Hazards of Running and Walking While Angry
Many runners and walkers, especially those who train for and participate in endurance races, know about the psychotherapeutic effects of running and walking. So, it makes sense to many people that going for a long workout could be a good way to recover from anger. While it is true that the time to reflect and the eventual endorphin rush could pull you out of your anger, the hazards of exercising while angry outweigh this benefit. Here are five of those hazards.
1. Anger while working out can program you to reduce or eliminate training.
When you exercise while angry, you program your unconscious mind to associate it with this powerfully negative emotion. But your unconscious mind is always working to protect you from pain, even if it does so in destructive ways. This means that your unconscious mind will try to protect you from the pain of anger, which you may have associated with running or walking. So you will reduce or eliminate that exercise — probably the opposite of what you wanted when you went for a long run or walk to “work out” your anger.
2. Anger while working out blinds you when you have to be your most cautious.
It is a classic story in books and movies because it is true. A story’s character becomes angry, goes out for a drive, and crashes his or her car because of failure to notice danger. Many running and walking situations entail safety hazards. Working out while angry means that you will be less alert to these hazards, which means that you increase your likelihood of getting into an accident.
3. Anger while working out easily leads to chronic injuries.
Anger can cause you to push yourself too hard during a workout. And pushing yourself too hard can easily lead to iliotibial-band strains and other injuries that can require long-term physical therapy for recovery.
4. Anger while working out drives away good training partners.
Even the best training partner does not want to train with you when you are angry. If you feel this way very often while exercising with him or her, you very likely will drive your training partner away.
5. Anger while working out attracts other angry runners or walkers.
The Law of Attraction works just as well, if not better, for negative emotions as it does for positive emotions. This means that walking or running while angry will tend to attract other angry runners or walkers. Do you really want this kind of runner or walker in your life after you have overcome your anger?
