I'd like to discuss the topic of cardio differently or least, come at it from a different perspective. Instead of a fitness-based perspective, I'd like to look at cardio from a mental health perspective. Why? Because there's so much emphasis on cardio and HIT and fitness blah blah blah we've actually gone too far. We are guilty of over emphasizing these aspects to the detriment of underselling other equally important aspects that may, for some, prove more beneficial in the long run. We've made "fitness" a god in and of itself, a goal all must achieve.
Internet and social media have a near iron-monopoly on dictating what "fitness" is, what it looks like and thus, what you and I should look like. It doesn't help that the fitness industry is now worth billions of dollars globally. Throw in magazines, news outlets, historical media along with the influence of celebrities from film and TV to sports to acting to entertainment -- all of whom buy into this same meta narrative -- and suddenly not fitting in with the fitness norm is tantamount to social treason if not some nebulous form of social suicide.
Bullshit.
The majority of New Zealand's population may have average-to-poor fitness (I don't actually know, I'm just trying to make a point here) but that doesn't necessarily translate into average-to-poor lives. There's plenty of people with very low fitness -- and I know several right now as of my writing this -- who actually have very fulfilling lives and are stimulated, learning, contributing to the livelihood of others, engaged with their communities, who love and are loved. A lot of them are also bloody great people to be around and work alongside of.
See, you don't actually have to be "fit" to have any of the above qualities mentioned and we need to stop acting like you do. We need to stop espousing fitness as a door to some inner sanctum where all is light and knowledge. Trust me, I'd rather be a slob with the above qualities than another Arnie with none. These people are emotionally fit, they are mentally healthy and they are spiritually sound. They are capable, high-functioning human beings so I want to focus in on the mental aspects of fitness and will do so by simply looking at walking.
That's right, the good 'ol humble walk and no, I'm not even going to bother going into how often, how long or over what terrain because that ain't the focus of this article: yours and my mental health is. You see, physical movement is not only innate to us -- and thus completely natural -- it's impossible for us not to move. Right now your heart is beating, pumping blood around your body. Right now your lungs are filling and emptying, filling and emptying. Right now your eyes are physically roaming this page, tracking each word. Right now your brain is physically putting it all together.
Movement is meditative
Movements like walking not only engage the body in its entirety (think muscular system, cardiovascular system, skeletal system etc.) but also the mind. We've all heard someone say at some point in our lives they're "going for a walk to clear their head" or something similar; whatever it is they're physically choosing to engage with is what helps them gather their thoughts and rid their minds of distractive clutter. There's a direct connection between the physical-slash-external and the cognitive-slash-internal.
This still seems to surprise some people.
However, there's a bit more to it as well. You can't just be stressed, go for a walk stressing further about your shit, and honestly expect to come back destressed. You actually need to focus in on the sensation of walking, the physical signals you're receiving as you move, the sensation of your feet on the ground and your arms swinging freely at your sides. You need be aware of what you're seeing and what you can hear. You may smell things (hopefully not of the unpleasant variety), touch things and basically be in a state of heightened awareness.
This is what I mean by the meditative effects of movement. Ironically it can work at the other extreme too: there's been times when I've been running when finally I push through the pain barrier, find my rhythm, something like that and enter the "zone". The zone is that place where movement becomes almost hypnotic and you feel like you could run forever in fact, when you stop running, you don't even feel exhausted (though how you feel tomorrow may differ). The point is, movement is meditative in that we enter a place of detached awareness.
We register things about us but we're not engaging with any of them. We're in the "zone" whether strolling hands in pockets through the autumn leaves or pounding the pavement an hour into our run. For those of you familiar with meditative practices, this detached awareness sums up meditation in its entirety. I find coming back from such a state I'm more focused, more alert, more present and more relaxed. I'm sure there are other movements or physical actions that lead to the same result but for the sake of this article, I'm mostly just using walking.
Movement counter-acts stress
Because movement is meditative, it is a fantastic way for counter-acting stress, specifically mental stress. Physical stress results in the likes of inflammation, a rise in cortisol, an increase in lactic acid, muscles soreness -- you get the idea. For these types of stresses we need physical rest; we need to abstain from movements, specifically those which are physically demanding (as an aside, a pleasant 20min walk can play dividends on your off days but again, this article isn't about what to do on your days off. Beer is good).
By focusing on other things when we walk and allowing ourselves to be more contemplative on what's going on around us rather than within us, the urgency and stress of the day reduces. We often refer to this as "getting our sanity back". In effect we become clear-headed and as we become increasingly so, things come back into balance. Our emotions realign. Our hyper-arousal returns to normal levels. Flight-or-fight instincts "deaden" and dissipate. Anxiety leeches out of us. All these are a curious mix of mental and physical results occurring as we let go of toxicity.
I've always believed stress to be accumulative and put this down to how our responses ratchet up over time -- and keep doing so. Small things we'd usually not notice or simply disregard suddenly become hugely oppressive and threatening. Our negativity scanner is on high alert 247 and we take this with us into our homes, our families, our circles of friends and workplace. Physically moving allows us to mentally move away from the triggers stressing us out in the first place which is why I believe stress must be actively rid of. It's literally a toxin we need to cleanse ourselves of.
Movement rejuvenates the mind
Ever come back from an invigorating walk and felt rejuvenated and alive? Those feel-good vibes are a result of your brain releasing endorphins into your system which make you happy and thus greatly reduces anxiety and stress. Mentally we're healthier, better people and this creates a positive upward cycle: I feel happier, my self-view improves, which makes me happier, which improves my self-view further. A quickened, enlivened mind results simply through movement, the impact of which touches the human in our totality.
...now you understand the joy dancers get through movement!
Another well-known result from movement-slash-walking is increased blood flow to the brain, which in turn increases our reasoning and cognitive skills. Movement is like weight-lifting for the brain: it gets stronger, more capable and more accustomed to further demands. You can actually offset the likes of dementia and cognitive decline, all of which reconfirms to me the link between the mental/physical self and the need for the mutual engagement of both for healthy balance.
There's an enormous amount of literature out there as to the mental benefits of exercise so don't limit yourself solely to this article. Just know that a rejuvenated mind creates and reaffirms a positive self-image which in turn leads to healthy choices, healthy relationships and healthy interactions. These ripples create positive change in our workplaces and institutions and ultimately, across all strata of our society. Humans are made to move.
:: CONCLUSION
If you're struggling to move, struggling with getting "fit" or "healthy" or just struggling full-stop with the whole lycra-clad army, reposition your starting point: instead of thinking along the lines of getting fit, think about improving your mental health. Sell it back to yourself this way. Yes, stress is a part of life and as such is never completely avoidable, but if you're getting stressed about getting in shape, your shooting yourself in the foot. Don't worry about getting in shape -- revisit what that means later. Go for a walk to keep your mental facilities sharp and intact. Look, hear, contemplate and live.
I read articles and watch clips on people who are seriously obese and yet manage to transform themselves over time into a much healthier and safer body shape. What stands out for me time and time again is that mentally they're in a much healthier and safer headspace too. This needs more attention. We need to be more reflective and importantly, more observant of ourselves and one another. There's a symbiotic relationship between looking after us and looking after others that needs guarding and continual rejuvenation. Let's do just that. Kia ora whanau.