My workplace recently engaged in a "steps" challenge, where different departments competed to see who could rack up the most steps across the team. My team came an admirable second in both the overall steps category and the average steps category.
We were defeated in the overall steps category by a team with significantly higher numbers than us (so they were able to step more steps than we stepped) and a team that had significantly smaller numbers than us, but a lot of enthusiasm (so they stepped more steps per steppers).
At one point I was chatting with some colleagues about the challenge and I mentioned that I sometimes juggle to get my steps up if I'm running short but don't want to go anywhere. Apparently, these particular colleagues were unaware that I juggle. Most of my other colleagues know this about me, because I keep a set of juggling balls at my desk and often have a "juggling break" to flex my shoulders if I'm getting too stiff from sitting too long.
But not everyone has walked into the office area while I was in the middle of a (particularly messy) Mills Mess,* so occasionally someone I know discovers I juggle as new and "exciting" information. I have to let them down by telling them I just do it for fitness and movement. Quite often, this startles people almost more than discovering that I juggle at all.
Juggling for fitness?
Yes, it's a thing.
I first came across the idea of juggling for fitness in my early 20s, and found it utterly freeing. I taught myself how to juggle in high school, but (like most things that involved physical dexterity) I realised that I'd never be able to do it to performance standard. I have the physical grace and natural elegance of a walrus on land.
If I practiced really hard, I would get better at it – but I'd still never get to performance standard.
"What was the point of learning how to do something that's for performance if you know you'll never perform?" my teenaged self thought.
But! Then I discovered that there are people all over the world who... just juggle. They don't do it for audiences, they to it to move. Like riding a bike or running even though you have no intention of ever competing, you can juggle just for the fun of juggling even if you have no intention of ever performing.
Oh, and you can actually juggle competitively.
I have no intention of doing that, either.
In the grand scheme of things it's a bit like using a skipping rope. You have a small, inexpensive piece of equipment that allows you to essentially travel without moving.
You can just have a light juggle, and get as much exercise in as you would if you were going for a light walk, or you can ramp it up and make it more involved and intense with bigger or faster movements and more points of body contact.
Between a set of three juggling balls and a footbag (hacky sack) I have a "gym" I can (and do) take with me wherever I go.
Does this mean I juggle all the time and I'm very good at it? No. And, also, no. But I could.
Sometimes I get on a bit of a streak and I'll start juggling regularly for a few weeks, sometimes I'll go months without picking up a ball.
Sometimes I'll pull my travelling balls out of my bag and juggle in the hotel a few times while I'm on holidays. Sometimes they'll never leave my bag for the whole trip.
But, I enjoy it whenever I do it, and I don't worry about how often I drop the balls (picking them up is part of the movement) or failing to get a certain trick again (given my walrusness, I'm doing well just to juggle at all – and no one is watching, so who cares?).
If you're looking for a low-impact exercise that you can do in the comfort of your own home that costs very little, I thoroughly recommend juggling. It's good for your brain, good for your joints, and a half-decent cardio workout.
Way more fun than a treadmill, and decidedly better value for money.
*I'm not very good at Mills Mess
