Crying While Exercising

Has a Workout Ever Moved You to Tears?

by 16

A good workout often provides an emotional outlet for me; sometimes exercise is an even better outlet than talking about my problems. When I'm feeling stressed out, upset about something, or just need some time alone, sweating it out on a run or on my yoga mat always makes me feel better. Exercise can be like therapy, and at times the physical release has triggered an emotional one, so much so that it's moved me to tears. Has this ever happened to you?

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16 Comments

inlove23 inlove23
SO just the other day I totally scoffed this thinking how lame it sounded, but that bit me in the butt today! I did my first 5k today, and on the last mile I walked a good amount of it, and thought my time was going to be around which was disappointing nonetheless. Well I turned the corner and start running to the finish, and when I got to the end I could see the time and it actually said 32 minutes! My goal was 30 or less, but this was extremely close which made me soo happy. I actually said out loud "you have to be kidding me!!" as soon as I got done I honestly wanted to cry out of joy because I was so overwhelmed that I ran my first 5k in such a good time! I went from being a runnning-avoider to running lover =) So while I didn't cry I understand now =) lol.
landanimal landanimal
Yeah OKKK, I have. But only once bc I am from Miami and i was running in temps of the 30s and I started crying bc my nose and ears and hands hurt from the cold!
amber512 amber512
Not because of the workout itself, but because of the other stuff that was going on in my life that bubbled up into my thoughts then.
Chelsea25 Chelsea25
Sorry about your mom, anon 9:57am (hug)
becky0125 becky0125
the only time i was emotional after working out was when i wasn't eating enough and i had to stop during a run because i was so lightheaded, my heart felt like it was skipping beats, and i almost fell to the floor.. my body was completely failing me and i realized at that point that I wasn't being healthy by exercising so hard and not fueling myself properly. .
moopsie moopsie
This only happened when i was on birth control. When I was on the pill, I'd cry over stupid things and even let stuff bother me while working out. Since being off the pill I don't even remember the last time I cried. I will never go back on it.
Rjs baby girl Rjs baby girl
I started working out a couple of weeks go and I'm very proud of myself for sticking to it. However, I've never cried while working out.
Beaner Beaner
I've been crying a lot on my yoga mat, but I'm pregnant so that's my excuse!
I workout as a stress relief. While my mom struggled with terminal cancer, I would spend my days/nights in the hospital...just leaving to go to the gym, shower and come back. A lot of days I would be on the elliptical crying, but it was very helpful since I never wanted to cry in front of her.
valentix valentix
I've cried multiple times after the camel pose in Bikram yoga.... Oh, the flush of emotions..
yse yse
mile 22 of the san francisco marathon when the downhills were destroying my already destroyed quads. mostly they were tears of pain, but I did manage to finish in the end.
runningesq runningesq
Two or three weeks before the Ironman I was doing a hard workout on my bike trainer while watching Kona coverage. The emotional stories, knowing that MY Ironman was coming up, and the physical release hit at once, and I cried.
Lo Lo Lo Lo
I can't say I've ever cried, but I definitely agree that exercise is a huge emotional release! It's so cathartic for me!
ameeliuh ameeliuh
This happened to me just this week... I used to take 2-3 spin classes a week and LOVED them but it kinda dropped off when I started focusing more on running training for an upcoming half-marathon and then went on vacation. I decided I missed spin class and when I went back, about the 3rd or 4th song in I was working really hard, sweating hard and it felt SO GOOD and I was so happy, I couldn't hold back a few tears!! Never thought I would say that!!!!
benheld benheld
Exercising gives me a lot of time to think--there's been times when unpleasant memories surface, and a few tears come. There are also many more times, that I think about something funny/great and I smile. :)
guavajelly guavajelly
Yes, back in the day when I was more fit than today I ran 30 minutes for the first time on the treadmill and started to feel really emotional and proud of myself. I did not burst out into ugly cry but I had a few stray tears and a overall sense of joy! http://fullbodytransformation.wordpress.com/
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