Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Exercise: The Best Form of Stress Management

So it's been awhile since I've posted. I totally hit the ground running this semester as far as classes go. On top of a normal work load I have tons of music to learn and a lot of performances. Not that I'm complaining; being busy in the world of the performing arts (and any profession I imagine) is a good sign. It's nice to have so many opportunities, if not a bit overwhelming.

One of the things that I've been doing to help manage my stress with such a high work load this semester is to really be serious about exercising. My new years resolution for 2013 was to get fit, and one of the steps I took towards achieving my goal was to buy an aerobics pass at the ASU gym. The pass is $60 for unlimited classes all semester at the gym, which is a pretty good deal considering each class individually costs about $10. I've been going multiple times per week to yoga, zumba, and cardio kickboxing, all of which have been super fun and definitely help me release some built up tension and stress from the day. Cardio kickboxing especially has been an adventure. The first day I went I didn't realize how difficult it would be. Nearly everyone in the class is an athlete (at least they look like it) and by the end of the class I was sweating more than I ever have working out. Even though literally every part of my body hurt the next day, I still felt great and even went back the next week to get my butt kicked again.

I've also found that having exercise apps on my iPhone is really helpful for those days when I can't get to the gym. So far I have the Nike Trainer app, which has workouts of all levels that you can do in your home, and the C25K (or Couch to 5K) app which does interval training. Both apps are free and are really great. I used the C25K app today to enjoy the outdoors while getting a bit of exercise.

So if you find yourself stressed or worn out from the amount of work you have to do/did during the day, take at least a half hour for yourself. Do yoga, go for a jog, take an aerobics class. I guarantee you will be less stressed afterwards.

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