18 ms·

>A regimented dancelike experience, as in aerobics or Zumba, is fine, but unsupervised dance moves reek of hedonism, and working out is supposed to be a form of

>A regimented dancelike experience, as in aerobics or Zumba, is fine, but unsupervised dance moves reek of hedonism, and working out is supposed to be a form of work. Most people come with a plan like “legs and shoulders today” or “forty-five minutes of cardio and fifteen minutes of abs,” usually preceded by a warm-up and topped off with several minutes of stretching on a mat. >[Insert:] Despite the pulsing pop music and comfortable clothes, gyms are not sites of spontaneity and play. >Working out very much resembles work, or a curious blend of physical labor and office work. Members not only lift weights, for example; they often carry clipboards on which to record the number of reps and sets and the amount of weight lifted for each workout, like a supervisor monitoring a factory worker’s performance. God forbid people set goals for their bodies and approach them in an efficient, systematic manner instead of running around like children. This article is beyond useless, and there are few things I find more pathetic and loathsome than condescending social critics who squeeze other people's pursuits into their sentimental, rigor-averse narrative. Any lifestyle or socio-economic conclusions drawn from this set of assumptions about how a gym ought to be are just begging the question.

hnuser1234 9y ago
Author seems rather self-aware, article is filed under /outbursts/.
- verylittlemeat 9y ago
  If you don't like to exercise just don't do it. You don't need to come up with a cultural conspiracy to feel secure about not liking the gym. I've run into people like this before who feel personally attacked because they "don't understand" why person likes X. It's always invariably something they think their culture is saying is good so they have to fire preemptive strikes against others (who are just trying to have a good time) for the sake of their own ego. Rather than shitting in other people's cornflakes why not just find something you do enjoy?
  - te_chris 9y ago
    No one forced you to read it.
    - verylittlemeat 9y ago
      I read it because the title seemed interesting and I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt. What does that have to do with my criticism of it?
    - zaarn 9y ago
      "Don't like, don't read" and similar statements aren't a counter argument. (I usually do see them on fanfiction websites though) Criticism of an article is totally valid, there are plenty of frontpage HN posts where people disagree with an author in the comments. And that's good, the author put out this article precisely because they wanted someone to read it and think about it (even if they disagree afterwards) (atleast most proper blog authors and journalists do that for think-pieces and commentaries)
      - te_chris 9y ago
        "If you don't like to exercise just don't do it. You don't need to come up with a cultural conspiracy to feel secure about not liking the gym." I agree with you, I was merely replying to absurdity with absurdity. Parent's criticism challenged the existence of the piece, not the substance.
        verylittlemeat 9y ago
        The substance of the article is so thin it would be hard to criticize it without questioning its existence. I wasn't being facetious, the author seems to really believe that exercising at the gym is a moralizing corporate conspiracy. Why should anyone take that premise seriously when every school age child knows that humanity has valued athleticism and fitness since at least the time of Ancient Greece?
  - apatters 9y ago
lolc 9y ago
> running around like children > their sentimental, rigor-averse narrative Me, I experience a positive correlation between gym-affinity and tediousness in the people I meet. > there are few things I find more pathetic and loathsome than condescending social critics Do you perchance derive a feeling of superiority from your rigorosity?
- igor47 9y ago
  ah, the knife cuts both ways. do you perchance enjoy a feeling of superiority when you use the term "sportsball"? how much more cerebral and refined you must be than those sweaty grunts! i find people who spend their days "coding for fun" or whatever tedious, but i don't attempt to ascribe their habits to sinister cultural forces or paint them as self-obsessed egotistical narcissists
  - lolc 9y ago
    As is evidenced by my comments I'm more refined than anybody else around here! Myself included.
  - eadmund 9y ago
    > do you perchance enjoy a feeling of superiority when you use the term "sportsball"? Yes, because I'm a grown man who doesn't feel a deep emotional need to watch a bunch of men wearing spandex running around on some grass. Playing sports is a really awesome thing, and everyone should do it. Enjoying the occasional game is probably okay. Following sports is IMHO a kind of mentally unhealthy extended adolescence. > i find people who spend their days "coding for fun" or whatever tedious I am tedious — but fortunately we live in a world where people with my kind of tedious personality are well-rewarded for our skills. A few centuries ago and no doubt I'd have starved to death.
- ZoF 9y ago
  tips fedora
- homonculus1 9y ago
  >Do you perchance derive a feeling of superiority from your rigorosity? Guess again, I haven't been to the gym in some time so my ego isn't at stake here. I look down on this article precisely because it couches a malicious attack in pseudo-innocent terms, not because it has anything to do with me.
wastedhours 9y ago
It's something I butted up against several times in my previous role (hence now why I'm a "former" CMO...). I worked at a group fitness company, really great concept which blends play and HIIT to create an inclusive, fun workout (essentially running around like children in sharp bursts, which is ultra effective). I kept trying to push the notion that we shouldn't be trying to convince people that they hate the gym, or that they should embrace group exercise when it's not right for them. However, it's worth noting that broadly, the numbers back it up that the majority of people just don't like the gym regime. Churn, vacancy rates, MRR... all point to people trying to force themselves to do it, and then give up because they don't like it (50% will quit before 6 months - sure, it might be they achieve their goals in that time, but attendance rates would probably indicate otherwise). My main critique of the piece is the lack of awareness that things like Zumba are specifically group exercises, randomly dancing in a normal gym is like body-popping in a morgue - if that's what you want to do, do it in a different place. As ever with opinion pieces like the article, one person bemoaning other people's workouts isn't helpful. It's almost as if we are an amazingly diverse species with different drivers and motivations, isn't it?
mercurysmessage 9y ago
Also, if you don't want to work out at a traditional style gym and want something more fun, just go do Judo, Boxing/Kickboxing, or BJJ.
dang 9y ago
This comment breaks the HN guidelines, specifically the one that asks you not to call names in arguments (e.g. "pathetic", "loathsome", "condescending"). I understand the temptation to do this—I have to resist it all the time myself, and sometimes succumb. But it really is just verbal discharge, not information. We're hoping for the opposite here. Could you please (re-)read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the spirit of this site when commenting here? The idea is: if you have a substantive point to make, make it thoughtfully; if you don't, please don't comment until you do.

hnuser1234 9y ago

Author seems rather self-aware, article is filed under /outbursts/.

verylittlemeat 9y ago
If you don't like to exercise just don't do it. You don't need to come up with a cultural conspiracy to feel secure about not liking the gym. I've run into people like this before who feel personally attacked because they "don't understand" why person likes X. It's always invariably something they think their culture is saying is good so they have to fire preemptive strikes against others (who are just trying to have a good time) for the sake of their own ego. Rather than shitting in other people's cornflakes why not just find something you do enjoy?
- te_chris 9y ago
  No one forced you to read it.
  - verylittlemeat 9y ago
    I read it because the title seemed interesting and I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt. What does that have to do with my criticism of it?
  - zaarn 9y ago
    "Don't like, don't read" and similar statements aren't a counter argument. (I usually do see them on fanfiction websites though) Criticism of an article is totally valid, there are plenty of frontpage HN posts where people disagree with an author in the comments. And that's good, the author put out this article precisely because they wanted someone to read it and think about it (even if they disagree afterwards) (atleast most proper blog authors and journalists do that for think-pieces and commentaries)
    - te_chris 9y ago
      "If you don't like to exercise just don't do it. You don't need to come up with a cultural conspiracy to feel secure about not liking the gym." I agree with you, I was merely replying to absurdity with absurdity. Parent's criticism challenged the existence of the piece, not the substance.
      - verylittlemeat 9y ago
        The substance of the article is so thin it would be hard to criticize it without questioning its existence. I wasn't being facetious, the author seems to really believe that exercising at the gym is a moralizing corporate conspiracy. Why should anyone take that premise seriously when every school age child knows that humanity has valued athleticism and fitness since at least the time of Ancient Greece?
- apatters 9y ago

lolc 9y ago

> running around like children > their sentimental, rigor-averse narrative Me, I experience a positive correlation between gym-affinity and tediousness in the people I meet. > there are few things I find more pathetic and loathsome than condescending social critics Do you perchance derive a feeling of superiority from your rigorosity?

igor47 9y ago
ah, the knife cuts both ways. do you perchance enjoy a feeling of superiority when you use the term "sportsball"? how much more cerebral and refined you must be than those sweaty grunts! i find people who spend their days "coding for fun" or whatever tedious, but i don't attempt to ascribe their habits to sinister cultural forces or paint them as self-obsessed egotistical narcissists
- lolc 9y ago
  As is evidenced by my comments I'm more refined than anybody else around here! Myself included.
- eadmund 9y ago
  > do you perchance enjoy a feeling of superiority when you use the term "sportsball"? Yes, because I'm a grown man who doesn't feel a deep emotional need to watch a bunch of men wearing spandex running around on some grass. Playing sports is a really awesome thing, and everyone should do it. Enjoying the occasional game is probably okay. Following sports is IMHO a kind of mentally unhealthy extended adolescence. > i find people who spend their days "coding for fun" or whatever tedious I am tedious — but fortunately we live in a world where people with my kind of tedious personality are well-rewarded for our skills. A few centuries ago and no doubt I'd have starved to death.
ZoF 9y ago
tips fedora
homonculus1 9y ago
>Do you perchance derive a feeling of superiority from your rigorosity? Guess again, I haven't been to the gym in some time so my ego isn't at stake here. I look down on this article precisely because it couches a malicious attack in pseudo-innocent terms, not because it has anything to do with me.

wastedhours 9y ago

It's something I butted up against several times in my previous role (hence now why I'm a "former" CMO...). I worked at a group fitness company, really great concept which blends play and HIIT to create an inclusive, fun workout (essentially running around like children in sharp bursts, which is ultra effective). I kept trying to push the notion that we shouldn't be trying to convince people that they hate the gym, or that they should embrace group exercise when it's not right for them. However, it's worth noting that broadly, the numbers back it up that the majority of people just don't like the gym regime. Churn, vacancy rates, MRR... all point to people trying to force themselves to do it, and then give up because they don't like it (50% will quit before 6 months - sure, it might be they achieve their goals in that time, but attendance rates would probably indicate otherwise). My main critique of the piece is the lack of awareness that things like Zumba are specifically group exercises, randomly dancing in a normal gym is like body-popping in a morgue - if that's what you want to do, do it in a different place. As ever with opinion pieces like the article, one person bemoaning other people's workouts isn't helpful. It's almost as if we are an amazingly diverse species with different drivers and motivations, isn't it?

mercurysmessage 9y ago

Also, if you don't want to work out at a traditional style gym and want something more fun, just go do Judo, Boxing/Kickboxing, or BJJ.

dang 9y ago

This comment breaks the HN guidelines, specifically the one that asks you not to call names in arguments (e.g. "pathetic", "loathsome", "condescending"). I understand the temptation to do this—I have to resist it all the time myself, and sometimes succumb. But it really is just verbal discharge, not information. We're hoping for the opposite here. Could you please (re-)read https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the spirit of this site when commenting here? The idea is: if you have a substantive point to make, make it thoughtfully; if you don't, please don't comment until you do.