Exercise, Yuck
Let me be honest, I don’t like exercising. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s good for me. But
really, it’s not exercise that I dislike, it’s more the word that I’m not fond of. When someone says that word, I envision people on treadmills or standing in front
of mirrors while grunting and doing arm curls. Friends of mine are, but I am not one
of those people who enjoys working out.
What I do love is movement and having fun. About every ten years I’ll purchase a trial membership at a gym to see if I’ll finally like it. Just as our tastebuds mature, maybe my brain will now enjoy exercising, but so far, that has not happened. I do move around a lot. I just started playing wallyball 
(volleyball played on a racquetball court) with a group spanning in ages from 40 to 70+, and I usually play soccer twice/week. To increase strength and flexibility
I signed up for a dance class, non-credit, through the University of Utah. It’s actually a hip-hop dance class, and I’m not very good but it is wicked fun, and there’s lots of laughter. There are only two of us in the class over the age of 21. Talk about working your
core, this type of dancing is all about core strength and isolating muscles to create
interesting movement. It’s not easy. Besides working my body, I am also working my brain.
Hip-hop dance is not for everyone. If you aren’t currently active and able to easily get up off the floor or do handstands, then you should probably try a different type of dance. My 87-year-old mom loves to dance. She graduated high school in 1954 and grew up jitterbugging. She no longer does her back exercises lying on the floor because it’s hard to get up, but she sure loves to shimmy and shake. She lives in a 55+ community
in Florida where everyone has their own home and there are two community buildings, one with a pool and a small workout room and the other where they have dinners, celebrations, and dances. They
used to hold dances just during various holidays, and only dancing occasionally, my mom would be tired and sore the next day. Recently, the community began having monthly dances, sometimes even twice or more
in a given month. At first, my mom was hesitant about going more frequently; she didn’t want to be sore. But with little encouragement nor arm twisting needed, she started
attending all the dances, and guess what? Her muscles weren’t sore, and she feels stronger and more capable. She learns each new line dance as they come onto the scene. Her confidence has increased, and she looks forward to each dance. At the most recent dance, a new, younger neighbor,
in her late 50’s paid my mom a great compliment by saying, “I hope I’m like you when
I’m your age.” It made her feel wonderful.
So, what I’m getting at with this little story is that we all need to find what works for us. Exercise is often thought of as a dirty, four-letter word. Don’t think of movement as exercise, instead think of it as finding activities that bring
you joy, that make you smile and want to go back for more. Explore, expand your comfort zone by trying something new. Don’t worry if you feel or look silly (trust me, I know what I’m talking about!). Just like trying new foods, what you like may surprise you. All that matters is that you’re enjoying yourself. And remember, just because something new may be difficult, don’t let that scare you away. That can make it even more worthwhile because you are gaining
new skills and confidence. Once I’m able to master a few of these new dance moves, I can tell you right now that I will feel a huge sense of accomplishment.
Next on my list is finding an adult tap-dancing class. What’s on your list?