As children, our parents and coaches often used exercise as a form of punishment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, this has led multiple generations to associate exercise and physical activity negatively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The child that was forced to do push ups or run around the block as a result of misbehaving now HATES working out.

 

 

 

 

Think about it.…How many liners did you have to do during basketball practice if your team messed up on a play? Liners still give me nightmares. 

 

Exercise should no longer be used as punishment. With the alarming rates of obesity and depression worldwide, it’s time to start promoting exercise as something fun and beneficial. With games like Pokemon Go we are possibly on the verge of a breakthrough.

[bctt tweet=”With the alarming rates of obesity and depression worldwide, it’s time to start promoting exercise as something fun and beneficial.” username=”@flourish_ious”]

 

 

But should games be the only reason why thousands of teenagers and adults are getting off their couches to go outside?

 

 

I personally remember many basketball practices, that upon missing a free throw you had to run laps or do liners. As a result, when I entered high school I dreaded running “the mile”. Most of us hated running the mile, except those crazy girls who ran cross-country.

 

Related: My Personal Fitness Journey 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I never understood why someone would willingly succumb to an activity that required them to run so many miles.It just looked too painful for me and everyone looked like they were going to die.

 

Nope. I was good,

 

 

Here are three reasons why we should avoid using exercise as a punishment:

 

 

1. Creates a poor outlook on exercise

Despite joining the track team when I was thirteen my outlook on exercise didn’t change until my adulthood.I only worked out during track season or when I joined a weightlifting class my sophomore year.  

 

I didn’t view exercise as a coping mechanism.

 

It’s rare to find children (and even adults) that do yoga or go for a run when they are stressed or bothered.

 

 

 

 

2. Doesn’t help improve a  specific skill

 

Doing liners because you missed your free throws doesn’t improve your free throws. You know what does? Doing free throws.

 

 

 

 

The problem with using exercise as punishment is that you’re not improving a specific skill, such as making your free throws, but instead are only learning to view exercise as a punishment.

[bctt tweet=”The problem with using exercise as punishment is that you’re not improving a specific skill” username=”@flourish_ious”]

 

 

 

3. Dangerous and potentially life threatening

Furthermore, the physical ramifications of punishing someone with physical activity is dangerous and potentially life threatening for some.

 

The amount of people that have died from working out in strenuous and dangerous conditions or forced to run stairs in a hundred degree weather, is unacceptable. Some even view punishment related exercise as a form of abuse.

 

 

How was physical activity used as a punishment when you were young and how has it affected the way you view exercise?

 

 

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