71–80 of 86 posts
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At the end of the day, I think it's helpful to remember that this sport consists entirely of picking up heavy things and then putting them back down again. Just a little joke, there.
I hope HN doesn't mind tangentially related Dylan Moran skits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlLpCh-lE54
Since I bet the overwhelming majority of our 300,000 years worth of homo sapiens ancestors and countless more years of prior ancestors exercised in these ways as a matter of course, I would instead title it "How sedentary lifestyles and lack of strength training degrade your body and mind."
Not sure if I made that comment already on HN. But I was watching a documentary on some amazonian hunter-gatherer tribe. All the men from teens to elders looked like gym models. It never struck me until I was in my 30's - but really I have the body of a sick individual and the guy on the gym adverts is actually what the human body looks by design, not some sort of aspirational dream.
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You'd probably see nice returns in your cycling if you started doing heavy barbell squats too.
Maybe. afaik, most elite cyclists do not squat. I'm guessing endurance and low body weight are more advantageous to the sport. I'm sure there are studies. Can anyone else chime in?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not sure if I made that comment already on HN. But I was watching a documentary on some amazonian hunter-gatherer tribe. All the men from teens to elders looked like gym models. It never struck me until I was in my 30's - but really I have the body of a sick individual and the guy on the gym adverts is actually what the human body looks by design, not some sort of aspirational dream.
I don't see it. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=amazonian+hunter-gatherer+...
This is literally the pics from the first page of results you've sent:
https://farm6.static.flickr.com/5262/5764935531_d03188cea9.j...
https://deeptimes.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/pygymy-dad.jpg
http://assets.survivalinternational.org/pictures/733/ind-jar...
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tCsETZIB-z4/T8tJBhujVjI/AAAAAAAAHv...
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oD_KKvTaXNQ/hqdefault.jpg
(Plus a lot of the more exposed tribes have changed their lifestyles and are prone to all kinds of western influences).
"The average American flat-out loathes strength training. While about half of people do the recommended amount of aerobic activity each week, only 20% also do the muscle-strengthening moves that work major muscle groups." That definitely sums up myself. I am a cyclist. My totals for this week are 147.1 miles with 15,497 feet of climbing (I do nothing but mountains, flat is boring!), but if you ask me to do 10 push up…
That quote from the article isn't at all surprising. The aerobic recommendation is 2.5hrs of brisk walking (i.e. 7 to 8 miles, e.g just over a mile a day). You'd have to be pretty dedictated to a sedentary lifestyle not to manage that. On the other hand, you have to think about doing the equivalent of 1 set of 12 reps to exhaustion on each major muscle group twice a week.
For the record, I live about 20 (~100m) blocks from work, and it takes me 20-30 minutes. Since everyday I go with a backpack full of stuff (notebook, paper notebooks, a few books and a table), I'm also carrying 5 to 7kg of extra weight. And I try to never use the elevator, since it's just 3 floors up and down (on rare ocassions do it 2 or 3x in the day, but over a span of hours).
While all this seems exceedingly little, in the end it adds up so that I "don't do excercise" but I still keep a baseline shape. And I'm totally amazed at how many people will frown upon even doing as little as I do on a daily basis.
One thing I wish I realized earlier in regards to strength training: It's very easy to do at home if you have the space for it. You don't need an expensive machine. A used power rack and bench can be found for cheap. I now get my workouts done in the amount of time it would've taken me to drive to/from the gym. Listen to whatever music I like. Don't have to worry about other people. Don't have to worry about weather.
Very true. Dialing it down even further, a bench and a set of adjustable dumbbells can be had for even cheaper and take up a lot less space. You won't be able to progress as far, particularly with leg exercises, but a small flat bench with dumbbells under it fits in the corner of a room when not in use. The power rack, bench, weights, and barbell may not be too expensive, but the extra room to hold all of them is. Th…
I live in a small apartment, is another issue not smell?
i.e, the room with gym equipment may begin to smell of sweat?
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Very true. Dialing it down even further, a bench and a set of adjustable dumbbells can be had for even cheaper and take up a lot less space. You won't be able to progress as far, particularly with leg exercises, but a small flat bench with dumbbells under it fits in the corner of a room when not in use. The power rack, bench, weights, and barbell may not be too expensive, but the extra room to hold all of them is. Th…
Honest question: I live in a small apartment, is another issue not smell? i.e, the room with gym equipment may begin to smell of sweat?
But the coating of the weight may smell very bad, it depends on the material :
un-coated plates won't smell, but will make lot of noise when stacked together and will easily put a dent in a wooden floor
rubber coated plates are silent, but will smell horrible for months, depending on the storage where you brought it, I had to clean mine 3 times with lots of recipes, and put it on the balcony for weeks, and even now I still notice a smell in the room.
I would go for urethane plates, won't smell and are silent.
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That quote from the article isn't at all surprising. The aerobic recommendation is 2.5hrs of brisk walking (i.e. 7 to 8 miles, e.g just over a mile a day). You'd have to be pretty dedictated to a sedentary lifestyle not to manage that. On the other hand, you have to think about doing the equivalent of 1 set of 12 reps to exhaustion on each major muscle group twice a week.
I manage twice as much going to home/work walking. It's a luxury I get and I understand not everyone will get it, but I've been surprised by how many people tell me to take the bus. For the record, I live about 20 (~100m) blocks from work, and it takes me 20-30 minutes. Since everyday I go with a backpack full of stuff (notebook, paper notebooks, a few books and a table), I'm also carrying 5 to 7kg of extra weight. A…
Strength is trickier. Nothing in my day to day life requires me to pull something 12 times in succession in such a way that my lats will refuse to do a 13th pull.
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I manage twice as much going to home/work walking. It's a luxury I get and I understand not everyone will get it, but I've been surprised by how many people tell me to take the bus. For the record, I live about 20 (~100m) blocks from work, and it takes me 20-30 minutes. Since everyday I go with a backpack full of stuff (notebook, paper notebooks, a few books and a table), I'm also carrying 5 to 7kg of extra weight. A…
Exactly. Without trying you get double the recommended minimum cardio. I can't imagine how people can go about their daily business and not cover it. Strength is trickier. Nothing in my day to day life requires me to pull something 12 times in succession in such a way that my lats will refuse to do a 13th pull.
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Maybe. afaik, most elite cyclists do not squat. I'm guessing endurance and low body weight are more advantageous to the sport. I'm sure there are studies. Can anyone else chime in?
Elite track cyclists--i.e., the ones who ride at 40+ kmph on velodromes--definitely do squat. I wouldn't be surprised if they also incorporated power cleans and deadlifts. Example: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aOImvJOaGiY
