more people would exercise if this culture didn’t make it absolute hell
I teach martial arts. we play games with the little kids. they swordfight with noodles and throw foam balls at each other. in the summer, we take them out into the parking lot with water guns. in the winter, we have snowball fights.
the teenagers get swords and staffs and practice knives. we teach them moves from marvel movies that they ask about. they get squirt guns and snowball fights too. we let them goof off and climb the support beams and charge directly at each other in padded suits.
sometimes parents say they miss doing things like that. I tell them, “stay for an adult class. just try it out.” we build obstacle courses and let them mess around with training rifles. they chat while sparring. we scream and cheer for them when they’re in the middle of a circle. and then we send them out to the parking lot with squirt guns and snowballs.
it’s exercise. it’s healthy. it’s an important life skill. and it’s fun as fuck.
This is one of the forgotten but imo super harmful symptoms of diet culture-exercise being relegated to weight loss rather than jist enjoying using and being in your body.
Don’t like the gym? Ok, go find a line dancing club. A Tai Chi class. Play Just Dance every day. Arrange a tag football team. Go to a trampoline park.
Using our bodies shouldn’t be a chore assigned in shame.
I took my niece and nephew to the playground once and the next day I hurt everywhere.
Had a slightly better brain day today, so I finally sat down to doodle a few of those prompts you guys gave me…*checks date* TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO????? JFC…
