Why Did You Stop Exercising? Pt. 1
No. This is not a blog into shaming you if you have recently stopped exercising. Speaking from experience, I want to share a few reasons why (I think) people potentially lose motivation, and/or stop exercising with a coach or for themselves.
Exercise is hard. It can absolutely suck sometimes, or most of the time. What is even worse is going through the roller coaster of stopping and starting, stopping and starting. You feel good and are starting to see progress and then something in life comes along and rips out the carpet from under you. You take some time for yourself, loathe in self-awareness for a bit, and convince yourself it is time to start again. Each time, it seemingly gets harder and harder to start over again. Anyway, that was my thought process on the never ending battle in the name of health.
Ok, so what generally stops people from working out? Either working out by themselves, in a small group, or with a trainer, there are a few reasons why it may be easier (or at the time), make more sense to just stop.
“I don’t like going to gyms.” - You know what? Same. I have been in and out of all types of gyms my whole life, and sometimes I can’t stand them. As someone who absolutely despises germs and physical contact (from most people), I would rather be as far away from dirty equipment as possible. Then you have the people watching aspects of commercial gyms.
“What the hell is that person doing?”
“Should I be doing what they are doing?”
“Wow, I wish they would just stop grunting.”
“Do they really have to drop the weights?”
“Why are they looking at me?”
So, a few things here. Certain gyms are not for everybody. The one thing though that makes everyone the same is everyone is in the gym for a reason. Whatever that reason may be, we all share that trait. Pro’s and con’s to everything. That could be a reason for some to not step foot into a gym. Sometimes, they can be an intimidating and over-whelming atmosphere.
2. “I know how to exercise. I learned everything from playing sports, and watching YouTube.” OHHHHHH, let’s talk about it! OH HOW I LOVE THIS REASON. First, stop. Just stop. Moving on… Just kidding. Let’s talk about this one.
Being someone who is intrinsically motivated is certainly an admirable trait. To be able to motivate yourself to go into the gym and go for runs and be active is something a lot of people struggle with. That is something I think about when I hear, “I know what I am doing.” Again, pro’s vs. cons here.
You learned how to lift for sports in high school? College? What lifts did you learn? Were they tailored to you or for just your sport? Did the coach spend time with you to teach you the foundations, techniques, and forms required to safely perform every advanced exercise? Let alone understanding the science that takes place behind the scenes when your body and mind are under stress.
Again, super happy that you are able to get yourself out of bed and exercise on your own because you know what you are doing. Any one that is active is already a huge check in the win column. But the day we can say we know everything about something is a sad day.
I, by no means, understand everything about the human body. But this is also my job. To understand the most appropriate tactics and exercises associated with each individual person's wants and needs. At the very least, be open to learning how to do something differently or to try something new from a different perspective. Learning can be fun, and exercise and training is learning. YouTube and self-experience can only take you so far. Especially when in your mind you think you are performing the exercises correctly. “I don’t understand why my back hurts, or my knee.” - AHHHHHHHHH
3. Fiscal woes. Damn if this one doesn’t hurt. Yeah, money is an object in this case. Some gyms do a great job at keeping the cost low and attainable. The difference being you are fending for yourself. Maybe you have a coach in your back pocket making you exercise programs. BUT, in general this more pertains to personal training and working out with a coach. Yes, we do need to get paid too. The cost of running a gym, the overhead, the payroll, updates, softwares, and unforeseen building costs can certainly reflect in the service prices.
In our case however, the cost of paying for a trainer will be a far greater investment than waiting a few years to pay for an ER visit or for medical bills that could have been potentially avoided. I digress.
This reason just sucks. For the client, and for us. I would much rather hear that someone stopped training because they didn’t like the coach than to say “I just can’t afford it.” Because that truly sucks. Let’s say you are making progress and are starting to feel amazing about your body and your mind. Then, life finds a way and your job changes, or the gym moves, or the prices of eggs sky rocket and your decision has basically been made for you. Those are the worst conversations to have. If it was a possibility, (and I do have backing on this one) I would absolutely train people for free. Being able to move your body safely and effectively should be a gift to yourself, and not seen as a primary headache during your monthly bills payments. However, gyms and trainers need to make money somehow, and this is the vicious cycle.
4. Trainer Match-Ups. Say it ain’t so. Ever have that one relationship that seemed great, and should have ended months ago? Well hopefully that is not the case here. Sometimes match ups just don’t work out. Different philosophical views, the trainers methods may not match with your training goals. Maybe it is a DISTINCT personality difference.
Whatever the differences, not everyone is going to be the best fit for everyone. It is a two-way street. Sometimes people just don’t click, and we try to match trainers and clients the very best we can.
Stay tuned for part 2! If you are looking to start or restart a fitness routine, reach out to the team at SomaVT for a free consultation and to get an idea of what we offer our clients.
