The Exercise Cry, And The Why Behind It.

If you’ve ever found yourself tearing up mid-workout, you’re not alone. In fact, there’s a name for it: the exercise cry.  It’s that moment when the music hits, the sweat’s dripping, and suddenly, the emotions spill out. For some, it’s a quiet tear. For others, it’s full-on ugly crying mid-burpee. Either way, it’s real, it’s powerful, and it’s important to acknowledge.

The Science Behind The Tears

When you move your body, especially in long, steady holds or intense bursts, you’re not just working your muscles. You’re activating your nervous system. Trauma, stress, and emotions we’ve shoved down for years don’t just disappear. They live in our bodies, in tight hips, clenched jaws, and stiff shoulders.

Movement creates an opening. Breath slows your system down. Music taps memory and emotion. Put it all together, and sometimes what comes out isn’t just sweat, it’s release.

Neuroscience backs this up: exercise can calm the amygdala (the brain’s alarm system) and increase activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part that helps us regulate and process emotions. In other words, when your body feels safe enough to let go, your mind follows.

Why It’s a Gift

Instead of fighting it, embrace it. Crying in class doesn’t mean you’re broken, it means you’re healing. Your body knows what it needs to release, even when your mind can’t explain it.

It means you’re reconnecting, recalibrating, and reminding yourself that strength isn’t just measured in how much you can lift or how long you can hold. Sometimes it’s measured in the courage it takes to feel.

At CHURCH, we don’t just rebuild bodies. We rebuild people. And if that process comes with a few unexpected tears, you’re exactly where you need to be.