exercise brings me to tears
 

sometimes i cry at the gym. anyone else ever have this problem?
example: today, i was on the elliptical for 30 mins, got choked up a few times, and broke into full fledged tears when a particularly sentimental song came on m y iPod. I am going through some really hard times lately, oodles of stress, and I know that's why I'm very emotional. But at the gym?? I left early, cut off my workout...
Does this happen to anyone else?

:hug: hang in there!! i cry everywhere but the gym! the gym is where i go to relieve those emotions and stress! good luck!!

Unfortuntely . . . the mere thought of going to the gym brings tears to my eyes. :o

:rofl:

You said it yourself "under oodles of stress". Exercise is a stress reliever. You are probably getting to a pont where the stress has to come out in some way. Kind of like when your really stressed and someone says something nice and you dissolve into tears. At least that is what happens to me. Go sit in the car, have a good cry, then hit the elliptical.

Yes. It happens to me when Broadway tunes come on. Showtunes are very emotional for me!

I think it is the endorphin rush, but I don't think it is all that uncommon (or at least, we can be weirdos together)

Yes that totally happens to me too!! I remember it was really bad when I used to waitress...have like 10 horrible tables and keep it together until one table was really kind and I would just dissolve.

I don't like to exercise...I joined gyms several times but would not go regularly. Every time there was some excuse or the other. I've wasted SO much money in gym memberships :cry:
Finally I decided to get some exercise DVDs and do it at home and also bought a cheap treadmill. Well, I did exercise regularly for two weeks :carrot: but now I am back to my excuses...Now trying to motivate myself to start again :mad:

Haven't cried at the gym yet, but sometimes on the elliptical, I get very absorbed in my thoughts and the feelings can be intense, I forget where I am and wake up to having done quite a few calories and no memory of it. I think it makes sense, the crying, if your stress levels are as you say, and I think the exercise somehow frees you to feel it since you are putting your effort into the workout and not controlling your emotions. I say, get a sweat towel and let it stand in for a hanky if you need it, no one will pay a bit of attention, and I bet you feel better after the exercise session for more than the usual reasons! I hope things work out and you keep it up, you are doing well!

I'm not a big crier in general so I can't say it's ever happened to me at the gym before... But looking at what some of the people said about exercise bringing it out in you definitely applies to me. If I'm feeling really worked up and stressed out and upset I go running with my iPod blasting and just go as fast as I can until I can't go anymore. There have definitely been a few times when I've stopped to catch my breath and before you know it I'm bawling like a baby on the side of the road. Haha. Thank god for baseball caps and sunglasses. I think exercise definitely brings those kinds of emotions to the surface because your body is exerting itself so intensely it just comes out... It's a great release really. Afterwards I feel completely exhausted but 1000x better.

I cry during yoga

:rofl:

Being on the elliptical for 30 minutes would probably make me cry, too. ;) Seriously, though, I've heard of deep muscle massage bringing out pent up emotions...sorry, I forget the whole scientific or anecdotal evidence, but it seems real enough, from hearing accounts of a couple of people close to me that seem stable/honest types. I wonder if a hard workout could do the same? Interesting thread!

I'm not sure and I am no doctor, but maybe if you intensified your workout and got mad this would alleviate the stress you're under and prevent you from crying... Crying is good, but at the gym, it could be embarrassing... Or as someone suggested go cry in the car and come back and hit that workout with a vengeance!

If you go to a gym try lifting heavy weights, that really helps, specially when you visualize the person you're angry with and boinking his head between the weights :lol: ... I've done it, I felt great afterward :strong: ...

Meowee --- Silly girl :frypan:

I'd do that and I definately remove any sad songs off my ipod (if that's where you are hearing them). Instead chose songs that pump you up and put you ina great mood. :) I'm not a public cryer, i like to do that when i am alone, so I can't relate, but I'm thinking if it's the music that triggers it, change the music, and get mad!!!! :)

When I NEED to cry I go swim laps. You can cry, yell, scream underwater and really noone can tell.

It does sound like you have a lot of pent up stuff that needs to come out. I think sometimes exercise, even though it is good stress, is still an additional stressor that can push you over the edge and something has to give.

I have been very stressed and gone for a run and started bawling in the middle of it too.