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> AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Maybe

> AFAIK the brain releases endorphins or something when you exercise People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Maybe it only happens to people who are fit who have a history of exercising regularly?

theshrike79 5y ago
I'm like 80% sure there was a study on this and not all people get an endorphin rush from working out. And some people get a huge rush - these are the people who start to do Ironmans, Triathlons and extreme running (100km+ runs)
adamcharnock 5y ago
I’m with you in this. I’ve talked to some of my friends about this and it sounds like 5-20% ish of people feel likewise. To elaborate: I’ve very rarely felt endorphins from exercise. I’m in good shape, I’ve exercised a lot in the past (less so now), I even ran a marathon (not quickly). After a short workout I do feel more awake and I like the bodily feeling of having exercised, but I’ve rarely felt any endorphin release during exercise which has pushed me forwards. For example, the marathon I did was pure type 2 fun (fun in retrospect). However most runners I talk to say running is type 1 fun for them (fun at the time). Definitely not for me, it was miserable at the time.
petters 5y ago
This is one area where humans are quite different, I believe. I feel that I get nothing out of exercising (except becoming better at excersise, which is circular). But others definitely seem to do so, and get anxious if they don't.
primozk 5y ago
Start slow and build a habit.
ArnoVW 5y ago
I have the same issue. So I do it in the evening (even though everyone says not to). Improves my sleep dramatically, and the next day I feel rested (which is not normally always the case) Of course, don't listen to 120 bpm music to 'energize' you while you do it. And YMMV.
gherkinnn 5y ago
- 2143 5y ago
  > don't waste a second of your life or you'll fall behind I never said that. And I agree with what you're saying; I do not have the mentality you described.
  - gherkinnn 5y ago
    I apologise, no straw man intended.
2143 5y ago
(Disclaimer: I'm not a fitness expert; I'm just writing my own personal observation). > People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Okay, to normalize the discussion, consider stationary biking. For me I get the aforementioned high only when I exercise for atleast 30 minutes. If I do it for just 20 or 15 minutes (instead of > 30 minutes), then as you said I just feel tired rather than good. I guess there's some threshold before you start feeling good, and this is probably different for different humans. Being the petrolhead that I am, I think of it like a turbo-lag followed by the turbo-kick. > it only happens to people who are fit I'm definitely not fit (though I'm not obese either) :) > who have a history of exercising regularly? No there's a tolerance thing I think, based on what I read in [1]. So in the long run you need to exercise more to get that same level of feeling good. [1] https://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/what-happens-to-our-brains-when-we-exercise-and-how-it-makes-us-happier https://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/what-happens-to-our-brai... (I don't know whether or not the person who wrote this article is an expert.)
gigaflop 5y ago
I don't think I've ever noticed this effect. At least, not in the way people lead me to believe it should be felt? When I get to the gym and throw some iron around, my 'good feels' come from knowing that I got out and got some of my energy worked out, and helped improve my body/got enough exercise for maintenance. I think of it as a pleasure or satisfaction that I derive from knowing that I've done something good for myself, and not so much from the physical act of exercise. The closest I get to getting endorphins is when I get a new deadlift PR. I get to turn off my brain and (mentally) go 'ooga booga', recruit my entire posterior chain, and put all I've got into it. But I've also overdone it a few times, and seen stars/had blurry vision/wanted to lay down for a bit after that one rep, so maybe it's just teasing that breakpoint? (for the record, my current all-time pr is something like 295, but I'm working back up from 275. Not winning any contests lmao)

theshrike79 5y ago

I'm like 80% sure there was a study on this and not all people get an endorphin rush from working out. And some people get a huge rush - these are the people who start to do Ironmans, Triathlons and extreme running (100km+ runs)

adamcharnock 5y ago

I’m with you in this. I’ve talked to some of my friends about this and it sounds like 5-20% ish of people feel likewise. To elaborate: I’ve very rarely felt endorphins from exercise. I’m in good shape, I’ve exercised a lot in the past (less so now), I even ran a marathon (not quickly). After a short workout I do feel more awake and I like the bodily feeling of having exercised, but I’ve rarely felt any endorphin release during exercise which has pushed me forwards. For example, the marathon I did was pure type 2 fun (fun in retrospect). However most runners I talk to say running is type 1 fun for them (fun at the time). Definitely not for me, it was miserable at the time.

petters 5y ago

This is one area where humans are quite different, I believe. I feel that I get nothing out of exercising (except becoming better at excersise, which is circular). But others definitely seem to do so, and get anxious if they don't.

primozk 5y ago

Start slow and build a habit.

ArnoVW 5y ago

I have the same issue. So I do it in the evening (even though everyone says not to). Improves my sleep dramatically, and the next day I feel rested (which is not normally always the case) Of course, don't listen to 120 bpm music to 'energize' you while you do it. And YMMV.

gherkinnn 5y ago

2143 5y ago
> don't waste a second of your life or you'll fall behind I never said that. And I agree with what you're saying; I do not have the mentality you described.
- gherkinnn 5y ago
  I apologise, no straw man intended.

2143 5y ago

(Disclaimer: I'm not a fitness expert; I'm just writing my own personal observation). > People tell me this all the time, but when I exercise I just feel tired afterwards? Okay, to normalize the discussion, consider stationary biking. For me I get the aforementioned high only when I exercise for atleast 30 minutes. If I do it for just 20 or 15 minutes (instead of > 30 minutes), then as you said I just feel tired rather than good. I guess there's some threshold before you start feeling good, and this is probably different for different humans. Being the petrolhead that I am, I think of it like a turbo-lag followed by the turbo-kick. > it only happens to people who are fit I'm definitely not fit (though I'm not obese either) :) > who have a history of exercising regularly? No there's a tolerance thing I think, based on what I read in [1]. So in the long run you need to exercise more to get that same level of feeling good. [1] https://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/what-happens-to-our-brains-when-we-exercise-and-how-it-makes-us-happier https://www.fastcompany.com/3025957/what-happens-to-our-brai... (I don't know whether or not the person who wrote this article is an expert.)

gigaflop 5y ago

I don't think I've ever noticed this effect. At least, not in the way people lead me to believe it should be felt? When I get to the gym and throw some iron around, my 'good feels' come from knowing that I got out and got some of my energy worked out, and helped improve my body/got enough exercise for maintenance. I think of it as a pleasure or satisfaction that I derive from knowing that I've done something good for myself, and not so much from the physical act of exercise. The closest I get to getting endorphins is when I get a new deadlift PR. I get to turn off my brain and (mentally) go 'ooga booga', recruit my entire posterior chain, and put all I've got into it. But I've also overdone it a few times, and seen stars/had blurry vision/wanted to lay down for a bit after that one rep, so maybe it's just teasing that breakpoint? (for the record, my current all-time pr is something like 295, but I'm working back up from 275. Not winning any contests lmao)