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Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles. Similarly, you don’t need anything except a

Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles. Similarly, you don’t need anything except a chalk board to teach math and most other subjects.

partiallypro 7y ago
But you do need a computer to teach programming (generally.) The US has generally been about efficiency, there isn't much need wasting time on paper with a problem when we can understand the concept and solve the problem with a computer. That's my opinion of course, as an American. So I'm biased. When I was taking advanced math classes, my first thought when presented a concept was "how can I solve this by writing a calculator program to do it for me." Maybe that isn't common, I don't know, but while it might not be what everyone does...I think that is the American thinking on learning things.
- gowld 7y ago
  This is also why Dijkstra said Americans did hardware and programming while Europeans did theoretical computer science.
- silentwanderer 7y ago
  Mathematics and problem solving are not mutually exclusive - understanding one is usually a sign you understand the other. Programming is just a layer of abstraction over one of these things.
- rimliu 7y ago
  I actually am very glad that we did not have computers in my school at the end of the 80ies. This was in Lithuania, then a part of the USSR. We had programming classes, so without the computers we were taught the basic concepts: variables, assignment, conditions, loops. Just concepts in a pseudolanguage. Later, when I had access to the computers learning the languages boiled down to "what's the syntax for this concept?" And then writing my programs with a pen and paper because I had no computer at home for a few more years. Now I sometimes shake my head when I see comments like "I do not know programming, which language (or worse—fraamework) should I learn?" It is so tempting to say "duh, learn programming and worry about the languages later".
thaumasiotes 7y ago
> Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles. You may also need steroids, which Soviet body builders definitely used.
- seibelj 7y ago
  If you think only Soviet body builders were juicing, you are sorely mistaken. FYI I am the furthest thing from an ideological defender of the Soviet system as you will find. I am just stating some truths.
  - throwlaplace 7y ago
    i'm russian (born during the soviet era) and you're wrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_Russia#Background:_Soviet_era https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_Russia#Background:_S...
  - kabacha 7y ago
    I think it really depends on the time period. During the beginning of decline (past 70s until collapse) very few people really believed in Soviet ideologies and corruption was pretty much at the core of soviet lifestyle. Though before that I could definitely see any sort of doping would be very un-Soviet.
  - madengr 7y ago
    I remember the olympics in the 80’s. Pretty sure those 14 YO female, Romanian gymnasts had facial hair.
    - burpsnard 7y ago
      * trans women are women
  - roel_v 7y ago
    Why is that relevant to the discussion? The GP doesn't even mention anything about others. You are the one saying, literally, "Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles." which is patently false (when we talk about "body builder level" big) and then you get defensive when you are called out on it?
thisisnico 7y ago
Using only free weights and a pull-up bar will work. But it doesn't mean it's the most effective way to body-build. You can write a program from scratch in C to perform an task, or you could use all of the tools of your disposal to far more e f f e c t i v e l y complete the task, potentially without code. You don't need anything except a chalk board but there may be more effective ways to obtain the result you are looking for.
- seibelj 7y ago
  I have been working with a trainer for many years, and almost everything we do is with free weights and a bench. Free weights are much more difficult because you need to keep them stable. Machines trick you into thinking you are using more weight, but you are leveraging the machine. The only machines I like are leg press and cable machines that still make you keep stability. A true bench press with a bar is much better than a machine imitation of the same muscle groups.
  - thisisnico 7y ago
    It's generally better to work out with free-weights because of the stabilization aspect, yes. Saying that Free weights are better flat-out is wrong in my opinion. Every piece of equipment in the gym is a tool if used effectively and at the right time. Your "core" program will be done with free-weights yes, the other equipment is great for auxiliary uses that compliment your program. Machines are great for end of workout sets because you're likely already fairly fatigued and form may be compromised. You can get that little extra by using machines to ensure perfect form while also safely adding that extra stimulation for the muscle groups being trained.
google234123 7y ago
I don't believe you that Soviet body builders only used free weights. https://www.rbth.com/history/329827-bodybuilding-outlawed-in-ussr https://www.rbth.com/history/329827-bodybuilding-outlawed-in...
- parthdesai 7y ago
  If you believe it's only Soviet body builders who took steroids, you're in for a rude awakening.
  - google234123 7y ago
    When did I say that?

partiallypro 7y ago

But you do need a computer to teach programming (generally.) The US has generally been about efficiency, there isn't much need wasting time on paper with a problem when we can understand the concept and solve the problem with a computer. That's my opinion of course, as an American. So I'm biased. When I was taking advanced math classes, my first thought when presented a concept was "how can I solve this by writing a calculator program to do it for me." Maybe that isn't common, I don't know, but while it might not be what everyone does...I think that is the American thinking on learning things.

gowld 7y ago
This is also why Dijkstra said Americans did hardware and programming while Europeans did theoretical computer science.
silentwanderer 7y ago
Mathematics and problem solving are not mutually exclusive - understanding one is usually a sign you understand the other. Programming is just a layer of abstraction over one of these things.
rimliu 7y ago
I actually am very glad that we did not have computers in my school at the end of the 80ies. This was in Lithuania, then a part of the USSR. We had programming classes, so without the computers we were taught the basic concepts: variables, assignment, conditions, loops. Just concepts in a pseudolanguage. Later, when I had access to the computers learning the languages boiled down to "what's the syntax for this concept?" And then writing my programs with a pen and paper because I had no computer at home for a few more years. Now I sometimes shake my head when I see comments like "I do not know programming, which language (or worse—fraamework) should I learn?" It is so tempting to say "duh, learn programming and worry about the languages later".

thaumasiotes 7y ago

> Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles. You may also need steroids, which Soviet body builders definitely used.

seibelj 7y ago
If you think only Soviet body builders were juicing, you are sorely mistaken. FYI I am the furthest thing from an ideological defender of the Soviet system as you will find. I am just stating some truths.
- throwlaplace 7y ago
  i'm russian (born during the soviet era) and you're wrong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_Russia#Background:_Soviet_era https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_in_Russia#Background:_S...
- kabacha 7y ago
  I think it really depends on the time period. During the beginning of decline (past 70s until collapse) very few people really believed in Soviet ideologies and corruption was pretty much at the core of soviet lifestyle. Though before that I could definitely see any sort of doping would be very un-Soviet.
- madengr 7y ago
  I remember the olympics in the 80’s. Pretty sure those 14 YO female, Romanian gymnasts had facial hair.
  - burpsnard 7y ago
    * trans women are women
- roel_v 7y ago
  Why is that relevant to the discussion? The GP doesn't even mention anything about others. You are the one saying, literally, "Soviet body builders only used free weights and a pull-up bar. You don’t need anything but that to get big muscles." which is patently false (when we talk about "body builder level" big) and then you get defensive when you are called out on it?

thisisnico 7y ago

Using only free weights and a pull-up bar will work. But it doesn't mean it's the most effective way to body-build. You can write a program from scratch in C to perform an task, or you could use all of the tools of your disposal to far more e f f e c t i v e l y complete the task, potentially without code. You don't need anything except a chalk board but there may be more effective ways to obtain the result you are looking for.

seibelj 7y ago
I have been working with a trainer for many years, and almost everything we do is with free weights and a bench. Free weights are much more difficult because you need to keep them stable. Machines trick you into thinking you are using more weight, but you are leveraging the machine. The only machines I like are leg press and cable machines that still make you keep stability. A true bench press with a bar is much better than a machine imitation of the same muscle groups.
- thisisnico 7y ago
  It's generally better to work out with free-weights because of the stabilization aspect, yes. Saying that Free weights are better flat-out is wrong in my opinion. Every piece of equipment in the gym is a tool if used effectively and at the right time. Your "core" program will be done with free-weights yes, the other equipment is great for auxiliary uses that compliment your program. Machines are great for end of workout sets because you're likely already fairly fatigued and form may be compromised. You can get that little extra by using machines to ensure perfect form while also safely adding that extra stimulation for the muscle groups being trained.

google234123 7y ago

I don't believe you that Soviet body builders only used free weights. https://www.rbth.com/history/329827-bodybuilding-outlawed-in-ussr https://www.rbth.com/history/329827-bodybuilding-outlawed-in...

parthdesai 7y ago
If you believe it's only Soviet body builders who took steroids, you're in for a rude awakening.
- google234123 7y ago
  When did I say that?