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That's a completely stupid idea that will never work, as is obvious to anyone who's actually ever attempted to get people to do things. It fails on so many leve

by swombat 16y ago

That's a completely stupid idea that will never work, as is obvious to anyone who's actually ever attempted to get people to do things. It fails on so many levels that it's not really even possible to write a concise, structured rebuttal of it. Off the top of my head: - Too weird, most normal people won't do it - Not everyone gives a damn about video games - Too much of a financial risk for gyms to sign up to such a system - Too much of a financial risk for someone to build such a system for gyms to sign up to - Too difficult to get everyone to agree on a game - Probably wouldn't make all that much difference to the total amount of exercise being done, as it would turn off as many people as it turns on Basically, this idea could work, so long as it was effectively free to implement. So, by the time physical and informational resources are that cheap, do you really think that no one will have figured out something more efficient than gyms to work out? Next: "How to make everyone happier: just get all the warlords to agree to peace."

gmac 16y ago
I disagree. I think it sounds great. It deals with two of the key things I like least about my gym: * It's a space with so many social possibilities, but 95% of the time everyone acts as if everyone else were invisible. * All I get for entertainment is banks of TVs with mind-numbing rolling news coverage, mind-numbing sports, and mind-numbing (and slightly pornographic) music videos. If I wasn't in the middle of a PhD I'd be tempted to have a go myself.
9oliYQjP 16y ago
As somebody who works out a lot, this idea does not appeal to me. I put myself in the shoes of people who attend aerobics and cycling classes (I strictly do free weights and the occasional cardio machine). And even then, I think this would be a turnoff to them. Yes, they like the encouragement of having an instructor and the pressure of keeping up with their classmates. But generally they would be turned off by having to compete against another team. It might sound sexist, but a lot of the people who attend classes at my gym are women and there is more of an air of the class being like schoolyard skipping rope than competitive team sport. The focus is on cooperation amongst the team itself, but not in an effort to beat some opponent.

by swombat 16y ago

gmac 16y ago

I disagree. I think it sounds great. It deals with two of the key things I like least about my gym: * It's a space with so many social possibilities, but 95% of the time everyone acts as if everyone else were invisible. * All I get for entertainment is banks of TVs with mind-numbing rolling news coverage, mind-numbing sports, and mind-numbing (and slightly pornographic) music videos. If I wasn't in the middle of a PhD I'd be tempted to have a go myself.

9oliYQjP 16y ago

As somebody who works out a lot, this idea does not appeal to me. I put myself in the shoes of people who attend aerobics and cycling classes (I strictly do free weights and the occasional cardio machine). And even then, I think this would be a turnoff to them. Yes, they like the encouragement of having an instructor and the pressure of keeping up with their classmates. But generally they would be turned off by having to compete against another team. It might sound sexist, but a lot of the people who attend classes at my gym are women and there is more of an air of the class being like schoolyard skipping rope than competitive team sport. The focus is on cooperation amongst the team itself, but not in an effort to beat some opponent.