I was just reading another Torah topic. It was on smoking. That discussion was very interesting. The subject of exercise came up in the discussion and it interested me in itself as I am lousy at exercising.

I want to exercise. Well...my goal is to exercise, if I can get myself to do it.I have been losing this battle for a long, long time. I will settle for regular walking and bike riding and I could do those things where I live. I am the problem. I just need to do it!

Now, that smoking thread made me wonder if I am doing the wrong thing, as Torah would see it, in not exercising.

Anyone got ideas on this one ?

Rosemary,

According to the Rambam, not exercising the body is unethical behavior. He was of the opinion that a healthy soul can only want to be in a healthy body.

I remember reading that some yeshivot in Safed have instituted karate classes for their students - and not for self-defence, but to help in the development of the spirit of the student.

When I go to the gym, I meditate while running on the treadmill or working with weights. this way, I combine the spiritual development and the physical strengthening of the body.

From the religious standpoint, I am NOT an authority, but I think G-d gave us these bodies that we are in. We have no right to neglect them.

Thanks Alex. I will dutifully file that away and work on it. What you said is a good plus to think about.

Although I am not a halachic authority, i do have one comment that is interesting to note about exercise: even though on chol hamoed one is supposed to refrain from any strenuous activity- they are permitted to do any type of exercise for the health of the body or appearance. According to Jewish law, health plays a very important part in our lives- if you even look in the kitzor shulchan oruch you will see entire segments devoted to healthy living. As Jews we are commanded, "v'shamarta es nafshosechem," to guard your life very much. Although this carries a plethora of implications- some so obvious as not placing yourself in a dangerous situation- it is also applied towards activily seeking a healthy way of life...

speaking of which, i need to go run on the treadmill...

a gut voch!

Having just heard Rabbi Marcus as scholar in residence to a nearby community give some thoughts which discussed spiritual exercise...

Apparently by actively doing mitzvos we are exercising our free will.

If the best free will exercise we get is choosing which television show to watch, he said, our free will atrophes, as does our spiritual connection to Hashem, and the influence of our actions.

The rabbi's whole series of talks was about our connection to Hashem's Oneness. This series was related to aspects of connection and "two-ness", related to the letter Beis. His prior visit's topic was "Oneness" related to the letter Aleph.

Rosemary;
I think the notion of exercise still needs to be qualified. The idea, from the 1980s, that you had to run marathons and keep a good cardiovascular output to be healthy is a little outmoded. Today we know that very mild exercise will have tremendous benefits. Torah supports anything we do to keep ourselves healthy. Exercise could be something as simple as regular brisk walking several times a week. Some have equivalent to that in their employment already. So there is nothing wrong with starting small with something like walking and building up.

Thanks for those comments everybody.

I have concluded that I should exercise.

Now I have to make myself do it. Ouch! I have been trying to just go for regular daily walks and a bike ride once in a while, but I end up not doing it. This bothers me a lot. I guess this is an indictment of my lack of suitable control over myself, but I must admit that as I want to get past this hurdle.

Any comments about how to get one's reluctant self exercising? The most compelling ways for me are always religious ones.

Best wishes

Just to check my reasoning, seeking a reason to actually start exercising.... this would not be a helpful time to point out that there apparently is a Torah principle that one gets credit for learning about something they are not able to do?

Hi Rob,

In preface, was your comment after my last one in response to mine? Just asking. Sometimes two replies get posted simultaneously but are independent of each other.

That being said, maybe I should explain that I am now talking about the nitty gritty of motivation or empowerment. That is, motivation, etc as something that, once acquired, leads to action. Unfortunately, as I have discovered to my chagrin, the acceptance of certain beliefs does not always provide the necessary impetus to the behaviour targetted as desirable.

Let me give a personal example. I used to smoke. I wish I hadn't, but there it is. Then I decided I wanted to stop this awful but very enjoyable practice. Actually, I loved smoking. It kinda reminds me of, to me, the joys of sitting round doing things I enjoy , such as studying, rather than going and exercising. And I certainly do not enjoy the experience of being hot, puffed, aching, etc, that I get from walking. Anyway, I tried for more years than I care to remember to give up smoking. As somebody, maybe Mark Twain, said, I became an expert on giving up smoking as I gave up so often. My friends at the time loved it when I gave up as I gave them my cigarettes , vowing futilely, never to smoke again. Finally I managed to quit. Some of what enabled me to do so I am aware of; but some such things I just don't see clearly.

I'm not sure if this fits what you just wrote. But at least it clarifies my struggle to start exercising.

There is so much inforamtion available today about being healthy, but in the US we've gotten fatter etc. Health behavior change is the most difficult thing to do. For this reason, any progress you can achieve, however small, is a good thing. If you have decided you want to exercise, then do whatever it takes to get out there. If it means simply a brisk walk everyday, do it. It will lead to gerater things tomorrow....as I tell my diabetic patients... "small steps"!

Hi, Rosemary!
Walking should not make you feel "hot, puffed, and aching"! If it does, something is wrong! Maybe you need to walk at a cooler time of day, with looser sneakers, and start slow and then gradually increase your speed. Sometimes, when I'm increasing my speed/incline or whatever, I'll start to breathe really hard, and my heart will come to what I call a "crisis point." That's when it's easy to give up. But I find if I keep going, that within a few minutes my circulatory system has caught up with my needs, and I feel FINE doing what was difficult just a moment before. (Of course, if you have any doubts about your body's ability to healthily handle exercise, you should consult a doctor.)

The biggest thing is really to make walking INTERESTING. Don't always walk in the same place! Don't always walk on the same type of surface! Walk when/where there's something interesting or beautiful to look at. Walk when the air smells wonderful, such as just after grass has been cut or there's been a rain. Get a tune in your head, and walk to the beat. Occupy your mind. Try to solve a family problem, or plan a wonderful party, or think about something you've read on this web site! Talk to G-d while you walk! If your mind is truly occupied - especially POSITIVELY occupied - you'll find that your body will do amazing things.

Hi Paulette,

Yes. Thanks I'm now thinking it might be best if I walk in the evening as my grandparents used too. I hate getting hot and also getting a bright red face. Also, they just went to enjoy themselves. And, it's true, one can think the most interesting things and also connect with G-d : I must remember that. And I've just bought myself an ipod and have filled it with nice songs, etc (it is just a cheap one, therefore of limited tracks, but the sound is very nice - I feel so fortunate to have such a device).

I didn't know that about getting over the symptoms if one keeps going. Interesting. I think my heart is not the problem ,but my breathing and an aching back are. Maybe if I start small and build up.

By the way, is there a way to put those ipod ear pieces in so they don't fall out?

Thanks for the help.

Thanks MosheYisraeli.

My new thought now is to set myself a really small goal at first; a ridiculously small goal that I will just then think "Why not!?" Then I'll do it for a week. Then I'll slowly , slowly build up. If I am such a silly baby about walking, I guess I may just have to treat myslf like one. Anything to get me succeeding.

My great grandmother used to walk a lot until she was in her nineties. And she was a good weight and functioning well. I may set her up as my person to emulate re walking.

quote:

Originally posted by MosheYisraeli:
There is so much inforamtion available today about being healthy, but in the US we've gotten fatter etc. Health behavior change is the most difficult thing to do. For this reason, any progress you can achieve, however small, is a good thing. If you have decided you want to exercise, then do whatever it takes to get out there. If it means simply a brisk walk everyday, do it. It will lead to gerater things tomorrow....as I tell my diabetic patients... "small steps"!