I can imagine people having fun getting lost in the flow of playing a competitive sport. I’ve also heard some people experience a post-workout high. But does anyone actually feel pleasure in the moment while lifting weights, jogging, cycling, etc?
If so… what does it feel like? Is there anything the rest of us can do to cultivate such a mindset?
Yes. It’s my meditation moment. I don’t have to think about anything other than my posture and movement. I just put on the music I like and go. It also helps relieve tension and frustration when something bad happens during your day. And I feel great afterwards. That post-workout high is real.
That’s how I feel with running and cycling. Moving meditation has always worked better for me than trying to sit still.
The first 1km or so can be rough, but that’s just finding where your rhythm is for the session.
I need to get back into running.
This is what it amounts to for me as well. The first 5 min of a run SUCKS, but shortly after I start to zone out. My mind wanders and sometimes it touches on stressful topics. For whatever reason, there’s no anxiety associated with it. It’s like a zen state where I can think about things objectively without emotion.
That’s a big reason why I run.