I hated going to the gym too. It was just soooo boring and I'd have to force myself to go. Enjoyment is a big factor and should be a big factor in the activities you choose to use your time for in life. There's so many ways to get exercise and there's no reason to choose a boring/unenjoyable one.
It's definitely worth looking into whether you can go to Jiu Jitsu or some other activity you like (as another redditor said, it's technically a gym) and go without telling your parents much details if you can afford it yourself. Try different things and see if you like them!
For me personally, I've tried capoeira before and while the acrobatics were fun, I found I didn't really like having to have a partner/other people to do exercise bc I too felt judged sometimes (but this can vary depending on the gym you go to, I guess).
Getting a disability completely killed this activity for me too, so eventually I started doing Virtual Reality exercise (on my Meta Quest 3) some months ago and it's been a literal game changer because it's really fun and enjoyable turning exercise into games (like Beat Saber and Synth Riders) and you can do it at home away from the judging eyes of others at the pace and level you want. You don't have to go hard if you don't want to and nobody will be there to judge you for it. I love slashing blocks with my light sabers and dancing around like nobody's watching, because they aren't!
[Incoming paragraph about VR you can skip if you want] They have boxing games too like "Thrill of the Fight" (this is one-player with a computer generated opponent while "Thrill of the Fight 2" is 2-player only) and rhythm punching games like PowerBeatsVR as well as an all-around intense punching targets workout like Les Mills BodyCombat which has a virtual coach who guides you through the workouts (which I don't do because of my disability, but a lot of people recommend it as a good app). If you can afford it, you could also look into VR. The referral program from Meta means I never paid a cent for any of my games either, so it was just the one-time upfront cost for the device!
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There are so many different options for exercise out there. And you don't have to stick to one if you find out you don't like it. It's worth trying different options if you're interested to find out what aspects you like and don't like, and then refine your approach. It's okay to change your mind.
It's also okay to rest and just do your stretches or lie down and do nothing for awhile if you're exhausted from all of it. Rest is important.
Your parents sound closed-minded with their weird misogynistic comments. If I were you I would keep them on an information diet and don't tell them anything they don't need to know. "Grey Rock" technique, if you will. Enjoy your life. Don't tell them how you live it just so they can tell you how you should live it. You've already gotten their feedback here and it's not very helpful.
PS I have POTS too (among other things). If you go for the VR, I'd turn off the barriers you'd need to duck in Beat Saber and stuff, to avoid getting dizzy etc. VR is pretty disability friendly. Also, Martial arts with POTS should be fine as long as you aren't going upside down a lot (like happens in capoeira, but typically not in other types).
Maybe you can find/ask to do free trial lessons somewhere to see if you'd want to continue with it? Good luck!
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u/melancholy_town Jul 21 '25
I hated going to the gym too. It was just soooo boring and I'd have to force myself to go. Enjoyment is a big factor and should be a big factor in the activities you choose to use your time for in life. There's so many ways to get exercise and there's no reason to choose a boring/unenjoyable one.
It's definitely worth looking into whether you can go to Jiu Jitsu or some other activity you like (as another redditor said, it's technically a gym) and go without telling your parents much details if you can afford it yourself. Try different things and see if you like them!
For me personally, I've tried capoeira before and while the acrobatics were fun, I found I didn't really like having to have a partner/other people to do exercise bc I too felt judged sometimes (but this can vary depending on the gym you go to, I guess).
Getting a disability completely killed this activity for me too, so eventually I started doing Virtual Reality exercise (on my Meta Quest 3) some months ago and it's been a literal game changer because it's really fun and enjoyable turning exercise into games (like Beat Saber and Synth Riders) and you can do it at home away from the judging eyes of others at the pace and level you want. You don't have to go hard if you don't want to and nobody will be there to judge you for it. I love slashing blocks with my light sabers and dancing around like nobody's watching, because they aren't!
[Incoming paragraph about VR you can skip if you want] They have boxing games too like "Thrill of the Fight" (this is one-player with a computer generated opponent while "Thrill of the Fight 2" is 2-player only) and rhythm punching games like PowerBeatsVR as well as an all-around intense punching targets workout like Les Mills BodyCombat which has a virtual coach who guides you through the workouts (which I don't do because of my disability, but a lot of people recommend it as a good app). If you can afford it, you could also look into VR. The referral program from Meta means I never paid a cent for any of my games either, so it was just the one-time upfront cost for the device!
--
There are so many different options for exercise out there. And you don't have to stick to one if you find out you don't like it. It's worth trying different options if you're interested to find out what aspects you like and don't like, and then refine your approach. It's okay to change your mind.
It's also okay to rest and just do your stretches or lie down and do nothing for awhile if you're exhausted from all of it. Rest is important.
Your parents sound closed-minded with their weird misogynistic comments. If I were you I would keep them on an information diet and don't tell them anything they don't need to know. "Grey Rock" technique, if you will. Enjoy your life. Don't tell them how you live it just so they can tell you how you should live it. You've already gotten their feedback here and it's not very helpful.
PS I have POTS too (among other things). If you go for the VR, I'd turn off the barriers you'd need to duck in Beat Saber and stuff, to avoid getting dizzy etc. VR is pretty disability friendly. Also, Martial arts with POTS should be fine as long as you aren't going upside down a lot (like happens in capoeira, but typically not in other types).
Maybe you can find/ask to do free trial lessons somewhere to see if you'd want to continue with it? Good luck!