Exercise Balance | Mickey Z.

Photo credit: Mickey Z.

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

April 11, 2014

“Frenzy destroys our inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.” (Thomas Merton)

Over the years I’ve spent inside gyms and health clubs, I’ve witnessed plenty of workout fads come and go -- but there’s a rapidly growing trend that gets more disturbing by the day. Perhaps spurred on by the Church of Crossfit (but that’s a whole ‘nother article), more and more humans are dangerously and obsessively overtraining via intensity, duration, and frequency.

There’s nothing wrong with dedication and discipline -- both are necessary if we wish to take responsibility for our health -- but if your daily happiness is based on your pull-up count or burpee skills, you’re probably missing the point. So, in the name of keeping health in health club, here are a few ways to keep your exercise program in proper perspective:

Set a time limit. Where is it written that you have to spend two or three hours in the gym? Typically, anyone working out that long is doing way too much exercise -- or way too much talking. If you allocate one hour for a training session, you’ve already taken a giant step toward keeping your regimen reasonable and safe. The gym isn’t going anywhere and all those kettlebells and treadmills will be there tomorrow. Speaking of which…

There’s always tomorrow. This is not about granting permission for anyone or everyone to take days off from exercise on a whim, but there is much to gain from remembering that staying fit and healthy is a marathon, not a sprint. And that marathon pits you against, well, yourself.

Don’t compete against others. Whether it’s the size of their biceps, the weight being lifted, or the curve of those glutes… the muscles always seem firmer on the other side. But is that really why you’re in the gym every day at six in the morning? Competition can be healthy but unless you’re planning to challenge your nemesis to a pose-down, your real competition is yourself. Besides, fitness role models are rarely what they’re cracked up to be.

“The gyms you go to are crowded with guys trying to look like men, as if being a man means looking the way a sculptor or an art director says.” (Tyler Durden)

Chemicals and Photoshop. Muscle magazines have inspired millions and helped teach exercise fundamentals to millions more… but those artificially-tanned, oiled-from-head-to-toe bodybuilders smiling at you from your favorite website have the power to wield considerable influence... and insecurity. Besides the rampant chemical enhancement involved, models typically get a little help from their friends… in the art department. Cellulite vanishes, calves magically grow, and hairlines head back south -- while we try in vain to live up to such standards. Let’s stop holding up artificially-embellished models as heroes and instead take stock in how fortunate we are.

You’re fortunate to have the time. So many in the United States are working longer hours for less money as the demands of job, family, and other responsibilities were not lessened by myriad high-tech inventions. Elsewhere on the planet, “free time” is a concept enjoyed only by a very select few. So, the next time you walk into your gym and feel a little rushed, thank your lucky stars you can enjoy the privilege of setting aside any time to focus on your health. #ChooseGratitude

You’re fortunate to have the money. More than a billion people across the globe live on the equivalent of one U.S. dollar a day or less. Meanwhile, many of us are able to plunk down tidy sums to join a gym, health club, or other fitness facility. When you walk into your gym and wish you could work less and train more, imagine how many humans out there would trade places with you in a millisecond. #ChooseGratitude

You’re fortunate to have the ability. If you’re able to train on a regular basis, consider the many millions for whom such a workout would be a daunting challenge. Again, it comes down to each of us appreciating the privileges we have instead of fixating on what we think we need. #ChooseGratitude

How you eat is more important. A powerful method to avoid overtraining is to accept the crucial role our eating habits play in the way we look and feel. If you want to maintain perspective on the significance of your gym time, never forget that what you put in your mouth is far more important. Choose smaller meals of plant-based whole foods -- organic and non-GMO as often as possible -- to enhance your health and the health of the planet.

Exercise locally. Think globally.

#shifthappens

Note: To continue conversations like this, come see Mickey Z. in person at Hunter College on April 24.

Order Occupy this Book: Mickey Z. on Activism here.

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Mickey Z. is the author of 11 books, most recently the novel Darker Shade of Green. Until the laws are changed or the power runs out, he can be found on a couple of obscure websites called Facebook and Twitter. Anyone wishing to support his activist efforts can do so by making a donation here

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