Why I Don't Go to the Gym Anymore
What’s your workout routine?
This is a frequently asked question in my life and as much as I know that no one wants this answer, I don’t have one.
Exercise = exorcism. Ultimately when you’re working out at the gym, you’re ridding of something inside of yourself you do not like. Working out is a self-induced fever. You’re heating the body up (the same way it naturally does to digest and process food and toxins) to rid of something. And let’s not forget, inflammation is inflammation. So when people say they’re “swole” from the gym? Their muscles are literally swollen and inflamed. Less is more!
Don’t quote me on this stat but I believe it’s 15 minutes of breathwork equals 2 miles of running. I do around 40 minutes to an hour of consistent breathwork every morning. That runner’s high that everyone talks about? Yeah, well you aren’t getting high because you’re running. You’re getting high from your breath. You don’t need a tredmill, you need to breathe.
Breathwork will give you abs. Without a doubt, when you’re practicing have control over your diaphragm consistently, you will notice a change in your abdomen. In fact, 70% of toxins in the body are released through respiration. Complete breaths allow more air to the lower lungs, bringing more oxygen to the blood and brain. Breathwork guides your body into parasympathetic nervous system which relieves stress, aids in digestion, decreases cravings, and increases mental clarity. Controlling your breathing = controlling your nervous system. Try this 10 minute guided breathwork video and see for yourself how it feels.
As far as other physical activities go, I’ve detached from this pressure to be at the gym 5 days a week at 6 AM and pick heavy stuff up and put it down. I’d rather enjoy the physical activities. Riding my bike is one of my favorite ways to stay moving and still be challenged, but in a pleasurable way. It allows me to be adventurous and explore the city around me, be outside in the sun, and physically active.
Yoga is also a big part of my daily routine. You don’t even have to be this insane yogi to know that stretching just feels good. Our body stores emotions and tension, so where are you currently sore? I recommend this book to tell you what exactly that spiritually means. Yoga for me is like my adult play time honestly. It’s the one place where I can roll around, hang upside down, and just freely explore. If you’re in Atlanta, I definitely recommend checking out AVO Yoga Studio in Brookhaven - your first class is free!
All of this to say, I’m not anti-gym. I’m not anti-working out. I personally just support awareness when it comes to what you’re internally doing to your system during physical activities. I’d also rather participate in activities I actually enjoy or try something new like kick boxing or rock climbing, that way it’s more pleasurable and I’m not forcing myself to do something that my entire spirit doesn’t agree with.