The word "exercise" has its origins in Latin. It comes from the Latin word "exercitium," which is derived from the verb "exercere," meaning "to keep busy, drive on, or train." In Latin, "exercitium" referred to physical or mental activity performed for training or practice.
Over time, the word "exercise" has evolved in English to encompass a wide range of meanings related to physical activity, practice, training, or mental effort. The concept of exercise has become central to maintaining physical fitness, health, and overall well-being in modern times.
The last I checked, Latin isn’t even 3,000 years old yet, which means long before there was a Latin word for movement, keeping busy, or training, human beings were doing it. Exercise didn’t differentiate from day-to-day activities, chores, planting, hunting, cleaning, raising children, playtime, and other critical activities. In modern times, we separate our time for exercise from our time for living. This seems rather confusing to me. Perhaps this is why people fall out of shape, never get into the shape they want, or have weak muscles and feel pain. They see exercise as different from living.
The first part of my concept of exercise is understanding that we often differentiate exercise from daily life activities. The second part involves recognizing that the human mind tends to drift into negativity as a mechanism to prepare for adversity. The mind is designed to solve problems constantly and doesn't naturally elevate. When you add the effects of our childhood on our psyche and the actual adversities of life, it’s difficult to remain positive.
I believe that the body speaks to the mind and vice versa. Exercise requires burning calories, and getting food for those calories requires energy and effort. There's always risk involved in any action, so it dawned on me that the natural state of a free-will creature like a human being might be to simply be lazy. We move when we want to or when we are stimulated or excited. This is the value of playtime. Children need playtime because their need for enjoyment and stimulation outweighs their need to be lazy and conserve energy. Without play, a child would likely never learn to move properly or build strength in their muscles.
Many people have disconnected their physical activity from playtime. Their exercises can be perfunctory, boring, repetitive, and uncomfortable. When we are young and healthy, we seldom think of ourselves as ever being old or infirm. We don’t consider degenerative diseases or bodily deformation over time. In our youth, we think of our bodies in terms of attractiveness to potential mates. Most notions about exercise in modern civilization are attached to body type and vanity.
Anxiety is another topic I discuss frequently in my writing. Chronic anxiety is prevalent in modern times, often exaggerated beyond our actual circumstances. This can be caused by childhood trauma, neglect, abuse, and the belief systems we develop. Calming ourselves is not a natural talent; it is learned. Since most people can’t relax, they can’t integrate relaxation and exercise. Exercising vigorously should lead to mental relaxation during and after the activity.
The more we relax, the more we want to move and use our bodies. Children naturally explore and move during play because they are relaxed. By combining these factors, we can understand why many people are disconnected from their bodies and why they don’t see every moment as an opportunity to exercise. Every movement, whether it's work, emptying the car, pushing a stroller, mopping the floor, making the bed, or walking down the street, is exercise.
When I start to take deep breaths and connect my movement to my breath, I am now focused. I can feel the oxygen entering my nostrils, working its way to my lungs, and being transported throughout my bloodstream. I relax, and oxygen floods my brain, making me feel more alert.
The sense of relaxation from deep breathing and exercise, the added stress, and the subsequent relaxation create a satisfying cycle. All the extra stress and anxiety dissipate when I exercise adequately. I do deep breathing exercises several times throughout the day, taking slow, deep inhalations and exhalations through my nostrils, reminding myself to relax and be present.
In terms of exercise activities, you have to pick something you are passionate about. I was never passionate about dancing, but I enjoy rock climbing, skydiving, Muay Thai boxing, ultimate frisbee, running, kettlebells, yoga, surfing, and weight training. I love yoga for its subtlety and lack of competition. Concentration and focus are the primary tools, and a simple 2x6’ mat is all I need.
I like challenging sports and teaching myself new things. I loved playing the drums as a teenager, and I’ve taught myself to enjoy walking in the city, walking fast, running up and down stairs, riding my mountain bike, throwing and catching a frisbee, playing tennis, swimming, and hitting a heavy bag.