Published on 12, July, 2020
I haven't been to a gym in ages. After Christmas, I decided that I really needed to lose a few kilos and get fitter. So I joined my local David Lloyd club and I have so far been going three times a week for the past three weeks. I was very nervous at first. The people, the noise, the light, the temperature all make me anxious. I have now learnt to try and zone out with my noise-cancelling earbuds and it seems to be working. I hope to commit to going three times a week at least because the membership is expensive.
I have not set foot in anywhere resembling a gym since I left school. It would bring back to many memories of being forced to play team games that I had no ability at whatsoever - zero interest and a lamentable lack of co-ordination. I was a good swimmer - completed the 1 mile swim when 11 - but had no other gym-related abilities. Also, it would remind me too forcefully of the towel flickers and the moronic bastards who boot footballs at you as hard as possible from two yards away.
I think a lot of autistic people are bad at team sports, but there are autistic personality traits (perseverance, enjoyment of routine) that can make us quite well suited to individual endurance sports.
E.g. I could never keep track of what's happening in school football/netball but now I enjoy running and rowing. Cardio also helps a lot with mood regulation and sleep.