To Workout Alone

I live in the desert Southwest, and on [what seems like] every street corner is a gym.

Fancy warehouses of fitness.

There are also yoga studios, CrossFit studios and even bike bars. Up until recently, I had no idea what a “bike bar” was… and now that I do know what they are, all I can envision are huge dollar signs from the memberships of the barrage of men and women who walk through those doors every day.

All that aside, all you have to do is open up Instagram or Facebook to see the “workout from home” programs. While they may afford a certain niche of people (mostly mothers with kids) the opportunity to lose weight, gain muscle and do so in just 30 minutes or less per day.

They all scream the same theme:

“Love yourself!”

“Just 20 minutes a day!”

“Self care is essential!”

Ultimately, all of us exercise because it makes us feel good – emotionally and mentally.  While niche fitness can be attractive to many, working out alone is meditative and restorative.

That restoration needs to come when we are totally and completely alone.

I’ve been running for over 30 years – at first, it was because I was looking for a way to get away from people in my family who were draining me emotionally.

Shortly after graduation, I joined the military and running was always done in large groups. But once I left the service, my solo running continued.

For years.

And years.

Now, almost 30 years later, I prefer running alone, hiking alone, and lifting alone – it has helped me learn to find my internal intrinsic motivators. I have to be connected to my own body to determine how much to push myself.

However, that doesn’t mean that working out alone is widely accepted.

Everywhere you turn, people will tell you that working out in groups is better… it’s necessary; and sometimes, unless you post or plaster yourself all over social media with “proof” that you are working out, most people will assume you don’t.

Kind of like that saying “pictures, or it didn’t happen.”

Pffft. Anyways…

Perhaps other people find it challenging to motivate themselves, or they need that daily “push”… but I certainly don’t. I am my own motivation.

I am my own inspiration.

Motivation from others is “other-centered motivation” – it’s not as empowering as it seems.

Because, ultimately, only you can motivate yourself.

When you exercise alone, by yourself, there is no basis for comparison. Only you can determine what your body needs, and is capable of – from the inside on out.

Exercising alone also teaches you about the joy of solitude.  Most people hate being alone – but being alone is critical for self empowerment and growth.

Because I have ran for so many years, I can and do associate being alone with those feel good chemicals (endorphins) that are released in the body when I exercise.

Eventually, that association of feel good chemicals with being alone made me comfortable with doing other things solo and being solo just in general.

Sometimes, exercise can help immensely – and working out in groups, at a gym, or as part of a collective, can be a huge boost for the self esteem.

However, if you struggle with anxiety or depression, being around people can also be a deterrent.

Exercise releases endorphins – those endorphins are equivalent painkillers (while mild!) produced by the body that can ALSO give you a lift in mood. When you exercise, your brain releases dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin – those same components exist in antidepressant medications.

These components are natural uppers.

Everyone deserves these natural uppers.

But not everyone wants to be around other humans while working to experience those uppers. At least I don’t – and I know others feel the same.

Understandably, not everyone loves working out alone. For some, it’s harder to push yourself – it’s easy to make excuses, skip workouts, or go easy for the day. This is why it’s critical to workout doing something you truly love.

It’s a lot similar to your job.

You can go to work doing something that doesn’t excite you…

Or you can choose a career, profession or income opportunity that you find enjoyable – that makes you want to get up and jump in your car every day. There’s contentment in that – at least there is for me.

When I find a workout program that I love to do, I’m more likely to do it well – I’ll want to head out early in the morning, late at night, mid-day or else. I’ll want to push my limits alone.

Safe to say I love to run – having ran for 30+ years, running is therapeutic for me.  I look forward to weight training … to trail sprints – both are the key to relieving the stresses of day to day life.

Exercising alone is my own form of personal accomplishment.

Instead of looking for accolades from others, I am field by my own personal satisfaction. It fuels my self esteem.

Instead of spending my time looking for external validation from others, I can hunker down and find relief in knowing what I am capable of and truly, deeply, finding that for myself.

Being alone allows us to step away from the noise and distractions of everyday life.

It is in these moments of solitude, that we can often times find a deeper connection within ourselves.

The quieter things are, the more we can hear.

It’s a time to reflect, introspect and listen to our own heart and mind.

When we are alone, we have the opportunity to understand ourselves.

We can explore our thoughts, dreams and aspirations without the influence of expectations or others.

Being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. It means being comfortable in our own company… knowing that we are complete and whole as individuals.

It is in these moments that we realize we don’t need external validation or constant championships to find fulfillment and happiness.

We can find it within ourselves.