what do those endorphins feel like?

[treefrog]

I just passed my one-year anniversary with the erg. I'm generally active by day - live on wooded acreage with goats and orchard and gardens, so there's always chores. I prefer to be outside - that's my happy place. I started rowing to get some aerobic work in because the outside chores tend to be more slow and methodical and not heart racing.

My question: I don't get any good feeling from exercise. I keep doing it because I need to not because I want to. If I work really hard on the rower, I feel like I want to cough up a lung. If I do less, I can build up a sweat but not feel any better after the workout. What am I doing wrong? Do I just not have those endorphins in me?

[ShortAndStout]

A lot of it is mental, I think, and what your goals actually are. I'm the same way with lifting - a lot of people love it but it doesn't align with any of my exercise goals so it's usually a chore to get through, in the best of times. Meanwhile, I have friends who go twice a day for years. When I tell them that I row for an hour at a time, they tell me they would literally die.

If your goal is to stay fit or develop aerobic capacity then I might suggest tailoring your workouts to meet that goal, which sounds super obvious but if you're also "working really hard on the rower" then it makes sense that this type of workout becomes more of a mental block than a physical one.

As far as the actual endorphins, I myself find that they are present after 1.) I finish A workout (however long, whatever difficulty) and 2.) I met my intended goal for that workout. Notice how me being tired isn't one of those options. Your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) shouldn't be a variable in how good of a workout you had, it should really only be used to determine whether you're in the correct zone. For example an RPE of 2-3/10 isn't good for a sprint pace, but fine for something longer distance. Don't attribute exertion to workout quality.

So what are your goals? Is it to just get moving every day? If that's the case just throw a towel over your monitor and listen to some music, put yourself in whatever mind space you need to in order to feel good. You won't ever get endorphins from your workout if you're dreading being there in the first place, which means you need to define goals, even easy long term ones, so you can get in the headspace.

If you need some resources backed by research, here are a few to help you define these goals better:
HR Based training bands, of which UT2 and UT1 are considered aerobic work: http://www.freespiritsrowing.com/forum/ ... calculator
C2 Logbook to track your progress: https://log.concept2.com/log

For you you may be looking at primarily UT2 and UT1 work, based on what your described goals are.

[Dangerscouse]

I totally agree with SandS regarding the endorphins are usually only present after I've finished, but I do enjoy the feeling of movement too.

I do wonder if some people are more inclined to move than others, and it's maybe a matter of hard wiring? When we consider people that do enjoy exercise there are still many variables within that, and some people can dig far deeper than others. Being sick, and occasionally even passing out isn't too rare for some people.

[treefrog]

Thanks for the comments! That's a lot of food for thought.

My goal for rowing is to increase strength and aerobic capacity so I feel better. This goal can be measured by my ability to keep up with my friend when we go biking. Specifically on the uphills, because I can beat her on the flats. That proof is a long time from the rowing time. I have no interest in sprints - I accepted the fact that I'm an endurance mover, not a sprinter, decades ago. I found the rower is much better for me than a stationary bike.

A second measurement of meeting my exercise goal is when walk briskly the half-mile and 150-foot elevation gain on the steep hill from my house to the mailbox, that I'm not terribly out of breath.

I have no idea what my resting nor max heart rate are. I don't currently have a heart monitor. I've been thinking about getting one, but I am always reluctant to get another gadget. It took me many months to decide to buy the erg.

My normal day is very active, and I would put most of this in the UT1 range. This time of year it's chopping firewood, cutting branches by hand, digging out blackberry roots, harvesting, tending the goats, moving heavy objects. I choose to do as much as possible without power equipment for the exercise, the quiet, and just because I like it. I guess that's where I get my endorphins.

[Dangerscouse]

I guess that's where I get my endorphins.

Maybe that's it. You just have a different response, or maybe you're expecting it to feel like a different kind of rush?

I'd possibly suggest focusing on the pride of improving towards your goals instead. I'm a big fan of eyes closed rowing where you just zone out and let the session just go where it naturally takes you.

What does your weekly sessions look like? Are you doing too much hard efforts?

[JaapvanE]

Or row in a group in one of the digital platforms (EXR, RowPro). Some people need some social interaction.

[p_b82]

I found having a Hr monitor really helped me set the perceived effort, which was good for helping me define what sort of a session I was after.

I do row listening to music, and as long as I keep my HR around 90% max and no higher it's a pretty relaxing place to be once I've settled into a rhythm.

I'll echo what others have said, endorphins for me are when I reach the end of a session, or achieve a goal in the middle of it or at the end.

I often don't "want" to get on the erg, but I do find I miss it if I skip too many days - I don't have an active job/lifestyle beyond the erg though, so that does work in my favour for dreading it less!

[Rowan McSheen]

There are days when I have to force my sorry ass onto the erg and I really labour through a session. And at the end of it, sweaty and breathing hard, I think, "hey, I feel great, glad I did it". And that's the endorphins, the feelgood factor that appears after rather than during in my experience.

[hikeplusrow]

I think there are two parts to this.

Firstly, the feeling of elation one sometimes experiences when undertaking aerobic activity - an exercise 'high', if you will. In my experience, this is somewhat rare. Also, I think you're unlikely to experience it unless you have a relatively high level of conditioning and expertise in that particular activity. The feeling engendered is one of indestructibility, like you have unlimited power. Your level of performance bears no relation to your level of perceived exertion. I experienced this phenomenon as a runner - the so called called 'runner's high' - and as a cyclist. But sadly, not very often. Most training feels like graft, not a quasi-spiritual experience. However, when it happens it's quite wonderful. I have some good days on the erg, but have never experienced a 'high' - I simply don't do enough of it for there to be a realistic likelihood of it happening.

Secondly, there's that tremendous feeling one experiences post exercise - a much more common phenomenon. I always feel 'cleansed' after aerobic exercise - like I've had a shower on the inside. I also feel incredibly relaxed, content and comfortable within myself. Frankly, for me the overall feeling is similar to a post-sex glow.

[JaapvanE]

Secondly, there's that tremendous feeling one experiences post exercise - a much more common phenomenon.

I'm always extremely happy when I can get off the Erg

[hikeplusrow]

Secondly, there's that tremendous feeling one experiences post exercise - a much more common phenomenon.

I'm always extremely happy when I can get off the Erg

[treefrog]

I think there are two parts to this.

Firstly, the feeling of elation one sometimes experiences when undertaking aerobic activity - an exercise 'high', if you will. In my experience, this is somewhat rare. Also, I think you're unlikely to experience it unless you have a relatively high level of conditioning and expertise in that particular activity. The feeling engendered is one of indestructibility, like you have unlimited power. Your level of performance bears no relation to your level of perceived exertion. I experienced this phenomenon as a runner - the so called called 'runner's high' - and as a cyclist. But sadly, not very often. Most training feels like graft, not a quasi-spiritual experience. However, when it happens it's quite wonderful. I have some good days on the erg, but have never experienced a 'high' - I simply don't do enough of it for there to be a realistic likelihood of it happening.

Secondly, there's that tremendous feeling one experiences post exercise - a much more common phenomenon. I always feel 'cleansed' after aerobic exercise - like I've had a shower on the inside. I also feel incredibly relaxed, content and comfortable within myself. Frankly, for me the overall feeling is similar to a post-sex glow.

Ahh, this answers my question the best. I thought everyone else had that runner's high except me, and thanks for the description. Good to know it's rare. And as I am asexual, I don't even know that post-sex glow. I'm just glad I've finished the workout , and I mark my calendar so I can see that I've done some work.

[treefrog]

I guess that's where I get my endorphins.

Maybe that's it. You just have a different response, or maybe you're expecting it to feel like a different kind of rush?

I'd possibly suggest focusing on the pride of improving towards your goals instead. I'm a big fan of eyes closed rowing where you just zone out and let the session just go where it naturally takes you.

What does your weekly sessions look like? Are you doing too much hard efforts?

I really like your idea of focusing on the pride of improving. I do the eyes closed rowing occasionally, and my result is too often I really slow down. Right now I'm trying to do the Holiday Challenge so I'm on the rower 6x per week. Prior to that it was a routinely 3x per week. I really like doing about a half-hour, in intervals that I vary just because I entertain my brain that way. One thing I like about the rower is that i can really get my heartrate up unlike any other exercise I have tried, so maybe I am going too hard.

[jamesg]

Endorphines are a product of evolution. They are our main driver, helping to guarantee survival of our tribe under extreme situations that might kill us before our children can look after themselves. Even allowing us some pride in our ability to do just that.

They certainly lead to dependence, it's a necessary part of the package. We positively like to go to war or chase our prey across the high veldt in the company of our tribe; and then move in for the kill with all the energy and courage needed.

Getting in the car or on the train every morning can even have some attraction; we form companies, industries, parties, all to get that high and the will to fight when needed.

If not, we can always take some exercise.

[Dangerscouse]

Ahh, this answers my question the best. I thought everyone else had that runner's high except me, and thanks for the description. Good to know it's rare.

OK, in this case, I can second that the 'runner's / rower's high' is rare ime. If that's what you're expecting, then it's something that has happened rarely for me too.

I also endorse the feeling of being cleansed, as it's a type of inner satisfaction that I feel, with occasional days where it felt like a grind and a chore.