I don’t run because……..
What is Exercise?
Or sport, physical activity, movement, workout, training, exertion, effort, games….what’s in a word? do any of these words fill you with horror? Is the thought of “having” to do “something” actually preventing you from finding an activity that might enjoy and even empower you?
But how do we know the right way to exercise, who teaches us how to do it, who can give us the tools to harness the transferable skills from sport to our everyday life? What if we have the most awful memories of exercise from school that we’ve never quite been able to get past or shake off?”
School PE Lessons
These thoughts took me back to my quintessential school days in Yorkshire in the 70/80’s. My toes are curling at the cringeworthy memories of primary school PE lessons, the non-existent PE kit, just your vest and pants, bare feet if you were inside and plimsols for out in the playground. The memories don’t get much better at secondary school, cold communal showers, Aertex shirt, big knickers for girls and shorts for boys, not a designer tracksuit in sight.
Sporty or Not Sporty
Back then you could either “do” sport or you couldn’t, not a shade of grey in sight. Do I remember any careful, step by step guidance on how to climb the dreaded rope that hung menacingly from the ceiling? Was there any tuition on what muscles you needed to develop to improve upper body strength so you could inch up the rope each week culminating in success? Or do I have fond memories of any coaching on how to jump over the wooden box vault, did teachers start off with a small box vault to build confidence and gain trust? Nope, I have no recollection of any of this, you began with the full 127cm height version and you either got over it or you didn’t.
Shame & Embarrassment
What I do remember is the shame, embarrassment and giving up very easily as rules and instructions were barked out by militant PE teachers (I’m convinced all PE teachers were recruited from military stock back then), the very strict discipline that made me fearful of even more exercise being dished out as punishment if I clumsily fell from my forward somersault.
I must admit I feel a bit angry as I recall those days when physical activity was used as a form of punishment when you couldn’t learn or grasp something easily? Days when the diagnosis for failure was put down to a lacking your moral compass, that the reason for failure was because you weren’t trying hard enough, and the answer to success was to “try harder”. Unfortunately trying harder meant running 2 solo laps around the school playing field or doing 20 push ups in front of your classmates.
Then I Found Running
Those school days created in me a deep-rooted negative attitude towards sport, I looked upon it with distaste, there was no feeling of euphoria or feeling refreshed and focused, just shame and uselessness. I forged sick note after sick note, couldn’t wait to get out of my PE lessons and concentrate on my new recreational pastime of chain smoking behind the swimming pool!
My hatred of sport stayed with me until my 30s, free creche places for my young children and an hour to myself forced me back into exercise. I tried everything that was on offer, I was clumsy, impulsive, uncoordinated, and mostly bored. I struggled to follow the instructions and lost count of the times I fell off an aerobics step, a spin bike or even walked out of a class. But I persevered, it was an hour to myself but then I found running, and even though the journey hasn’t been linear and at times incredibly hard, it’s the only exercise I’ve ever stuck with through thick and thin.
Circling right back to the original question, is it really any wonder that so many people miss out on the health benefits of exercise when past experiences can instil a lack of self-worth and such a negative association with being active; I completely get it, BUT (of course there is a but!) if you find the right person to show you the right way, then sport can change your life for the better and not the worse.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.