski racer, exercising is my job, but it also takes me to wonderful places and brings a sense of adventure to my life. I love being able to get away from the distractions and my nagging "to-do" list for a few hours by simply running out my door and exploring a new part of town, a new trail, or a new park. Exercising has taken me to the summits of incredible mountains, through endless miles of unmarred wilderness, through breathtaking mountain meadows, across sandy beaches, and more! And, I feel like I have only just scratched the surface of the places it could take me.
What Motivates Me
It is pretty clear that I am motivated to exercise through the feelings of confidence and self-worth, as well as sense of adventure it provides, but doing it day-in and day-out can at some points seem tedious and overwhelming! And, sometimes I am just plain tired physically as well as mentally. This is when I look to my friends and teammates for motivation. They provide a release in the sense that they distract and then push me back on track, because believe me, training all year long can sometimes get old! So, if you find yourself in this type of mindset regarding exercising, call up some friends and have them join you. Going into the pain cave with company is much more bearable then going solo, and good friends make for a good time!
Another way to motivate when feeling bored or burnt-out, is to find a new passion, or look for a new adventure. This could be as simple as trying a different class at your gym or finding a new trail, or could be as elaborate as planning a week-long backpacking trip in a new place. Mixing up your daily routine will surely get you back on track and motivated. And, bring those friends along to make it even better.
Lastly, I am motivated day-in and day-out by my goals. As a professional athlete, I make goals every year. There are small goals that I work to daily, weekly, monthly, and then the BIG goals that I strive for as the ultimate payoff for reaching all of my small goals. When I am having a lapse in motivation and am not in my usual focused state, I remember my goals, and remind myself that all other athletes may be going through the same mental state, but those that succeed are the ones that are able to reset and re-motivate.
How to Get Started
I have been involved in sports and athletics since before I can remember, but getting started with exercising for someone who has never done it before can be compared to taking up a new sport for me. I think about how I feel when I start something new: nervous, doubtful, excited, intrigued, etc. A whole myriad of feelings accompany the beginning of something new in life. I think of when I first learned to whitewater kayak because it is something completely different than ski racing, and it was totally out of my comfort zone; like getting started with exercising could be to someone who has never been involved in sports. Kayaking is totally different because it is done in the water, requires being able to "read" a river, uses totally different muscles, etc. I was very nervous when I signed up for my first class to learn how to "roll" my kayak (an essential skill to have for staying upright and alive in the water). I did several things to help myself get over my nerves and fear. First, I invited my two close friends to join me because as said before, it is always better to suffer with friends. Secondly, I thought about all the fun people were having when they went kayaking and knew I wanted to be involved. Thirdly, I told myself "Rose, just do it!", and leaving all inhibitions behind, I went to the class and tried my best to have fun.
When it was difficult at times, which new things usually are, I always reminded myself of the end result; think about the adrenaline and pure joy you will feel when you are on the river! This can be compared to going to that tough new body-pump class at your gym and hurting everywhere, but then reminding yourself how good your body will feel afterwards and how accomplished you will be! It makes it all worth it in the end.
Getting started with exercising or anything in life is always difficult, but think about these few things as you look for new classes to take, a new sport to learn, a league to join, etc:
1. Take some friends along
2. Think about the potential fun you could have with new people and the new experiences you will have
3. Think about the end result and the feelings of accomplishment and self-worth you will gain
4. JUST DO IT!!
Goals
After getting started with exercising or a new sport, making goals is important for continuing motivation and enjoyment. As a ski racer, I make both short-term and long-term goals. I make many short-term goals that will ultimately line up to help me complete my long-term goals. For example, every time I go out to train, I have a goal for the workout. If the workout is based on intensity and I am doing intervals (where you sustain a certain heart rate for a certain about of time), my goal might be to keep up my heart rate while at the same time, keep my ski technique relaxed and fluid. I also make monthly goals, where I decide that I am going to focus on a certain ski technique (like relaxing my shoulders when I double pole) that whole month to improve. These little goals all add up to helping me reach my long-term goals, which are generally involved with ski results during the season or on improving a certain aspect of my race strategy (example: this year I want to ski in the top 10 at U.S. Nationals).
So, when you start exercising, think about what you want to focus on in each workout, what you want to get better at over the course of a few weeks or a month, and then what your ultimate goal is for the end of the year.
Exercising is Healthy?!
YES. Exercising is great for your health, and over the course of this entire blog entry, I have mentioned how exercising makes you feel great through the adventure and sense of accomplishment it provides, but you may also be wondering why it makes you feel great physiologically? Exercising helps many of the systems in your body: your skin, your organs, your muscular system, your cardiovascular health, your skeletal system, and even your brain. It is important for the health of your heart, your main life-source, and brings balance to your body, promoting healthy connections to and from the brain. This effects your attitude and behavior, making you happier and more in-tune with your body. When exercising, you are using your muscles and bones, which need use in order to become stronger and work as they should. Without exercise, muscles deteriorate and bones become weak causing many problems later on down the road. Exercising leads to all systems working in unison together, cutting out problems. The body becomes a well-oiled machine with all systems a "go"!
We could go on and on about how each system is affected by exercise and how they work together to perform better, but that would take a few more blogs. The bottomline is that exercising ultimately helps you live longer and in better shape.
So let's GET MOVING in 2014!!
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