Where Did The Fun (in exercise) Go?

Fun 

noun

1: what provides amusement or enjoyment ; specifically : playful often boisterous action or speech

4: violent or excited activity or argument

Synonyms = SPORT, GAME, PLAY mean action or speech that provides amusement or arouses laughter.

FUN or recreation is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one’s body or mind

While leisure is more likely a food for entertainment or rest, FUN or recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner.

Its not hard to see FUN had a direct correlation to activity, sports, and recreation. Why then, have we removed FUN from our vocabulary when we start thinking exercise (training), and nutrition? They are inherently proactive endeavors, yet we tend to lean towards making them SUCK.

If you had the joy of witnessing my talk at the Annual Staley Training Summit you’d have noticed that while the talk was on strongman training the largest underlying message was have “FUN,” and more so, allowing yourself to have fun.

If you take just a minute to actually look its impossible not to notice the complete lack of fun in peoples exercise (training) and nutrition programs. Somewhere along the way the word “FUN” got discarded from the exercise (training) and nutrition equation.

Somewhere it became common place that exercise (training) and nutrition had to be focused around a negative connotation as opposed to a positive one, like “FUN.” They became focused on, and simply revolved around pain, deprivation, and a concentration on putting oneself through hell to reach ones goals.

Training and nutrition took a swing and became focused on repetitively taking part in an activity that you HATE, that sucks, that you dread the thought of.

Repeatedly visiting these loathed actions day after day in the hope that you just might reach a point that said activity is no longer god awful. You may reach a point where the activity or nutrition protocol is not “fun” per say, but that its slightly tolerable, its doesn’t quite suck so bad anymore.

Where the hell did this line of thinking come from? How did we get to this state? Where did we lose the sight of the fact, and ability to allow ourselves to have fun and enjoy our training and eating habits, To know that they can be progressive and lead to outstanding goals and be enjoyable.

That we can make awesome progress, arguably much better then when you hate what your doing, when what your doing is actually something you look forward to. That you can and will make progress when your not taking part in something you “should” do that you hate, but when your taking part in something you enjoy, possibly excel at, or at least find some sort of personal satisfaction and “fun“ in.

Where did we lose sight to the fact that there are endless forms of activity and eating habits that can be progressive, healthful, and enjoyed?

Why is fun largely void from training and nutrition, and in many cases not allowed? Why do people feel the need to deprive, torture, and despise what they are doing to reach their physique, athletic and health goals? Why do I have to preach and prod people into accepting the fact they can have fun, and train? Why do I have to tell people they can, that they can have fun, and do anything they have the desire if they just ALLOW it?

Simply, where did the “fun” go? Why is it gone from training and exercise, and instead largely, and falsely relegated to sedentary forms of entertainment, when in reality fun fit’s the bill for exercise (training) and nutrition.

Get the picture people? Let start having some FUN. Fun is active. Training is FUN if you give yourself the ability. Now allow yourself to enjoy what you do. The start and end are nothing but points at either end of along trail, you better learn to enjoy the ride.

About The Author

Phil, while attaining both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in studio art found another passion, that of training and nutrition. A constant student, his real-world under-the-barbell and behind-the-fork approach has led to many an opportunity, experience, and change in his life as well as those he has worked.   Get Strong! Stay Strong! (and have some FUN!) Chris