Exercise is profoundly good for you. I’ve personally read countless medical articles that say something along the lines of the results were so good, exercise might as well be considered medicine at this point [to reduce Symptom X in ailment Y]. Exercise is of course preventative care too, and perhaps that’s its best attribute.
Exercise is good for your mind too. There’s of course some sort of mind-body connection where the one influences the other. But beyond that, most exercise involves some sort of pushing yourself to go, you know, just a little bit further. It’s challenging. It’s hard work that makes the rest of the day easier. It’s also meditative.
I’ve spent a lot of time in gyms of all types. Big generic ones. Fancy ones. Gritty ones. One type is my favorite though: Nature. Now this isn’t a knock on actual, physical gyms. They have a place. Importantly, they’re a great way to get exercise.
I haven’t had a gym membership for a couple of years now though. Honestly, I do miss the sauna and steam room. But, I get most of my exercise from surfing, and have a small, efficient collection of strategic items at home. Bozu ball, kettle bell, a couple dumbbells, weight vest, and a swiss ball. Oh yeah, I have a pull up bar too. With this set up I’m not squatting 450, but it facilitates being strong and athletic. My exercise largely focuses on movements in 3-dimensions that require good balance, core strength, and stamina. I’m not squatting 450, but maybe I’m squatting 50 lbs. 200 times. It’s exercise that works for me and my goals.
Nature teaches certain lessons that can’t be taught in a physical gym though. If you run straight into a 20 knot breeze, it will be harder than you might be used to if you just run on a treadmill. Nature teaches you to deal with it. The same can be said for wind or water sprayed in your face– deal with it! Open water swimming vs. laps in a pool? Yeah the open water is going to throw plenty at you that will at first test you, then train you to swim with flow and efficiency.
Surfing is filled with lessons. Many of them intersect the idea that if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, you’re gonna get pounded. Through that simple lesson self-sufficiency emerges. Then grace in the face of pressure emerges. No trainer has ever motivated me to get going as well as the ocean. One must learn to work with the ocean, with the wind, with the waves. Discovering the motion of the ocean takes patience, concentration, and letting go completely of the idea that you have any control “over” it. You have control, but only over yourself, and your actions. The ocean demands you act decisively. Action is a lesson all people should learn. The Existentialist philosopher might say: we are inescapably condemned to be free; we are responsible; to not choose is itself a choice. The ocean, on the other hand, simply is. It is always changing and always staying the same. You must find a way to work with it.
Here in California the water can get quite cold. Ahhh, the cold. Another element Nature may throw at you. Whether running in the rain on a winter day, or shivering in a wetsuit in the lineup, the cold will definitely build character.
There was a time in my life when I’d ride an exercise bike at a gym while watching CNN. Now I’m in awe as I watch a squadron of pelicans glide over the waves backlit with a sunrise [sometimes while shivering with my hands tucked into my armpits, deep breathing to try to warm myself]. It’s not that the former is bad, but the 2 situations are vastly different. Moreover, I’ll add that with recent findings on the detrimental aspects that news and social media impose on the brain, the TV while gymming thing seems like such a wasted opportunity to disconnect and let the mind heal a little bit.
I use my exercise as a way to train my mind. The full debrief on that one will have to come in another article, but the time is absolutely invaluable when it comes to making powerful connections that improve your mental fortitude. Watching TV while working out is fine, and I get the urge. Nevertheless, I ask in what situation do you think you’ll benefit more:
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Running 2 miles on a treadmill watching the news
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Running 2 miles through a forest as you get amongst the flora and fauna, reminders of our primordial selves as human beings
In number 2, you will have a much better chance of entering a state of flow, and developing those meditative aspects while working out.
In conclusion, gyms are great and I’m not saying to quit yours. But, working out in Nature has certain inimitable qualities that make it extraordinarily special. We just discussed surfing and running here, but similar benefits are found in more or less doing any exercise activity in Nature. Cycling, skiing, climbing, running, paddling, rowing and swimming all have wisdom and benefits to impart. Shoveling mulch, lifting rocks, moving earth, chopping wood, and carrying water, also, all have exercise benefits and wisdom to impart.
