Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2015 - The Health & Wellness Issue | Page 30

HEALTH & well-being Alternative Fitness in Bangkok T he benefits of exercise are indisputable. Regular exercise can boost your mood, your immune system, your energy levels, and your self-esteem. It can reduce your risk of stress, depression and even serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. It can not only improve but also save your life. So why, when we know it’s good for us, is it so damn tough to make regular exercise a part of our daily routine? Many of us struggle to meet recommended exercise guidelines every week, and the problem is partly down to our busy jobs and lives. But that’s not the whole picture. Let’s face it—exercise is just plain unpleasant. For people who don’t get their kicks from sweating it out at the gym or slogging their way around the local park, exercise can seem like a chore and, as with any chore we dislike, we find ourselves putting it off again and again. At least that’s certainly true for me. Although I love being active, I’ve always found exercise for its own sake unappealing. In school I loved orientation classes in PE—running around the woods using maps to search out hidden flags was infinitely more rewarding than plodding up and down a wet pitch for games of football that only I found boring. I just didn’t get it. What were the rewards of doing something so dull and uncomfortable? For many years, I was a couch potato with energy I didn’t know what to do with. After that I became a reluctant jogger, hating every step and complaining relentlessly. But not any longer. I stopped exercising for its own sake when I discovered roller derby. I realized fitness didn’t have to be horrible nor boring, and I didn’t have to dread doing it or feel bad about myself because I avoided it. With roller derby, I played because I loved it, and that made all the difference. 28 WANDERLUST by Sarah Cason Since then, I’ve developed an interest in extreme sports and unusual fitness activities. I play roller derby and do parkour every week. My fitness has increased without feeling like it’s been a painful battle. The simple fact that I enjoy myself is motivation enough. If you want to look past the gym or running track, here are three funky forms of exercise available right here in Bangkok: in your environment no longer inhibit your progress or block your path, but are integrated into it or are used to create new paths. HOW IT'S DONE Parkour is a fantastic full-body workout building fu