Exercise, schmexercise*

I know I'm going to sound like a heretic, but I don't do a lot of what most people think of as 'exercise' and I don't feel guilty about it. I do get a workout of a sort, but I prefer to call it 'doing stuff I like'.

The latest thing I like is my tennis lessons. Considering how lousy I am at it I shouldn't be enjoying it this much, but I really do. It took me quite some time to work up the nerve to start. Everyone else was so good at it. They show up in their cute little skirts and can actually make the ball go where they want. And it makes that solid thwacking sound that you only hear when someone hits the ball just right. Someday I hope to hit the ball like that. Someday I hope to consistently hit the ball.

I was also concerned that I wouldn't be able to keep up. Tennis is a lot of work. I discovered, though, that the same way that sitting around all day leaves me feeling tired and wanting to sit around some more, chasing the ball around the court for an hour left me feeling like I wanted to do anything but sit around. That energized feeling stays with me throughout the day, too, and I end up having a more productive day all around.  Who knew?

I've also discovered my new pastime motivates me in other ways. I want to improve, so not only have I been practicing actual tennis skills, but I've been researching conditioning specifically for tennis. Even this doesn't feel like work, though, since it's all about something I truly enjoy.

Most of all, it is the enjoyment. It's been a while since I've done anything that makes me literally jump in the air with joy. It feels good to be out in the sunshine, meeting new people, facing a new challenge and once in a while, feeling that amazing sense of achievement that comes with an occasional solid 'thwack'.

Why anyone would want to exchange that for a hour on a treadmill in front of a TV or even just to think of activity as nothing but a necessary evil - a way to 'burn calories', is beyond me.

Can't wait for the next lesson. In the meantime, I think I'll go out and buy my own cute little tennis skirt.

*What? It's a perfectly cromulent word.