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> For exercise, you just have to find something enjoyable enough to do I can't emphasise this enough, staying interested in doing gym exercise for the sake of

by tomxor 5y ago

> For exercise, you just have to find something enjoyable enough to do I can't emphasise this enough, staying interested in doing gym exercise for the sake of fitness alone is not sustainable for most people - and boring even if you can. Exercise is an opportunity to find something physical you enjoy spending your time doing, and this can be as much a mental relief as a physical one. This is similar to how most of us enjoy learning about a technology far more while we have something directly in front of us to apply it to, getting fit and staying fit is really fun when you can apply it. Remember this does not only mean team sports, there is more to the world than what school PE exposed us to, there will definitely be something out there that interests you. It can also be great for your mental health in general, especially if it involves getting out into nature.

convolvatron 5y ago
agree completely. never into sports and absoutely hate gyms. but i started doing manual labor in a creative field, and getting around town using a bike and i'm much better for it.
- jrib 5y ago
  curious: would mind describing exactly what kind of manual labor in a creative field?
  - convolvatron 5y ago
    art metal fabricator - metal manufacturing for sculptors and other artists that need specialist help producing work or tooling.
maerF0x0 5y ago
Piling on here to add gym's dont have the monopoly on exercise! Consider any of the following they all count: * Hiking in the woods or parks * Dancing lessons * Running, Walking, inline skating, long boarding, bicycling, and really anything remotely similar * martial arts in a dojo / club * Strength training doing calisthenics at one of those outdoor gym things. Keep in mind traditional strength training is great[1] for a number of reasons, but it's not the only way to get exercise. [1]: dare i say superior due to it's muscle preserving and bone density effects? but getting overly picky about optimality can be a source of burnout in of itself.
- tomxor 5y ago
  My little anecdote: I've personally found Rock Climbing to be extremely rewarding in highly varied ways - it is a very mental activity, problem solving, but in a physical and personal way that is not in conflict with relief from a cognitive job. It's physically one of the most balanced activities for the body. It can take you to truly awesome places and make you appreciate nature more. It has many sub styles, some with their own interesting mental challenges and techniques. You get a sense of adventure like no other... it's also just inherently damn fun to do, it's not unreasonable to say we have somewhat evolved for climbing - so it makes sense that we find it fun. It's also a lot more accessible than it used to be. The easiest way to start would be indoor bouldering gyms (these have a fantastic social element too), and then indoor sports climbing gyms... just remember there is much more to be had from it than plastic, the outdoors awaits.
  - moneywoes 5y ago
    Is it not dangerous outside? Anecdotal but I'm a huge hiker and almost slipped trying to climb black tusk ( near Whistler). Would you suggest a gym? They seem pretty pricey in contrast to more conventional gyms.
    - tomxor 5y ago
      It's an inherently dangerous activity... but not as much as most people think, for instance I consider skiing or even mountain-biking more dangerous, because you have no safety at all. With climbing safety is part of the game, I fall on a regular basis (If i'm doing sports climbing I will actually intentionally climb to the point of failure and fall, because it's extremely safe to, and part of mental acclimatisation). We use ropes for a reason (except when we don't, but that's another topic). When you're outside the danger does depend a lot on style, you can stick to sports climbing (bolts set in the wall just like indoors), which is the safest. Trad climbing admittedly takes a long time to get to the point when you know it's safe to fall on gear, and even then it's a probability you are constantly calculating in your head - and part of trad is also knowing when you cannot fall - these are actually part of the challenge that can be enjoyable, although I realise that's hard to understand for many people. This is a topic that has been discussed to death over the years and I could go on, but I'll just leave it here: there are many styles, you can pick the safest, it's a personal choice. I can't compare the pricing on climbing gyms to regular ones, because I can't remember the last time I went to a "regular" one, I don't think they are unreasonable but that may depend on the country. Here in the UK the number have grown a lot over the last couple decades so that there is healthy competition between them. Another aspect is that once the climbing gym is a supplement and you can go outdoors, it doesn't feel so pricey.
gazoakley 5y ago
> Remember this does not only mean team sports, there is more to the world than what school PE exposed us to, there will definitely be something out there that interests you. My biggest bugbear about school PE is the focus on team sports. I know some schools want to build their sports teams, but if there is one goal of PE class it should be ensuring every child finds at least 1 form of exercise they really enjoy. I’d encourage you to persist in finding something you can get into and stick with. I’ve really got into obstacle course racing events like Tough Mudder and started with the shortest distance - everyone there is helping everyone else through it. Find what works for you.

by tomxor 5y ago

convolvatron 5y ago

agree completely. never into sports and absoutely hate gyms. but i started doing manual labor in a creative field, and getting around town using a bike and i'm much better for it.

jrib 5y ago
curious: would mind describing exactly what kind of manual labor in a creative field?
- convolvatron 5y ago
  art metal fabricator - metal manufacturing for sculptors and other artists that need specialist help producing work or tooling.

maerF0x0 5y ago

Piling on here to add gym's dont have the monopoly on exercise! Consider any of the following they all count: * Hiking in the woods or parks * Dancing lessons * Running, Walking, inline skating, long boarding, bicycling, and really anything remotely similar * martial arts in a dojo / club * Strength training doing calisthenics at one of those outdoor gym things. Keep in mind traditional strength training is great[1] for a number of reasons, but it's not the only way to get exercise. [1]: dare i say superior due to it's muscle preserving and bone density effects? but getting overly picky about optimality can be a source of burnout in of itself.

tomxor 5y ago
My little anecdote: I've personally found Rock Climbing to be extremely rewarding in highly varied ways - it is a very mental activity, problem solving, but in a physical and personal way that is not in conflict with relief from a cognitive job. It's physically one of the most balanced activities for the body. It can take you to truly awesome places and make you appreciate nature more. It has many sub styles, some with their own interesting mental challenges and techniques. You get a sense of adventure like no other... it's also just inherently damn fun to do, it's not unreasonable to say we have somewhat evolved for climbing - so it makes sense that we find it fun. It's also a lot more accessible than it used to be. The easiest way to start would be indoor bouldering gyms (these have a fantastic social element too), and then indoor sports climbing gyms... just remember there is much more to be had from it than plastic, the outdoors awaits.
- moneywoes 5y ago
  Is it not dangerous outside? Anecdotal but I'm a huge hiker and almost slipped trying to climb black tusk ( near Whistler). Would you suggest a gym? They seem pretty pricey in contrast to more conventional gyms.
  - tomxor 5y ago
    It's an inherently dangerous activity... but not as much as most people think, for instance I consider skiing or even mountain-biking more dangerous, because you have no safety at all. With climbing safety is part of the game, I fall on a regular basis (If i'm doing sports climbing I will actually intentionally climb to the point of failure and fall, because it's extremely safe to, and part of mental acclimatisation). We use ropes for a reason (except when we don't, but that's another topic). When you're outside the danger does depend a lot on style, you can stick to sports climbing (bolts set in the wall just like indoors), which is the safest. Trad climbing admittedly takes a long time to get to the point when you know it's safe to fall on gear, and even then it's a probability you are constantly calculating in your head - and part of trad is also knowing when you cannot fall - these are actually part of the challenge that can be enjoyable, although I realise that's hard to understand for many people. This is a topic that has been discussed to death over the years and I could go on, but I'll just leave it here: there are many styles, you can pick the safest, it's a personal choice. I can't compare the pricing on climbing gyms to regular ones, because I can't remember the last time I went to a "regular" one, I don't think they are unreasonable but that may depend on the country. Here in the UK the number have grown a lot over the last couple decades so that there is healthy competition between them. Another aspect is that once the climbing gym is a supplement and you can go outdoors, it doesn't feel so pricey.

gazoakley 5y ago

> Remember this does not only mean team sports, there is more to the world than what school PE exposed us to, there will definitely be something out there that interests you. My biggest bugbear about school PE is the focus on team sports. I know some schools want to build their sports teams, but if there is one goal of PE class it should be ensuring every child finds at least 1 form of exercise they really enjoy. I’d encourage you to persist in finding something you can get into and stick with. I’ve really got into obstacle course racing events like Tough Mudder and started with the shortest distance - everyone there is helping everyone else through it. Find what works for you.