The gym and masochism?

Question

If a person can have a job they "love" and not be a masochist, can the same hold for someone who actively uses the gym?

What kind of relationship to pain does a bodybuilder have?

Do you go to the gym out of a sense of need or because you really like to climb 200 flights of stairs for "fun"?

Khnopff71,

Confusing "love" of the means for "love" of the ends is the issue. Your definition of pain is not standard, though you think I misunderstand. My allegation is troubling: those that love work and fitness either speak falsely or are masochists. Your description falls squarely under the former, which I called "need" above.

Answer 1

NO. Because physically the person who "LoVeS" their job is probably not in shape. And vice versa for the person who "LoVeS" the gym, mentally they are not in shape.

Answer 2

I think the problem you have understanding is the concept of 'pain'.

Pain, in its most general form, is an experience that denies action. However, pain is really just a factor in decision making. What I mean by that is that if some other factor enters our decision making process to weigh in against the feeling of 'pain' we will experience, then our choice reflects which we value more.

The 'pain' that the bodybuilder experiences is not discounted, but is thought of as a trade-off in order to achieve and maintain the body they desire. Because other people do not desire their bodies to look and/or perform to that level, they see the process of getting there (i.e. the 'pain' involved) as not being worth the gain, hence they think of it as being 'too painful' for them.

Pain is simply a factor by which we measure our desire to do something. we all choose 'pain' to some degree (whether now or later) in our daily lives, most of us simply don't know it.

Answer 3

i go to the gym to relieve stress, stay slim and feel better