Getting rid of the jock

I wanted to share a conversion that I had with a friend recently. (I've always identified myself as a jock; I starting playing sports at 4 yrs old)

Me: "Man, I'm sore and exhausted. I don't want to go to the gym. It's so cold out."

Her: "Just stay in, it's one day. "

Me: "Yeah, but I'm sore and I don't want to work out because I'm sore, but I know I should workout to prove to myself that I'm not hurt. Then, I get mad at myself for being a pussy."

Her: "You know that's probably your problem right there."

Me: "It's like I have this little jock that lives in my head and tells me to stop being being a weak, lazy, POS and get to the gym. Then I have this other side that tells me to relax and treat myself better. Then the two of them them fight it out. "

Her: "Why don't you just kick the little jock out?"

Me: "What?"

Her: "Yeah, just tell it to go away. You can enjoy fitness without beat yourself up so much."


MIND....BLOWN!

No one has even made me think that I could do that, but I'm glad she mentioned it.

 

Waterbear,

Perhaps having TMS is a way for us to explore different aspects of ourselves, that without it we'd never know existed.

We are so much more than we know.

Glad you are back on the Forum, Waterbear. Your posts are always interesting and thought provoking.

 

Great insight, Waterbear!

 

When your inside little jock says stay home and don't go to the gym today
he's probably just your conscious mind saying it's cold out and you just don't feel like
going to the gym today. There's nothing wrong in that, but don't let it keep you from the gym tomorrow
or the day after. Those days, think of all the great reasons you want to go to the gym and it's good for you.

 

This might be an unpopular post but, I HATE the gym it's the least enjoyable form of exercise in the world (just my opinion!).

I get lot's of exercise, but I make sure it's something I actually enjoy. I like exercise classes but I can't stand gym equipment, I feel like a hamster on wheel. The thing I enjoy the most is hiking, as long as I'm out in nature I'm happy. I also love to swim, I find it very calming.

My inner bully is not my friend. Staying focus and motivated is much easier if you enjoy what you're doing.

 

I also never liked a gym. I also don't like the loud rock music they play for exercise.

I've gotten more exercise out of dancing to polkas and waltzes in my living room,
or just doing my own dance movements listening to Big Band music.

I also love walking with Annie and enjoying nature in the neighborhood.

And I also have a DVD of TaiChi for seniors that I've used for years.

 

I love big band music too Walt ! It really cheers me up, it's great music to do chores to, I get through them in no time.

 

I love the gym! (generally). I like loud angry music, sweat, metal hitting metal, the sound a treadmill makes. Sometimes, after a long day at work, though, I'm just so tired I don't want to deal with it. I normally just do a long stretch routine and some crunches in my living room on those days. I just need to get over the guilty feeling of making the decision to relax when I'm already tired.

I'm thinking I might buy a few yoga dvds for those days. I've only done yoga 3x but I enjoyed. it. Tai Chi sounds interesting as well, I used to do shotokan and I loved it. However, shotokan is a hard style so probably not the best to jump back into head long.

 

This is good Waterbear. Now your learning what to listen for. Your becoming aware of that voice inside your head. You call it the jock, that's fine. Now you can befriend the jock and compromise on working out when your not sore or you can " as mentioned above" tell it to take a hike. Or you can always decide to think clean and know this jock voice was just trying to push you past soreness into the best that you can be.

See the point is not to let this voice rule you less you find its positive intention. Theres always a positive intention so let it know that when you not sore you will be back in the gym and see if that's ok with this jock part and then make sure its ok with the relaxed part to and when you and the jock agree you got it.

Now if this is perplex then by all means go with your gut that will always lead you to greener pastures. THe thing is if you got two parts not getting their way -- well you could have some tension but as long as you know you have the final say so you win either way. Parts therapy would help you a lot with this jock side. Although I believe you just need to know the jock side is you wanting to go and workout even though theirs soreness because you have heard to push pass the soreness before. The real question is what did you really want to do. I'd say you wanted to take off one more day so you could lose the soreness.

This jock part is just a side of your personality working perfect. Just know when to use the jocks strengths and when not to.

Bless You