Pumping Poetic
Some Thoughts About Fitness and Philosophy
“Gym bros,” “cardio bunnies” and “meatheads” are terms that get thrown around often, and have become stereotypes suggesting that an obsession with fitness and the culture of working out is no more than a shallow endeavor. However, fitness is more than surface level aesthetics. It can be very philosophical at its core, even poetic. The precept of fitness as an experiential connection of the mind and body is a key to profound personal transformation.
These insights date back centuries. Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates noted that it was every citizen’s responsibility to live up to their best physical potential, and that, “even in the process of thinking, in which the use of the body seems to be reduced to a minimum, it is matter of common knowledge that grave mistakes may often be traced to bad (physical) health” (quoted in Xenophon’s Memorabilia).
A recent essay in Harper’s Magazine, by author Jordan Castro, eloquently reinforces how potent exercise is for mind and body stimulation. For those of us who max out our VO2 max, or engage in the act of lifting weights, feelings of euphoria often get referenced in our post-workout conversations. Castro calls this sensation, “getting the pump.” A pump is a term used to describe the temporary increase in muscle mass after a vigorous workout. It’s a tangible concept, where you can see your muscles expanding and feel the increased blood flow coursing through them.
I am particularly fond of Castro’s embodiment of what it’s like for him to experience the pump: “My head enters my chest and starts pulsing, like a heart; my consciousness becomes another molecule, a cell among cells; consciousness is not a machine, or a mistake, but an ever-present awareness of the obstacle; I only exist in relation to the obstacle—I am not a static being, but becoming, overcoming—and by the time the weight is lifted to the top position my head is even deeper inside of my chest, all burning and firing and pumped up alive” (Castro, 2024).
That is certainly a lucid example of physicality and philosophy becoming intertwined while engaging in arduous physical activity. While Castro has a great way with words, his mindset is not an outlier among fitness enthusiasts. I previously wrote about my personal transfiguration and primal embodiment while doing push ups (see: “Push Ups to Transcend”). I do at least 400 push ups a day, but when I am in the moment, the number of reps is arbitrary and a mere footnote to the awe inspiring sensation of muscular hypertrophy, the quick and rhythmic pulsation of my heart beating like a drum and bass song and the rushing course of blood throughout my body that makes me feel superhuman.
I’ve discovered how to push my physical limits through extreme bodily exertion, while simultaneously exhibiting a blissful mind. This type of transcendent engagement, and its exhilarating impact on my overall psyche and physique, is what compels me to commit to a daily fitness routine. With a mindful approach to working out, no one exercise is the same no matter how many sets and reps I do. My definition of a “full body workout” is doing exercises in a process that conditions the physical, cognitive and emotional aspects of ourselves.
On my path to exercising more purposefully, I occasionally will look for philosophical morsels, which I can draw inspiration from. I’m collecting and compiling them with the intent to create a Commonplace Book (see:
’s “The Very Best Tool for Intellectual Growth”) on fitness philosophy.Below are a few quotes that espouse the benefits of conditioning the mind and body to work in tandem when exercising.
“It is only within the context of having properly developed your mind that you will be able to truly enjoy the achievement of your material values, including that of a more muscular body.” — Mike Mentzer, professional bodybuilder
“Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.” - Jane Fonda, actor, activist and fitness influencer
“Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are our gardeners.” – William Shakespeare, playwright
"Fitness starts between your ears. Your muscles, what the hell do they know? Nothing. It's brains.” - Jack LaLanne, fitness coach and gym mogul
“Don't speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn't know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that's why it's called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.” - Bruce Lee, actor and martial artist
“I kept some of my workout habits, but I had created a divide in my head, between the type of people I wanted to be around, the stuff I wanted to do, and sports. I never thought of it as less intellectual or a lesser kind of knowing. As I’ve gotten back into both playing soccer and running races, it’s integrated these two sides of me.” - Martine Syms, contemporary visual artist
“Each individual muscle…is essentially a brain. On a strong person, what at first appear to be bulging pectorals are in reality two bulging brains. Biceps are brains; triceps are brains; even abs, which initially appear to be vaguely rectangular muscles, are in fact vaguely rectangular brains. This is why getting a pump makes you feel so euphoric: one’s mood is not determined by the thinking part of the brain in our heads but by the active part of the brains in our muscles. Our head-brain is the only brain that is not a real brain—but an adversary.” - Jordan Castro, author
“You have to think it before you can do it. The mind is what makes it all possible.”- Kai Greene, professional bodybuilder, actor and visual artist
There's a common denominator among all these quotes, which is that we really have to be good to ourselves in order to succeed. This is true for any endeavor, but it especially applies to something as demanding and challenging as physical fitness. Having the right mindset is what's going to keep you motivated to keep going back to the grind, and push yourself to grow and achieve significant gains. When you start truly challenging yourself, something kicks in (whether it's endorphins or "the pump"), and fuels your body and brain, which enables you to get excited and energized.
You're the only one with a genuine experience of what it’s like to be in your body and mind. Therefore, you have to be the main motivator and appraiser of yourself. You are indeed deserving of a good life, so let self-love, grit and determination be the forces that pump you up!
References, Notes, Suggested Reading:
Castro, Jordan. “Getting the Pump,” Harper’s Magazine, February 2024. https://harpers.org/archive/2024/02/getting-the-pump-jordan-castro/
Xenophon. Xenophon in Seven Volumes. Edited by E. C. Marchant. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA; William Heinemann, Ltd., London. 1923. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Xen.+Mem.+3.12&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0208
“We really have to be good to ourselves in order to succeed.”— Adam Zucker