This past week, I got the awesome experience of participating in the Kelly Care’s Foundation Zumba Experience. Not only did I get to be on the sacred turf of the Notre Dame football field, but I got to shake it and work out in a new style. Zumba is one of the biggest trends in fitness right now. It is a great cardio experience and, as I learned, a great test of coordination. The effort you put in is the effort you get out. Being a Notre Dame student with limited time, I had planned on Zumba being my workout for the day. However, as we were going along, I was not really working up a sweat. Notre Dame confession moment: the thought crossed my mind that maybe I should go on a run post-zumba. I recently learned this obsession with running is pretty common at ND – although maybe not for the reason you think.
I recently became aware of an on-campus study that was done by Professor Carl Ackermann that found that more people are running instead of playing pick-up basketball or volleyball on campus than ever before. The reason is not, surprisingly, because we were all high school track stars. It is because running is the most time efficient way to burn calories. Eek efficiency.
Clearly, I am guilty of this mentality that “I need to run” because I need to get the most out of my workout. In the limited time between class, clubs, meals, sleep, campus events, dorm events, sporting events, and whatever else the life of an ND student may hold, efficiency is key. There was a period of time where exercise was fun; back then, flag football practice counted as the workout for the day, even if you didn’t sweat. The definition of exercise is physical activity that is done in order to become stronger and healthier. For the purposes of this article, my emphasis is on the becoming helathier goal.
Running five miles a day and wearing out one’s knees is not improving anyone’s health. Thinking that if you didn’t run, but walked five lake loops that that didn’t count as your exercise isn’t healthy thinking. Exercise is not just about the physical aspect, it is about the mental aspect as well. It should be a break. You should maybe even smile a little, while your exercising.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t run all the time, many people (including myself) get runners high from running and it can be a great de-stressor. But I think as a campus, we need to breathe when it comes to exercise and have fun with our workouts every once in awhile. As Notre Dame students, everything we do is to this elevated level of intensity all the time. Now, it has rolled over into our exercise habits as well. Let’s slow down and not make exercise another high intensity activity we have to do, let’s make it something to enjoy.
Take a zumba class (and only do that!!)
Kelly Cares Foundation Zumba Event in the Stadium!
Do some yoga
Join your flag football team
Try out racquetball
Play Ultimate Frisbee… or just throw a frisbee around
Go to swing club (Thursday nights in Lafun!)
Ice skate in Compton
Go hiking (if you can find a “hill” in the Midwest) – just change it up!!!
Hiking, apple picking, it’s the same thing in the Midwest right?
I know many of you Domers are rolling your eyes at me that these aren’t workouts, but see isn’t that a problem? Remember when you were a little kid and all you did was go outside and play all day? Little kids don’t go out and run five miles. Indulge your inner kid. Go play outside. Don’t just run, trust me it will feel just as good. We intense kids need to try to relax someimes.
“Don’t forget to love yourself” -Soren Kierkegaard
A side note: For any runners, I want to try and start a “friendly runner movement” on campus. We aren’t in competition with each other, why not wave or give the smile and nod (my favorite) when you run by someone else? It is great when someone does. We are all (possibly) in pain together, so why not support each another and acknowledge one another for taking the time to exercise. Please start waving, smiling, and making eye contact when you run past people! It would be really encouraging for everyone and there’s no reason not to!
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