1. There is never a moment when I'm not sore. I exist in a perpetual state of soreness. Every movement I make is uncomfortable. Walking seems to be especially difficult. If I have to go to work right after a session, I'm walking gingerly like I've been injured for the first hour or so. Except for today. Today at work I was limping around the whole time. Maybe it's because someone was late for boot camp today, which I've been dreading since I've been attending. I always get to camp around 20 minutes before it starts because I don't want to be late but also because I want to rest and sit for those precious minutes before we start. But this woman was late today and that made the drill instructor very angry, so we had an extremely rigorous session.
2. I can sweat buckets. Never have I sweat so much in my whole life. During class sweat rolls and drips off my face constantly, drenching my clothes and hair. I sweat so much that my hair drips like someone had dumped water on my head. My clothes stay soaked in my backpack the entire day.
3. I can get up at 5:30 in the morning. I've never been a morning person, so I'm continually surprised with myself when I stop and think about how I suddenly and smoothly transitioned to putting myself to bed at 10 pm and being out the door in the morning by 6:15. I love being done with exercising and it's only 8:30 in the morning. I still have a whole day. I'm out and about before most stores are open. It makes me feel good.
4. My posture has improved. I'm not sure how exactly. Maybe my core's getting stronger so I'm standing straighter, but it's definitely something I've noticed. I now walk straighter and taller without conscious effort.
5. I love it. Yes, I'm bruised everywhere like a banana. Sure I still experience during class a moment when I believe I'm going to throw up right there, usually while I'm running. Each time I enter the elevator in the lobby and smell the distinctive scent of rubber from camp, my stomach flutters and my heart starts to pound, and yes, I still get frustrated with myself when I can't climb that last wall on my own, do push ups off my knees or complete the monkey bars without assistance. But I love the challenge, I appreciate pushing my body to new extremes, and I really like our drill instructors. Each time I walk into class the same question inevitably enters my mind: How did I do this the day before? And I sit there for a few minutes, nervous. But afterwards, I'm thankful for the soreness, and I completely relish in the sense of accomplishment. I feel terrific. And proud. And happy.
Maybe it's like this one guy said in my class, a guy whose been attending since February.
"We're masochists," he half joked when I told him that I loved boot camp. I've thought about it because this comment has lingered in my mind.
No, I concluded. I don't derive pleasure from pain and I don't think he does either. I think it's much simpler and more universal than that: We derive pleasure from being happy. Everyone does. It's why people form some of their habits, whether they're good or bad. We're addicted to feeling good. Even though my teammates and I are dying during class and in those moments are cursing ourselves for paying people to put us through an hour of hell, we all come back for the same reason: It makes us feel amazing.
1 comment:
these cool things called adrenaline and endorphines also do a lot for the happiness quotient. that's why couch potatoes with low quantities of these are more prone to depression while those who work out are not. Haven't you seen Legally Blonde?
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