> It always annoys me a little, the way so many things in life have all the fun taken out of them. I think if there was less pressure to get "results" from physical exercise and more acceptance of just plain having fun running around outside and playing, the way you're allowed to when you're six years old, there would be a lot more healthy, active people in society.
>
> Brunnen-"oh yeah, like I'm a really great person to talk about this"G

I'm not exactly sure why I'm responding to this, except I've been trying to get myself physically active recently and it sort of appealed to me. Personally I've found it almost impossible to get myself to do any exercise I don't like at least a little, but I can still see why so many people have to force themselves through pain. It's hard, around here at least, to get involved with the fun sort of physical activity. Pools are expensive, sports teams are exclusive and even the local courts and areas are usually taken by people in groups so it's hard to initiate anything sporty on your own. So basically you have to already be in good shape or be lucky enough to afford your own facilities.

I know that most of the people I hang out with, the kind of people who don't exercise much, wouldn't play sports because of the pressures from other people. When your not in shape, it's hard to get in shape without social pain because people bug you about it. I've taken to running in the boonies around here because I know I'd be harrassed about it in town. I'm already bothered when I ride my bike, but on that I'm fast enough usually to get away from it before it gets physical. Socially the only acceptable way to get fit I guess is to buy an annoying fitness tape or to join a gym and ignore everyone there who might try and harrass you about it... Creating people with headphones and glazed eyes I imagine.

I don't know if I'm way off base here, but there seems to be a stigma attached to exercise. If you're not already fit people treat you like a freak for trying to get there, and if you are fit people dislike you for seemingly being superior. It makes it emotionally hard to enjoy it. And again, the more fun exercise, like team sports, are pretty much off limits if you are socially unaccepted.

I guess it's just been warped a lot by social pressure. I remember when I was younger and they let you join teams without actually needing to be good that it was fun. I know that for the people who continued on after you needed to be good it usually wasn't fun. Being in good condition turned into a necessity instead of a perk for them. I don't know if that's a good thing. They're more competitive, but the original intent of the sport is kind of off.

Anyway, all I'm trying to say I guess is that it is very hard to get into exercise for a lot of people, even if they want to do it for fun. It's just not really accepted that people would /want/ to do it with no alterior motive I guess. Another weird facet of society.

Mel"Running is kind of fun, once you get over the painful bit..."anie