this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2023
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I can imagine people having fun getting lost in the flow of playing a competitive sport. I've also heard some people experience a post-workout high. But does anyone actually feel pleasure in the moment while lifting weights, jogging, cycling, etc?

If so... what does it feel like? Is there anything the rest of us can do to cultivate such a mindset?

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[โ€“] OceanSoap@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

I enjoy reformers pilates a lot, but that's because of the deep stretching worked into the routine. It's a game changer. If I could, I'd be doing it every day.

I fucking hate cardio with the passion of 190 million burning suns. However, I have experienced a runners high before. You get a bit lightheaded and dizzy, but not so much that you pass out. It just feels good. However, not good enough to get me up off my ass and do it, lol.

[โ€“] EfreetSK@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Eh, not sure if enjoyment is the right word. But it's nice.

I started with running this year and it was awful and painful. But after I passed a certain threshold I realized it's no longer painful, I could just hold the pace and run like forever.

Now it's sort of relaxing experience where I can just let loose my brain and think about whatever I want for like half an hour. Which is nice when you're an adult with no time for yourself

How to achieve this - I don't even know myself how I made it. I got one of those Garmin watches for birthday and there was this Coach feature, I just followed it and after like 4 months I was able to run 12 km

[โ€“] Moonguide@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

I enjoy the simplicity of weightlifting. Make sure your form is good, count reps, count sets, take note of the weight lifted. All of that keeps my mind occupied for 2h, no room for it to wander into topics I'd rather not think about atm.

I also find some measure of joy out of knowing I'm lifting more today than I was last week, it's simple and measurable progress. No room for subjective bias, unlike other things I'm trying to improve upon.

It also has the added benefit of tiring me out. GAD and ADHD make for horrible bedfellows, they've made nights sleepless for me more often than not, so I'll take any help I can get.

Edit: otoh, I hate cardio with a passion. Its boring and does nothing but make me sweat and lets my mind wander. I've tried everything, from music, to audiobooks, to podcasts. Plus, I feel like I run loudly, like my feet are made of lead, and I don't like being loud.

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[โ€“] jetsetdorito@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I like running, I had a knee injury and I miss running so much. I really have to make myself do weights though.

Maybe cycling would be easier on your knees?

[โ€“] BossDj@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

This is me. I loved running until I hurt my foot. No replacement has done justice

[โ€“] andyMFK@reddthat.com 1 points 1 year ago

I started running to lose some weight recently. And I genuinely enjoy it.

It's alone time, time to think, or listen to an album or podcast and just be alone.

I enjoy the progress I'm seeing. Every week I can run further than I could the last week, every week gets easier and faster, and beating my pb is a real endorphin rush. Every week I weigh less than I did the previous week.

I enjoy feeling proud of myself. It would be so easy to sit on the couch and watch Netflix. Or play a silly little video game. And that's what most people do. I enjoy not being most people. I enjoy putting in the work to better myself.

I enjoy pushing myself. When my legs burn and I don't think I can run anymore, but I push through that and run another kilometer. the runners high is real. Not comparable to a fun drug, but still feels good.

So yeah, I'm not a fitness guy, but working out definitely has it's place and can be enjoyable

[โ€“] S_204@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I like the feeling when I'm working very hard. Whether that's lifting weights, hiking, mountains, or just moving heavy things I generally enjoy that feeling of exertion.

In terms of you starting to enjoy it, the only suggestion that I would make is that the only way through is forward and keep it going until it becomes enjoyable for you. That might sound counterintuitive but ultimately little in life that's easy is worthwhile and the effort that you'll put in will be rewarding.

[โ€“] SeaJ@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I have recently started to enjoy taking bike rides. I used to do it before with friends and didn't mind it but it was not super enjoyable. It likely had to do work the fact that they would always do 40 mile bike rides that had a decent amount of hills. None of us have time for bike rides that long anymore. But a nice 10 mile bike ride is a nice but of time to just clear my head and enjoy looking one way and seeing the Cascades and looking the other way and seeing the Sound and the Olympics.

I have heard of runner's high and read a good explanation for it that I don't remember. Regardless, I don't get runner's high and honestly hate running. Even with a podcast in, I can't get myself to like it. It might be a bit better if I did it more often but that is a big hump to get past.

[โ€“] NotMichaelCera@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

I rock climb and do conditioning for it. Sometimes I trail run and there is a weird mid action addrenaline i get from it. Same when I am on a high wall. I know I am not gonna fall, but it's up to me to commit and finish this challenge.

[โ€“] binchicken@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 1 year ago

I get a sense of satisfaction from pushing myself and feeling more in tune with what my body is doing in space - you have to pay close attention to form, muscle exertion, etc. It's meditative, in a way.

On the flip side, I don't do well in team sports because I'm clumsy with bad eyesight - I have a tendency to blame myself for being a burden on my team.

You don't have to work out solo if you don't want to. Most sports qualify as cardio - you can do that instead of jogging. Besides, you can always strength train with buddies and hype each other up.

[โ€“] Ziggurat@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Jogging is pretty great, you're outside, running through the park, forest, watching the nature, have the time to focus on youself so how would someone not enjoy that

[โ€“] FeliXTV27@feddit.ch 1 points 1 year ago

I'm usually running with friends, so you running becomes secondary, with sometimes doing a bit of a focus for it for a few minutes for an interval or special foot training. I struggled a long time with running for myself, but I just need to set myself a route goal and then keep my pace in view on my watch, otherwise I go way to fast for longer distances.

[โ€“] crowsby@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Sometimes, but not always. Whether it's cardio or weights, I'd guess maybe 20% of sessions are amazing, 20% are garbage and I can't wait to finish, and 60% are fine. I generally prefer weights, but there's actually something really fun when you're having an s-tier cardio session.

Fucking love it. I'm an absolute gym rat.

Problem is, I'm currently wasting away due to severe anemia, and in the last 2 months, I've gone from deadlifting 500lbs to barely being able to carry in groceries.

I love it, I listen to music and it's like meditation. The pain of muscle fatigue for me feels good and bad at the same time.

[โ€“] buco@lemmy.fmhy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Right now, escape to the gym and lift some weights is all in want to do. Summer holiday with the family is fucking killing me.

[โ€“] R9442@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

For me, it's the feeling of knowing that I can do something that I know for a fact I wouldn't have been able to do before. I've been lifting dumbbells since January and one thing that I've loved about doing so is feeling my arms exert effort without being tired, at least for awhile. Focusing on that is one of the highlights of my day.

And it translates to my everyday life too! Whenever I lift something heavy, I surprise myself when the part of my body that holds me back is something else completely, my arms don't complain at all.

Back at February, my uncle gave us an elliptical that no one uses at his house. I've been using that 15 minutes a day, and about 2 weeks into doing that routine, I've noticed that my stamina has become noticably better. The one change that stuck out to me the most is that I can run up the stairs at my school without needing to gasp for air. Imagine that, a big fat guy being able to run up and down three storeys without wheezing a sound like that of a creaky door. No way I could have done that a month prior.

I don't know how well you or the other folks here can relate to that, but to me, it's what makes me continue my routine even if I don't end up losing as much weight as I'd like, nor looking for fit as most would assume from doing this type of stuff.

Pardon for the little story I've typed up, just felt passionate at the moment and really wanted to get my thoughts out. and just to clarify, I havent gone to the gym so my workout is only composed of just me, what I've got in my house and some advice that I've heard from friends, family, and tidbits I read off the internet.

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