Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#181

Post by projektir » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 4:35 AM UTC

forgetsusername wrote: post #175

thenomad wrote: post #13

Most recently, what's made me start exercising (more) is room-scale VR. Gyms are boring. Cardio in gyms is incredibly boring. Trying to beat my highscore on Holopoint whilst hologram samurai rush at me and I'm dodging missiles flying from all directions is not boring. ( And now I'm developing room-scale VR games, that goes double. I'm currently covered in sweat in the middle of a work day after spending an hour balan…

> Gyms are boring. Cardio in gyms is incredibly boring. Trying to beat my highscore on Holopoint whilst hologram samurai rush at me and I'm dodging missiles flying from all directions is not boring. There's a big benefit gap between working up a little sweat playing a video game in your living room versus doing actual weight training at a real gym. They are no substitutes.

There's a big drawback to trying to create a big divide between those who do not exercise at all and those who devote their life to exercise. I've seen this a lot where a person who starts out doing some form of exercise immediately gets criticized for not doing more. That's not how it works.

Working up a sweat playing a game is more than most people do and will already bring benefits. It's a whole lot better than nothing. It may become a catalyst for better things.

And, yes, weight training is not going to be replaced by cardio, because it's weight training... it's not like every person who exercises does weight training, there are quite a few pure runners on here.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#182

Post by projektir » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 4:37 AM UTC

cameldrv wrote: post #161

rufugee wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you see results like many have seen from SS? I've read that dumbbell workouts aren't necessarily as effective as barbells but I like the convenience of doing it from home. I've got a set of 50lb Powerblocks, an exercise ball I use as a bench, and a power tower ( https://amzn.com/B0098MAYNY ), but I'm ineffective at it as I don't have a good plan, so I've fallen back to mostly jogging. Would you mind sharing your r…

I'm happy with the results, but this is an 80/20 thing. I'm going for minimum time and money, and maximum adherence to the routine. This means do it at home, 30 sec-1 min rest between sets or superset, 8-10 reps per set since I'm not going for pure strength. I'd consider getting a small bench. They're under $50 for a small unobtrusive one on Amazon. I do 3x a week alternating routines: A) Goblet Squats 3x8-10, Dumbbe…

This seems smart, I should probably look into something similar. I wanted to add weights as well, but didn't want to invest in a full-on power rack just yet.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#183

Post by baccheion » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 4:42 AM UTC

I needed a clear understanding of why I needed to exercise (thorough, comprehensive, detailed, etc). I also needed to have everything set up so I'd be able to naturally fold into exercising (it has to seamlessly fit into the day, and there can't be any difficulties that would make me not consider doing it). Finally, I still haven't begun exercising regularly, but I figured out a strategy that would work for me:

- Calisthenics (such that I can exercise at home) and free weights

- Proper supplementation (Acetyl L-Carnitine, L-Carnitine L-Tartrate, etc depending on what I'm trying to do)

- Brainwave entrainment (and affirmations) to help "program" myself into doing what I'm trying to do

- Not making things too difficult (lay everything out and simplify everything, so I can exercise whenever I get the time and energy)

- Proper dieting (eating properly (for me mainly blending vegetables in a Vitamix and consuming them with cold pressed organic oils and lean means (ketosis as well)) essentially eliminates the need for chronic exercise, relegating it to initial fat burning, catalyzer, and maintainer)

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#184

Post by UnoriginalGuy » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 4:53 AM UTC

It is not FUN.

My toddler goes to a gym, it is fun, they have ball pits, slides, climbing stuff, ladders, on and on. Adult gyms are SO boring, like incredibly mind numbingly BORING. Oh let me walk on the spot watching 24 hr news. Yawn.

Where is the FUN adult gym? Where I can go and unashamedly go on a slide, climb on the play equipment, dick around in the ball pool, and so on? That's right it doesn't exist.

There are no fun gyms for adults, just boring harmonious gyms. The closest thing to a fun workout for adults is paintball.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#185

Post by mchahn » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 4:54 AM UTC

I exercise and work at the same time for 45 minutes a day. I installed a workstation on my treadmill, but unlike most worker's treadmills I use it for aerobic exercise, not a slow walk. I can type because I set the treadmill on maximum incline and walk at less than 3 mph. So in effect I am using it like a stair-stepper.

I've been doing this every day for 15 years and I couldn't imagine stopping.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#186

Post by zepolen » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 5:05 AM UTC

mdip wrote: post #169

Complete and total lack of motivation here. The main problem for me is that my only motivation for working out would be to gain muscle for the purpose of looking more attractive to the opposite sex. I'm married and my wife is happy and during a two-year stint in my 20s when I actually took it seriously (personal trainer and everything), I ended up getting almost no visible results (gained strength but I need only eno…

Eat more.

Eat 5,000 calories a day.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#187

Post by rmetzler » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 6:20 AM UTC

projektir wrote: post #181

forgetsusername wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Gyms are boring. Cardio in gyms is incredibly boring. Trying to beat my highscore on Holopoint whilst hologram samurai rush at me and I'm dodging missiles flying from all directions is not boring. There's a big benefit gap between working up a little sweat playing a video game in your living room versus doing actual weight training at a real gym. They are no substitutes.

There's a big drawback to trying to create a big divide between those who do not exercise at all and those who devote their life to exercise. I've seen this a lot where a person who starts out doing some form of exercise immediately gets criticized for not doing more. That's not how it works. Working up a sweat playing a game is more than most people do and will already bring benefits. It's a whole lot better than no…

I used to have a small little app which tracked my sit-ups and push-ups, counting loudly in a voice you could choose. It challenged me enough to do something. Then my girlfriend made fun of me in front of others and I stopped doing this.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#188

Post by raarts » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 6:53 AM UTC

Whenever I decide I want to take up exercising, I can't keep it up. Because deep inside, I just don't want to exercise.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#189

Post by makeset » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 7:27 AM UTC

moksha256 wrote: post #9

I used to start & stop exercising regularly...meaning I'd start going to the gym for a few weeks and then stop out of laziness / lack of motivation. That changed 1 year ago, when I stopped aimlessly 'exercising' and started goal-oriented 'training'. I discovered powerlifting. Its principles and techniques really resonated with me. I was no longer exercising to be 'fit' but 'training' to beat my numbers (I don't do co…

As a competitive powerlifter (and certified personal trainer) I should caution that there is an important difference between general strength training using the squat/bench/deadlift and the actual sport of powerlifting. Powerlifting involves not only doing competitions, but also training specifically for them using maximal weights, which considerably increases the risk of injury with no training benefit other than temporary competition readiness (peaking).

Unfortunately, sexy as it sounds, liberally calling strength training "powerlifting" drives too many newcomers into an ego-lifting mindset, attempting maximal singles for no good reason, or soon hopping on some extreme Russian peaking program they found after Starting Strength.

Learning the powerlifts and training for strength is great for anyone, but unless they actually plan to step on a platform and risk their skeletal integrity for white lights in the near future, I strongly recommend that people keep strictly to weights they can safely lift for 5+ reps per set, and only track the calculated (rather than tested) 1RM.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#190

Post by drakonka » Sat, Aug 13, 2016, 7:37 AM UTC

Procrastination and excuses - "I'm tired, I'll do it tomorrow, I have to do things x and y, this deliverable has taken all my energy out of me."

What has helped me the most is going to the gym first thing in the morning, before work. If I just get up and focus on getting my workout out of the way before coffee or anything else I'm much less likely to put it off.