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Exercise can fundamentally change our 
perception of ourselves. 
At Tough Mudder, an annual obstacle marathon 
that now happens all over the world, participants 
face terrifying physical obstacles with names 
such as “Arctic Enema,” “Boa Constrictor,” or 
“Ladder to Hell.” For the final obstacle on the 
course, “Electroshock Therapy,” participants 
have to run through curtains of wires electrified 
with up to 10,000 volts.
Why, you might ask yourself, would anyone 
subject themselves to such torture?
Well, facing our fears by overcoming physical 
challenges can completely transform our 
understanding of what we are capable of – and 
become a tremendous source of empowerment. 
The self-stated goal of the people who come up 
with the Tough Mudder obstacles is not to 
torture people, but to create challenges that 
encourage them to overcome common phobias 
– of height, cold, of confined spaces – and 
provide them with a sense of confidence, 
bravery, and comradery.
Psychologically, the key to transforming fear into 
courage seems to be giving subjects an element 
of control. When rats are shocked by an 
experimenter with no control over when or for 
how long the shocks are delivered, they become 
helpless, traumatized, and depressed. But when 
they are given the ability to turn off the shocks 
by turning a wheel, they bravely learn to do so – 
and become more resilient to future stress in the 
process.
Similarly, humans grow with their challenges. 
DPI Adaptive Fitness in Fairfax, Virginia, is a 
gym specializing in training those with physical 
constraints or disabilities. When trainees first 
come in, their trainer encourages them to set 
themselves a goal so high that many believe 
they will never achieve it. For example, when 
Joana Bonilla first arrived at DPI, she had just 
lost the use of her legs due to the autoimmune 
disease lupus. She thought she would never be 
able to drive again. With her trainer, she set the 
goal of being able to throw 100 punches in 30 
seconds, which would help her develop enough 
upper body strength to heave herself from her 
wheelchair into a car. After just three months of 
training, Joana was able to meet the goal, and 
just a few weeks later, she bought a new car.
Since your body is constantly sending feedback 
to your brain, mastering an uncomfortable, 
impossible-seeming physical challenge can 
literally transform your sense of self. Performing 
a powerful feat, for example, sends a message 
to your brain that you are powerful. In this way, 
exercise can challenge even our most deeply 
held beliefs about ourselves – as many DPI 
trainees can attest.

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