Exercise is a meditative experience! Pushing the body to its limits necessarily changes the mind's experience, and it can help you to cope with any external stress, and solidifies the principle of growth through hardship. You exercise, you break down your own muscle tissue, which then regenerates as an adaptation to the stress, and you become physically stronger.
I agree - IMO, meditation's benefits pale in comparison to the benefits of regular exercise. That's not to diminish the benefits of meditation but to emphasis the benefits of exercise. I find that with regular exercise, I am much less prone to depression and anger.
"I find that with regular exercise, I am much less prone to depression and anger." Agreed. I think meditation touches upon a different aspect of our everyday lives: it makes us more self-aware and makes us want to think clearly in any given situation. And we learn to calm ourselves even in the most unnerving situations.