As human beings, we have many motives for the things that we do. We are not immune from having fragile egos nor inoculated from social pressures. These things shape our lives in sport and at play.

A couple of months back, I took the Marshfield Tennis Club up on their invitation for me to join their Sunday morning tennis matches. A bit more exercise would serve me well and I am a tennis player. It is probably how I most strongly identified myself for about half of my life. This being said, I did have to dust off the rackets, dig the sneakers out from the back of the closet, and buy some Tourna grip in order to get back to the court.

I am a handful of weeks out of tennis “retirement” and was particularly struck by this past Sunday’s match. Of the four people on our court, I am not sure anyone could consistently remember what the score of the match was. After a few moments of deliberation and consultation, we figured it out… only to forget it a handful of points later. We are not well aged and of questionable memory. The score mattered - each player seemed to find a few more MPHs on their serves or deviousness in their shot selection when games were on the line. Yet time and time again we grasped to remember the score.

I can only truly speak for myself, but I do believe we all got in a good workout, played a nice level of tennis, and genuinely enjoyed ourselves. If we were not playing to win, I do not think we could have enjoyed the morning so much. Yet, winning never seemed to be a great concern. I managed to use my frame rather than the strings on a handful of relatively straightforward volleys – I was humbled but managed to smile was ready to play the next point. If anyone put on a particularly hideous display of tennis aptitude, I think the club would invite them back to play again. Winning mattered, we all have egos, and tennis is social, yet none of this seemed to take the "play” out of playing tennis.

In sports, so much time is spent searching for the elusive “zone.” Yet turning over unturned stones and peering down dark corridors in search of mystical experiences on the playing field seems quite silly, when one realizes that a good workout, a good performance, and some good fun lies in plain sight. Eastern philosophies of non-judgment and selflessness may be onto something when considering exercise. In his research over the past handful of decades, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has found that “flow” is possible regularly when one engages in an activity that intrinsically enjoyable. The more we can let go of “looking good” around the playing field and striving towards some ESPN created, athletic standard, the more we can thrive.

We played a lot of tennis. I still remain a bit unclear on who won what and when. I do plan on trying to win the next time we play… but I really hope it is not at the cost of the workout, laughter, and good strokes that I managed to find on Sunday.

Note: If you are on the South Shore and want to be part of a nice tennis community check out the Marshfield Tennis Club and support the Peter Igo Park Initiative.

Dr. Adam Naylor leads Telos Sport Psychology Consulting and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Boston University’s School of Education. He has a decade and a half of experiences working with professional through amateur athletes – of note: US Open competitors, NCAA champions, Olympians, Stanley Cup winners, and UFC martial artists. Beyond sports, over the past five years he has served as a corporate performance and wellness consultant. He can be reached at adam@telos-spc.com. Follow him on Twitter @ahnaylor.

This Sunday I'm running my first ever 5-mile race.

Weird, right? I've racked up the race miles running 5Ks, 10Ks, a half-marathon (and am now training for my first full marathon in October), but this will be my first 5-miler.

But that's not really important.

What's important is that race isn't about pace for me. It isn't about just finishing. It is about running for all of those who can't.

Boston's Run to Remember is a race to honor those law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty. This year, given all that has happened in the past month, that seems like more than enough of a reason to run.

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By Ryan Healy

Ryan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

This week, Healy answers a reader question about that 'fat-burning' zone on most cardio equipment you see in gyms.

Q. If my goal is weight loss, should I be using the fat burning mode on the cardio machines when I workout?

A. Great question! The fat burning zones that are listed on the cardio machines are a bit misleading. Let me explain why.

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Happy Monday, kids!

Well, I had quite the weekend: Running dates with new friends, gabbing over coffee, gorgeous weather -- it was lovely.

When I wasn't out enjoying the company of awesome people, I spent time putting away all those winter clothes (I hang on to them as long as I can because this is New England after all, and I'm always freezing).

In the process of doing that, I did a wee bit of spring cleaning by trying on random clothing articles I hadn't worn since before starting this blog just to see if they fit again.

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Regular workouts keep me in decent shape. But I’m always looking for ways to get faster, stronger, and more flexible. There are a myriad of options out there, which can be overwhelming for beginners and seasoned athletes alike. I’ll play the role of guinea pig and review some of the new and unusual exercise classes being offered around the region, with the hope you’ll find one that appeals to you and gets you moving. If you would like to suggest a workout for me to try, tweet me @apoztv.

Leading lady Jennifer Aniston credits her sculpted physique to it. So, too, do actress Nicole Kidman and "Dancing with the Stars" host Brooke Burke. I’m talking about the Lagree Fitness Method, which was created by celebrity trainer Sebastien Lagree. It is billed as a unique combo of Pilates, strength training, and cardio, and results in a high-intensity, low-impact workout.

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This week, I had some really ugly miles in me. I've written about ugly miles before, and how I think they make me stronger, but that doesn't mean I like them.

Here's a quick and dirty list of what I think are the worst things that contribute to ugly miles:

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Nick Downing is in his second season as the New England Revolution’s strength and conditioning coach, a position that was created with the hiring of head coach Jay Heaps. This is Downing’s second go-around with the club, having previously played for the Revs a decade ago.

In his current position, Downing is responsible for developing and enhancing the Revolution players’ speed, strength and endurance, as well as their overall conditioning and fitness in conjunction with both the coaching and medical staffs. Through an integrated approach – including weight training, cardiovascular training, plyometrics, and nutrition – Downing has created both position-specific and individual programs to help the Revs emerge as of Major League Soccer’s most fit teams.

Downing transitioned into the fitness profession, earning certifications from the National Strength & Conditioning Association, USA Track & Field, Functional Movement Systems and Kettlebell Concepts.

He has worked in the metro Boston area since 2005 as a fitness professional, most recently at Pure Performance Training in Needham, Mass. His clientele has included professional soccer, hockey and football players, collegiate athletes, marathoners and tri-athletes. Downing specializes in sport-specific training, including soccer- specific skill development.

Nick will answer your training questions at 11:30 a.m., May 24. Check out Nick's latest post while you're at it, too: Getting out of a rut by embracing unpopular exercises

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By Ryan Healy

Ryan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

Summer is fast approaching, and if you're looking for some new core exercises to challenge and strengthen your midsection, give these highly effective five a try!

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Let's start today off with a fact you may not know about me: I have perfect pitch.

This little-known fact could explain something you already know about me if you read this blog regularly: Why I like finding a rhythm and pattern in everyday life; why some people's voices really grate on my nerves; and why I think running is as much like writing as it is like music.

Writing and music both have structures and patterns -- something that bring order to the chaos that is made up of words or notes.

Running has structure, too, just as a song has a chorus. There are a few things, in my mind, that a run comes back to time and again.

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Several dear friends of mine have recently celebrated major milestone birthdays (Happy Birthday, kids!). And this got me to thinking (scary, I know).

What things do I want to accomplish before I hit my next birthday? What things do I want to do before I die?

At the beginning of the year, I gave you a peek at my list of goals (remember, I hate the word "resolutions") and decided I need to revisit it. Here's the list to jog your memory (with things I've accomplished already crossed out):

1. Manage to bust out a five-minute #plankAday
2. Try a Spartan Race/Warrior Dash/Tough Mudder obstacle course
3. Run another half marathon (I know, I didn't think I'd say that anytime soon either) UPDATE: I changed this to run a marathon
4. Get under 30 minutes for my 5K pace
5. Master a pull-up
6. Run 10 5Ks (yes, 10, a completely arbitrary number, but more than the four I ran this year)
7. Master one really amazing, super-healthy recipe that will become my go-to dish when I'm in a pinch (I have to remember to post the recipe for you kids)
8. Jump out of a plane. Yes, I want to go skydiving. Always have. This year I'm vowing to do it.
9. Get back into rock climbing
10. Get back into rowing (any Simmons alum want to get a four together!?)
11. Find a good yoga class that fits my schedule (this is going to be super difficult)
12. Teach my son it's fun to try something hard
13. Run more. Laugh more. With friends.

If you ask me (and I'm my toughest critic), I'm making solid progress on crushing this list by the end of the year.

But, as you know, I like adding things as I go along. My theory is the more I challenge myself, the more fun I have, and the more I stick with *something* (be it running or otherwise).

So, here's my question for you: What do you want to do? What's on your list? Drop me a comment, e-mail, or tweet @BeWellBoston with your answer.

By Ryan Healy

Ryan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

If you’re like many people trying to lose weight, you might regularly check in with the scale to gauge your progress. If results are slow, or the numbers don’t reflect your hard work, frustration can follow. Preoccupation with these numbers and allowing the scale to dictate your mood can become typical. However, there are some things the scale doesn’t show you. It doesn’t indicate the composition of the weight you’re losing. Is it water, muscle, or fat? The numbers on the scale also don’t reflect your confidence, self-respect, or character, so don’t let it beat you up! Here are four alternate methods to use when charting fat loss progress.

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By Nick Downing, Strength & Conditioning Coach, New England Revolution

I was thinking about ruts recently, and how quickly our Revolution players get comfortable with new exercises, lifts and drills. Changing up routines can be an unpopular decision for a few weeks, but people quickly acclimate and conquer new approaches. Did they get stronger directly because of the changes? Partly. But really, it’s because they tried something new and built a weakness into a strength. FULL ENTRY

Hi all.

I've missed you. @BeWellBoston had kind of an epic nine days at a fellowship, and then I celebrated my RANiversary by re-running the same race that got me started exactly one year ago yesterday.

In a phrase: It was awesome.

But I know you all too well for that to be enough of a summary. So here's my breakdown.

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Another academic year is coming to an end and wisdom has been gained… no more so than in PE 505. Seventeen graduate students studying coaching and sport psychology undertook the challenge of playing sport science mythbusters in their final papers. They examined topics ranging from exercise during pregnancy to inspiratory muscle training to various diet trends. After sitting back and listening to these topics being discussed, some common messages became clear:

Un-Brand Your Wellness. Trademarked fitness and nutritional programs are well intentioned, yet tend to drift towards extremes and promote a rigid view of health and exercise. Wellness zealotry seems too often to be unwell in reality. Trademarked programs are exciting and provide unique twists, the wise consumer supplements them with some wise traditional health decisions.

Coaching Matters. Even the best workout program can go terribly astray when under the watch of an under-qualified fitness instructor. A good coach is appropriately credentialed and modifies programs to individual wellness needs. The American College of Sports Medicine and National Strength and Conditioning Association are two organizations that can assist in the process of considering personal trainer credentials.

Healthy Risks. Sport and exercise comes with risks. Running long distances can beat up the body, but with appropriate rest and recovery it makes good sense for mind and body. High school football comes with the all too scary risks of head trauma, yet in a well coached environment the exercise and self-discipline benefits cannot be overlooked. Being sedentary and gluttonous has little wellness value, play hard and often.

Excess = Unhealthy = Injury. There are so many interesting and motivating ways to exercise, diet, and live well. This being said, excess in any are counterproductive. It is fun for youth ball players to pitch - yet a high pitch count is far more dangerous than throwing curveballs was once thought to be. Exercising during a normal pregnancy seems to be healthy - adding intensity that trumps pre-pregnancy levels can prove to be dangerous for mother and child. Exercise balance while exercising.

Putting a scientific mind to the fads, trends, and truisms of exercise is an important process. The landscape seems to be littered with new diet books, fantastical fitness programs, and health technology that beeps and buzzes. There truly seems to be something for everyone. That being said, the above notes allow for most wise investments of time, money, stress, and strain. The academic’s eye belongs beyond the ivory towers of colleges and universities, but in the gyms, on the fields, and everywhere that play happens.

If you are interested in reading the work of these sport science students from Boston University's School of Education drop me an e-mail. Topics for the semester included: the paleo diet, juicing, inspiratory training, neurofeedback training, concussions in high school football, sport specialization, Crossfit, youth throwing curveballs, pilates, yoga for rehabiliation, post-workout recovery drinks, pre-workout drinks, ultramarathoning, exercising while pregnant, and more.

Dr. Adam Naylor leads Telos Sport Psychology Consulting and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Boston University’s School of Education. He has a decade and a half of experiences working with professional through amateur athletes – of note: US Open competitors, NCAA champions, Olympians, Stanley Cup winners, and UFC martial artists. Beyond sports, over the past five years he has served as a corporate performance and wellness consultant. He can be reached at adam@telos-spc.com. Follow him on Twitter @ahnaylor.

For the first time I am very, very nervous about an upcoming race.

I'm not nervous because I want to run fast (even though I do actually have a pace in mind for the first time). It's not because it's a particularly hard course -- although those two hills were brutal as I recall them.

Instead, I am nervous because I am running the race that started my journey, which has somehow prompted me to look beyond my running goals to my overall life goals.

Who knew running could get inside your head like that? (Perhaps sneakers should come with a disclaimer?)

Let me explain that last sentence in the easiest terms possible.

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By Ryan Healy

Ryan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

When starting an exercise program, many people begin with endurance exercises such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming. This is understandable because these activities are typically familiar to us, and the benefits are widely known. Though when it comes to resistance training, few people know how to properly execute common exercises (squat, push-up, chin-up, etc.), or why they should be strength training, other than the obvious benefit which its name implies, to get stronger.

Allow me to shed a little light on why strength training should be an integral part of your workout routine.

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"Ride as One."

This is the quote on the back of the T-shirt they gave me for pedaling in Tim Johnson's Ride on Washington.

On Sunday, thirteen cyclists who set out from Boston completed this journey, what may be America's toughest fund-raiser bike ride.

A group of cyclists stood before the Capitol Building April 28 in Washington, D.C., after pedaling from Boston in the third edition of Tim Johnson's Ride on Washington. Photo by Emma Fries.

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This post is from my friend and colleague, Ed, who is a cyclist and videojournalist here at Boston.com/The Boston Globe. He's going to contribute to the Get Moving blog from time to time with updates from the cycling world. He's riding from Boston to D.C., with updates from the road logged here.

Ed Medina, Dir. Multimedia Development / Boston Globe

It's hard to fully describe how tired I am after yesterday's incredibly long ride to NYC from Hartford.

Here's a few stats from my Garmin:

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I feel like a dishrag that's been used over and over and wrung out so many times it is nearly threadbare.

It has been a rough few weeks here in Boston, hasn't it?

So, I'm eternally grateful life has handed me a change of pace for a few days.

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By Ryan Healy

Ryan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

It might come as a surprise to you, but even fitness professionals occasionally lack motivation to exercise or eat well. There are times when I’d rather take a nap or tackle my never ending to-do list than hit the gym. What I do to stay on track, and what can help you too, is to create a figurative motivation toolbox; something to keep you focused on your health and fitness journey, or to fall back on when the impetus to exercise wanes. Here are several ideas on what to develop or include.

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