Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#771

Post by asdff » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:15 AM UTC

relativeadv wrote: post #586

localhost wrote: post #291

I would say focus on building a solid, functional body vs. say focusing on goals like "how much can I lift?" or "how much do I weigh?" or "how fast can I go?". Those goals, while laudable, can also cause you to break down your body in your quest to achieve them. An example from literally yesterday. Over the past few months, I struggled with medial knee pain that was limiting my ability to walk up stairs and do other…

There is beauty to the simple goal of "I want to lift x amount one day." Instead of worrying yourself to death over whether you are "functional" or not. I've seen so many regulars at my gym over the years still doing the same stuff, still looking the same, still lifting the same, still doing kettlebell goblet squats and farmers walks and step-ups and whatever else have you. I realize what an elitist knob this makes m…

Nothing wrong with avoiding lifting heavy if you are satisfied with your size. At that point it's maintenance. Even professional body builders get devastating injuries, and if they get devastating injuries while doing a supervised squat with two spotters, then I don't trust myself to go for PR in the squat rack unless my form with the current weight is absolutely effortless. There isn't even a point for me to go for PR; I'm not getting a gold metal but I could end up with a hernia.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#772

Post by sbmthakur » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:17 AM UTC

y-c-o-m-b wrote: post #683

relativeadv wrote: post #586

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is beauty to the simple goal of "I want to lift x amount one day." Instead of worrying yourself to death over whether you are "functional" or not. I've seen so many regulars at my gym over the years still doing the same stuff, still looking the same, still lifting the same, still doing kettlebell goblet squats and farmers walks and step-ups and whatever else have you. I realize what an elitist knob this makes m…

"I want to lift x amount one day" is not for everyone, it's what lead me to destroy my spine. I went years without any problems and I was in the best shape of my life, but I never thought about the level of compression my spine was taking on. I ended up having multiple bulging discs from C5-C7, a severe disc herniation in T8-T9 (which happened mid workout, very painful), L4-S1 herniations and L4-L5 breaking away chun…

Thank you for sharing your experience. Lifting is great but it should always be done in moderation (as always with anything that one does with their body).

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#773

Post by amongwhales » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:18 AM UTC

taurath wrote: post #740

grvdrm wrote: post #638

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Spend a bit of time on all of them and you'll find them easy and intuitive!

Like many things!

Funny, I was just thinking how helpful these tips are compared to a lot of the advice on cooking which is repetitive.

Was not aware of the differences in veggie storage. You do have a lot more seasoning control not in a shaker and that's how it is done in a professor kitchen. Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#774

Post by sbmthakur » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:18 AM UTC

Infinitesimus wrote: post #719

y-c-o-m-b wrote: post #683

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I want to lift x amount one day" is not for everyone, it's what lead me to destroy my spine. I went years without any problems and I was in the best shape of my life, but I never thought about the level of compression my spine was taking on. I ended up having multiple bulging discs from C5-C7, a severe disc herniation in T8-T9 (which happened mid workout, very painful), L4-S1 herniations and L4-L5 breaking away chun…

That sucks. What lift did you in? Was it gradual or a sudden injury? I hope the recovery is going smoothly now at least :/

My guess is that it could be deadlifts.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#775

Post by asdff » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:21 AM UTC

cactus2093 wrote: post #634

stakkur wrote: post #491

Marcus Aurelius' Stoic idea of winning the morning. This means doing your best to make the most of the first part of the day: arise early and jump into doing the most important tasks of the day. Practice good habits. Then, as the day expands and becomes less in your control, you've 'won' the morning. I use 'win the morning!' almost as a mantra, and just that single, simple idea been life-changing.

I like the sound of this but what does it look like in practice? By "arise early" are we talking like 4 or 5am, or just early enough to get to the office slightly before 9am and be the first one there by a few minutes? By "jump into the most important tasks of the day", would you consider working out to be one of those? It's important in the long run to do consistently, but on a given day it's not usually what I woul…

For a lot of people, being 'productive' to them means burning the midnight oil which is hardly actually productive. If you do things when you are alert it makes them more effective. It also gives you the rest of the day to just breath and not be hard on yourself for getting tired and your performance faltering throughout the day; after all you got all that stuff done earlier. Ever have a weekend when you got everything you needed to do done by noon? The day becomes yours and you feel like a superhuman.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#776

Post by jelliclesfarm » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:26 AM UTC

the_gastropod wrote: post #386

astura wrote: post #288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have friends who eat out every single meal of every single day. I have friends who do too but it's not because they don't know how to cook, it's because they don't like to and don't wanna bother and can afford the luxury of having someone else to do it for them.

I have a suspicion this kind of living, in part, explains why so many people are miserable. I feel like removing every inconvenient thing from your life, and "having someone else do it for you" must make your ability to handle discomfort atrophy to the point where the tiniest unpleasantness feels like a catastrophe. Like muscles, your brain, your immune system, etc., we need a little discomfort / struggle once in a w…

It is not about discomfort..I don’t want to waste my time on things that take up a lot of my time for very little return. Hired help for cooking, cleaning, child care, outdoor and home maintainance is pretty common. If I had spare change, I would even hire someone to drive me around. My time is important.

If I can make double or triple what a maid service charges per hour, it makes no sense to do the lower wage jobs by myself. It’s the same thing with hiring delivery services. Take amazon prime for example..When you can get caught Bay Area traffic for 40-60 mts at a time, it makes no sense to do a milk and bread run. I spend less, waste nothing, save time and eat better because I know exactly what to order and how much.

It reminds me of my childhood back in India when the corner store would deliver provisions and vegetables every weekend even without us ordering because they knew our eating habits. Same with milk man, vegetable vendor, flower girl and even the plumber/electrician who came once in 3 months for a check. There was no contract, no insurance and no order forms. It was small communities making sure there were jobs and income for all within small neighborhoods. They operated as clusters even with one billion people. Compared to that, it’s pure chaos here wrt domestic time management. I really appreciate all the services available these days. I have been american for a few decades and it wasn’t like so earlier.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#777

Post by asdff » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:26 AM UTC

neixidbeksoxyd wrote: post #702

eindiran wrote: post #653

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The deadlift is one of the most well-rounded, important lifts out there. I don't understand what you mean by "regular people"; are you saying that only eg powerlifters should do deadlifts and that casual lifters should avoid it? IMO anyone interested in developing their strength (that is physically able to deadlift) should learn how to do them safely and then work on them. Rippetoe laying out how to do a deadlift: ht…

I hear the argument that deadlifts are great if you have perfect form a lot. However, if you don't have perfect form they can be extremely dangerous. Very few other excercises have such high risks, and there are plenty that are just as good. A lot of people think they have great form but don't record themselves from the side so they don't notice how much their back is bending. On the other hand excercises like the pu…

Form isn't just about the movement but strengthening your stabilizing muscle groups that keep your body aligned during that movement. By the time you start dead lifting serious weight, your core should be like a tree trunk and your muscles should be strong enough to support your body's alignment while flexed during the lift.

I do think too many people go overboard with the olympic lifts. You don't have to be red faced and shaking to get a good pump from a deadlift. Just because you can lift the weight in some way 5 times, doesn't mean you should. I bet most people who are boasting about their >400lb dead lift can't do that movement for 3x10 reps with good form. Lower the weight and it's as safe as the dumbbell squat.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#778

Post by asdff » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:36 AM UTC

mesaframe wrote: post #270

kerkeslager wrote: post #9

Starting conversations with strangers. Squat and deadlift. Eating healthier. Doing something kind for someone else every day. Honesty. Listening to people you disagree with. Driving safer (this is the most dangerous thing we do on a regular basis). Meditation.

Starting conversations with strangers. But how? I have anxiety and it's really difficult to talk to strangers. Edit:I would also like to mention. I talk very less reason being whenever I tell people honestly about my feelings. Later or sooner they use it against me.

Start living life head first. I hate speaking too, but I put myself out there and make myself do it, because you really have nothing to loose. Life is sporadic and impermenant. You try and strike up a conversation with a stranger, fail, move on, the next day you've both forgotten eachother's face, the next week you've both forgotten about the event entirely. Most conversations don't matter at all.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#779

Post by webdva » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:38 AM UTC

abacyu wrote: post #705

webdva wrote: post #659

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the op was asking because you had their interest and they wanted to know directions they could go in. > Your post seems to assume people know of the different directions they could study Ah, forgive me as I am blind to my appearance, especially blind to my appearance’s appearance to the sight or eyes of others. I too do not know what directions there may be in the pursuit of truth, as a master or sage must…

Is this what they call gatekeeping in a different world?

> Is this what they call gatekeeping in a different world?

Ah! Your name is greenly colored like the fresh and newly grass that dews in the start of the morning—as though your name appeared but hours ago! Ye be a strange traveller. I cautiously ask thee, It be true that I keep to the gates? But how can that be! when the gateway to true knowledge is open to all? Does some sort of strife exist? And my way be the way of non-action, a way of harmony. Whatever is, I allow. So you may be whatever you choose, you strange dear traveller! I welcome your force of argumentation.

Re: Ask HN: What Skills to Acquire in 2020?

#780

Post by asdff » Wed, Feb 05, 2020, 7:43 AM UTC

JamesBarney wrote: post #434

kerkeslager wrote: post #322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any athletic pursuit is going to injure you eventually. Not pursuing any athletics is going to kill you and make the late years of your life frustrating a you lose capabilities. And you'll probably get injured as your body deteriorates. You choose.

Sure, but there are ways to start active and keep your core, lower back, and legs strong that have lower injury rates than deadlifts and squats.

I think a lot of people do these lifts with way too much weight, opting to play the stats game with the poundage while sometimes doing just two reps per set. More reps with less weight and it's a safer workout.

Anything physical pushed to the limits will result in injury. Most people never get an injury casually playing pickup basketball. Then watch one season in the NBA, you'd probably see half a dozen ligaments snap on live TV.

I don't think any NBA player has injured themselves from deadlift, because they know how to lift properly and are supervised by physical therapists during practice of course, but in the intensity of an NBA game this is no longer a controlled reaction taking place. Lifting heavy puts strain on a lot of variables at once, not unlike an all out NBA game.