I have never really understood the concept of a gym. This is partly because I dislike the stagnant indoor air, but it may very possibly mostly be because I have been broke pretty much my entire life and could not pay for a gym, except for those two years in Rwanda, when I was making virtually no money and still had plenty of money to spend but nowhere to spend it. I have always been in school or underemployed or underpaid. Now, though, I could actually pay for a gym. I am not quite broke.
Oh, who am I kidding? There is only one possible legal career I could have chosen that would pay less than the one I do. I am going to be broke forever.
I downgraded my cost of living, however, by moving to Universe City, and upgraded my salary. I feel rich. For the moment, until I start buying all those things that I've been putting off buying for three years while broke in Gone West.
Meanwhile, I have started to discover this gym concept. I have my FIGHT class, of course, and tonight I went to a Zumba class. I was utterly, totally out of my league. I cannot move my body like that, not at all. Thanks to FIGHT and my bike, though, I can at least keep moving the whole time without expiring in the middle of the floor from lack of lung capacity.
But I'm starting to realize why people pay money for a gym. It isn't the treadmill and the elliptical. Even a membership will not get you into a building to run on a conveyor belt like a rat in a cage if you are not gifted with natural willpower to exercise. It's the classes. The classes are the reason to pay for a gym membership. I have never once not wanted to go to FIGHT class. I look forward to it. Zumba could quickly become the same. And it's totally worth the cost if you actually move, especially in the middle of winter.
I want to be one of those people who runs. Exercise should be cheap, or free, right? We have bodies, and we just need to use them. I want to be a runner, who needs only shoes and an open space and will just head out and run, wherever she is.
I'm not. I need the structure. I need the warm, dry air. (Have you seen how much it rains here? Rain in winter is really, bone-crushingly cold.)
I'm glad, though, for the classes and the gym. It feels so good to exercise. This happens to me whenever I exercise: I like my body better. I'm not talking about the shape of it, because despite societal messages I have somehow managed to fall into a pretty good body image. It's the usefulness. I don't even think of my body most of the time, but when I come out of FIGHT class or Zumba, or finish a good bike ride, I look down at it and feel so very pleased with how well this body works for me. It breaks down every now and again (golf elbow, I glare at you) but it is strong when I use it.
(Speaking of breaking down, the gargling of salt water is no longer fending off my horrible sore throat. I hope I don't have to cancel my (free exercise!) hike tomorrow.)
Oh, who am I kidding? There is only one possible legal career I could have chosen that would pay less than the one I do. I am going to be broke forever.
I downgraded my cost of living, however, by moving to Universe City, and upgraded my salary. I feel rich. For the moment, until I start buying all those things that I've been putting off buying for three years while broke in Gone West.
Meanwhile, I have started to discover this gym concept. I have my FIGHT class, of course, and tonight I went to a Zumba class. I was utterly, totally out of my league. I cannot move my body like that, not at all. Thanks to FIGHT and my bike, though, I can at least keep moving the whole time without expiring in the middle of the floor from lack of lung capacity.
But I'm starting to realize why people pay money for a gym. It isn't the treadmill and the elliptical. Even a membership will not get you into a building to run on a conveyor belt like a rat in a cage if you are not gifted with natural willpower to exercise. It's the classes. The classes are the reason to pay for a gym membership. I have never once not wanted to go to FIGHT class. I look forward to it. Zumba could quickly become the same. And it's totally worth the cost if you actually move, especially in the middle of winter.
I want to be one of those people who runs. Exercise should be cheap, or free, right? We have bodies, and we just need to use them. I want to be a runner, who needs only shoes and an open space and will just head out and run, wherever she is.
I'm not. I need the structure. I need the warm, dry air. (Have you seen how much it rains here? Rain in winter is really, bone-crushingly cold.)
I'm glad, though, for the classes and the gym. It feels so good to exercise. This happens to me whenever I exercise: I like my body better. I'm not talking about the shape of it, because despite societal messages I have somehow managed to fall into a pretty good body image. It's the usefulness. I don't even think of my body most of the time, but when I come out of FIGHT class or Zumba, or finish a good bike ride, I look down at it and feel so very pleased with how well this body works for me. It breaks down every now and again (golf elbow, I glare at you) but it is strong when I use it.
(Speaking of breaking down, the gargling of salt water is no longer fending off my horrible sore throat. I hope I don't have to cancel my (free exercise!) hike tomorrow.)
No comments:
Post a Comment