This may sound like a strange question, how should exercise feel, but for the newly turned exerciser, sometimes you might not know what you are supposed to feel.
If you don’t know what you should feel with exercise, start with an activity readiness questionnaire to help determine if it is safe for you to exercise, especially if you have any medical conditions. Questionnaire links can be found at the bottom of my Essentrics with Andrea page.
Start here
There are some things that you may feel during exercise.
There are some things you may feel after exercising.
And it is possible you may feel something a day or more after exercise.
During exercise:
- energized/elevated
- stiff
- warmer
- looser
- light
- alert
- toned
- tuned in
- aware
- agile/spry
- happy
After exercise:
- energized/elevated/active
- less tired
- stiff
- warmer
- looser
- light
- alert
- toned
- tuned in
- aware
- agile/spry
- invigorated
- fatigued
- happy
Next day or later:
- energized/elevated/activated
- stiff
- looser
- tight
- toned
- tuned in
- agile/spry
- fatigued
- happy
- sore: there are occasions that you may feel DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) possibly 1-3 days post exercise.
Bonus:
There are a few things you may only feel once you have become consistent with exercise
- Energetic
- Less tired
- Less stiff
- Predictably looser
- Less tight
- Enlightened over time
- Toned
- Connected
- Aware
- Lighter
- Agile
- Spry
- Stronger
- Healthy
- Empowered
Goals
Depending on your goals, it may help define further what you should expect to feel with exercise. For more info on what your exercise goals might be, check out this video Exercise Goals on You Tube. In any case, if you don’t like the feeling, ask for some guidance from someone who should know.
Modifications and seeking guidance
Work with a personal trainer or exercise instructor for feedback on what you may be feeling at different points in your routine. Keep a journal for later reference (on your own or with an exercise professional). You can always stop, re-evaluate, and try again (change what you are doing, when you are doing it and/or do it differently, i.e. slower, smaller, with less intensity, shorter durations). Using an activity readiness questionnaire (see above for links) will help you discern if you need to seek guidance from your healthcare professional or a qualified exercise professional before exercising.
For more information on exercise, and exercise design, check out my Facebook page or You Tube Channel. Click the icons at the bottom of the page!