You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but I go to the gym three times a week. It’s good for my body (you’ll have to trust me on that) and is a wonderful way to clear my mind. Straining heavy weights over your head has a focusing effect, to say the least.

What I don’t always appreciate as much as I should, however, is the benefit of exercise on my soul. There is that focusing, a mind not multitasking but so in the moment, no matter what is going through my headphones. Focused not out of fear that a heavy thing might fall out of the sky, but because it is that rare interaction of body, mind, and spirit. Much of my life is spent in my head; my body comes along for the ride. Exercise is a place where, on a good day, all of me is in sync.

But they aren’t all good days. And sometimes those are the days I learn the most.

I go a to “big box” gym in the area. It’s close, affordable and despite my occasional gym envy, it really does provide all that I need for my goals.

What is gym envy? It varies by person, but essentially it is whatever your head thinks you want. Your body can exercise with almost anything. But your head? “Oh, if only, we had….” Fill in your blank: saunas, classes, tanning beds. Whatever.

A few days ago, I walked in, did my thing, and started to leave. Walking out, I found myself in a corner I usually ignore; I don’t use the equipment usually found there.

Except there weren’t just the usual ab machines. There were squat racks, the objects of my envy.

You know the old saw about the dog catching the car: just because you get it doesn’t mean you know what to do with it. I didn’t.

It’s been a long time since I’ve used a squat rack, which is meant for barbell use. In my shock at finding the object of my dreams just sitting there — “What brings you a barbell like you to a place like this?”— and in my general lack of knowledge about its use, I just charged up, excited to try it.

And promptly watched a weight slide off the end and bounce toward the man next to me.

It didn’t hit him, thank God, but his eyes went wide. I realized that in my haste, I’d forgotten the device that holds the otherwise loose weight plate on the bar. Dumbbells don’t fall apart. Barbells do.

I try to think the best of people, and occasionally I succeed. This man looked very different from me in many ways, not least of which is he obviously knew his way around the gym. I wasn’t nervous because he looked different from me. But I had nearly clocked the guy, so he had every right to be angry. And we live in a world where reactions can be so extreme that you never know how someone will respond.

As he walked over, I didn’t know he would react. Thankfully, he quietly, gently, handed me the weight and said, “Here, let me show you.”

Despite my embarrassment at my error, he didn’t make me feel any worse than I did. He helped me when he didn’t have to, and when moments later I proved I could be even more ignorant about the use of the equipment, he offered his help again. He didn’t berate me for my ignorance, despite his right to do. He talked to me, not down to me.

And I was the better person for it, in body, mind, and spirit.

This is a contributed opinion column. The Rev. Dr. Steven H. Shussett is a Presbyterian pastor, serving the Presbytery of the Highlands of New Jersey. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.

https://www.mcall.com/2025/11/15/faith-values-exercise-is-good-for-the-body-mind-and-spirit/