4 ms·

> It's crazy how people will deprioritze their health. It should always be a person's #1 priority to live as long as possible. My #1 priority is to achieve my

> It's crazy how people will deprioritze their health. It should always be a person's #1 priority to live as long as possible. My #1 priority is to achieve my goals and have fun. If that means I die earlier so be it. I do exercise in ways I find fun, but I will not go to a gym and lift weights just because it increases my chances of living long enough to enjoy my pension. The real challenge in life is not to live the longest, but to have lived a life worth living.

toxik 8y ago
Why, and what does that mean? Rampant hedonism? Human intellect fails miserably at justifying existence at any level. If we look at what people have valued historically, health does seem important.
- comboy 8y ago
  You can switch fun to whatever you find meaningful or whatever you want to optimize for. Optimizing for longevity is one option, but you would never go full in on it (would you kill an innocent child to live one second longer?). So why would it be surprising that weight assigned to it varies among different people? Btw I agree with him, I think that's what you really want, but you want your fun. Not fun as perceived by other people. It does not necessarily mean pleasure.
- systemizer 8y ago
  I think the point being stated is that exercising shouldn't be seen as a means to an end for living-the-longest-life.
fizx 8y ago
Do you also not brush your teeth? Strength training can be as simple as doing one of squats, pushups, or pullups every day. Work towards 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps. Add weight (or reduce assistance) as necessary. You've just made a huge difference in how your body feels, and it takes as much time each day as brushing and flossing your teeth.
- graeme 8y ago
  I agree with you, but someone couldn't do the squats portion at home without a squat rack, right? Or substituting something like pistols. I definitely think all homes should have a pullup bar. They can be had cheaply, and easily attached to doorframes. A good way to add quickly pulling motions for $30.
  - fizx 8y ago
    Do body-weight squats to start, but do more of them. Then grab a couple 30lb dumbbells and hold them while you squat. If you can do 100 squats holding 30lb dumbbells, you are way ahead of the curve.
    - graeme 8y ago
      Fair enough. Structurally, are dumbbell squats safe like barbell squats? Or are they only good at lower weights? I may try higher rep dumbbell squats, I've been looking for a way to workout purely at home. Is there a deadlift targeting version too?
      - fizx 8y ago
        Dumbbell squats are safe, but I don't like doing as much weight as I do with bar squats, because I find 60+lb dumbbells very hard to manage. I also prefer using one dumbbell held with both hands (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3siyLMUr_Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3siyLMUr_Q) to holding a dumbbell in each hand. I think its easier to maintain good form engaging the posterior chain, but ymmv. I've never liked deadlifts personally, so I'm a bad person to ask. I tend to target lower back with back extension machines, or supermans if no machines around.
- armada651 8y ago
  I floss once every two days and convincing myself that spending just that extra amount of time on oral hygiene is worth it took years. I exercise by riding my mountainbike up and down hills. Which I find to actually be fun instead of feeling like I'm wasting my time. I've also done team sports during my student years, which was also a case of getting exercise while having fun doing it. Some people have fun doing gym exercises and that's great for them. However I don't think you'll ever convince the majority of the population to hit the gym or do home exercises just to stay healthy. We should find more ways to make all kinds of sports more accessible, so everyone can find the method of exercise that they enjoy.

toxik 8y ago

Why, and what does that mean? Rampant hedonism? Human intellect fails miserably at justifying existence at any level. If we look at what people have valued historically, health does seem important.

comboy 8y ago
You can switch fun to whatever you find meaningful or whatever you want to optimize for. Optimizing for longevity is one option, but you would never go full in on it (would you kill an innocent child to live one second longer?). So why would it be surprising that weight assigned to it varies among different people? Btw I agree with him, I think that's what you really want, but you want your fun. Not fun as perceived by other people. It does not necessarily mean pleasure.
systemizer 8y ago
I think the point being stated is that exercising shouldn't be seen as a means to an end for living-the-longest-life.

fizx 8y ago

Do you also not brush your teeth? Strength training can be as simple as doing one of squats, pushups, or pullups every day. Work towards 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps. Add weight (or reduce assistance) as necessary. You've just made a huge difference in how your body feels, and it takes as much time each day as brushing and flossing your teeth.

graeme 8y ago
I agree with you, but someone couldn't do the squats portion at home without a squat rack, right? Or substituting something like pistols. I definitely think all homes should have a pullup bar. They can be had cheaply, and easily attached to doorframes. A good way to add quickly pulling motions for $30.
- fizx 8y ago
  Do body-weight squats to start, but do more of them. Then grab a couple 30lb dumbbells and hold them while you squat. If you can do 100 squats holding 30lb dumbbells, you are way ahead of the curve.
  - graeme 8y ago
    Fair enough. Structurally, are dumbbell squats safe like barbell squats? Or are they only good at lower weights? I may try higher rep dumbbell squats, I've been looking for a way to workout purely at home. Is there a deadlift targeting version too?
    - fizx 8y ago
      Dumbbell squats are safe, but I don't like doing as much weight as I do with bar squats, because I find 60+lb dumbbells very hard to manage. I also prefer using one dumbbell held with both hands (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3siyLMUr_Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3siyLMUr_Q) to holding a dumbbell in each hand. I think its easier to maintain good form engaging the posterior chain, but ymmv. I've never liked deadlifts personally, so I'm a bad person to ask. I tend to target lower back with back extension machines, or supermans if no machines around.
armada651 8y ago
I floss once every two days and convincing myself that spending just that extra amount of time on oral hygiene is worth it took years. I exercise by riding my mountainbike up and down hills. Which I find to actually be fun instead of feeling like I'm wasting my time. I've also done team sports during my student years, which was also a case of getting exercise while having fun doing it. Some people have fun doing gym exercises and that's great for them. However I don't think you'll ever convince the majority of the population to hit the gym or do home exercises just to stay healthy. We should find more ways to make all kinds of sports more accessible, so everyone can find the method of exercise that they enjoy.