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Why We Do Pushups

markpeterdavis.com

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Re: Why We Do Pushups

#21

Post by jrockway »

joe_the_user wrote: post #19
brosephius wrote: post #11

we’re a tech co - meatheads are nowhere to be found so programmers can't be athletic? I'm sure that's not what he meant, but that's how it comes across. also, the idea of group pushups as a "team building" activity - seriously? that just sounds awkward and weird. not to mention that pushups are not remotely sufficient as exercise if that's all you're doing. you want to help your employees stay in shape? commit to mak…

Indeed, this approach seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. Push-ups are, at-best, a difficult exercise to get right (see http://thetoptwoinches.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/100/ ). Do them in bad form and you can injure yourself. Is the team leader going to be both an expert at management AND an expert at physical education? Does the company want the lawsuits if an employee is injured exercising at the direction of th…

That's not what "hostile work environment" means. Mandatory pushups are one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of, but I assume you are not going to be fired if you don't do them. When everyone starts doing pushups, go out for a quick run, or something.

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#22

Post by jrockway »

fragsworth wrote: post #7
redthrowaway wrote: post #5

While it's a cool idea, I can only see it working first thing in the morning when everyone gets to the office but before you start work. Otherwise, chances are you'll be interrupting somebody's work, which if you're a programmer can be a huge hit to productivity.

Maybe increased blood flow on the whole averages against the interruptions, causing a net increase in productivity?

After my muscles have used up all my glucose / glycogen, there's none left for my brain :)

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#23

Post by cuchoperl »

joe_the_user wrote: post #19
brosephius wrote: post #11

we’re a tech co - meatheads are nowhere to be found so programmers can't be athletic? I'm sure that's not what he meant, but that's how it comes across. also, the idea of group pushups as a "team building" activity - seriously? that just sounds awkward and weird. not to mention that pushups are not remotely sufficient as exercise if that's all you're doing. you want to help your employees stay in shape? commit to mak…

Indeed, this approach seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. Push-ups are, at-best, a difficult exercise to get right (see http://thetoptwoinches.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/100/ ). Do them in bad form and you can injure yourself. Is the team leader going to be both an expert at management AND an expert at physical education? Does the company want the lawsuits if an employee is injured exercising at the direction of th…

Are you kidding or is it true? You can get a lawsuit for this? (I don't live in the US)

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#24

Post by jrockway »

stiff wrote: post #4

"team building" is like an arranged marriage - either you have a team or you don't, trying to force it doesn't yield any results and usually it's just an euphemism for being forced to do stupid things, most often to get drunk with everyone or "you are not being a team player". I would feel rather silly doing push-ups at work, especially at the command of my "team leader". Maybe people with more submissive personaliti…

I agree with you; my personality would not allow me to do this. In addition to the dominant / submissive issue, who wants to crawl around on the floor at work, anyway? I'm disgusted just thinking about it.

If you want your employees to work out, give them an hour off in the middle of the day, a well-stocked gym, and showers.

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#25

Post by jrockway »

redthrowaway wrote: post #5

While it's a cool idea, I can only see it working first thing in the morning when everyone gets to the office but before you start work. Otherwise, chances are you'll be interrupting somebody's work, which if you're a programmer can be a huge hit to productivity.

Programmers come to work in the morning?

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#26

Post by blacksmythe »

stiff wrote: post #4

"team building" is like an arranged marriage - either you have a team or you don't, trying to force it doesn't yield any results and usually it's just an euphemism for being forced to do stupid things, most often to get drunk with everyone or "you are not being a team player". I would feel rather silly doing push-ups at work, especially at the command of my "team leader". Maybe people with more submissive personaliti…

There are a lot of things managers and coworkers can do that either strengthen or weaken team spirit.

In my experience one of the most positive is eating meals together. One of the most negative is playing favorites or improperly assigning credit for accomplishments.

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#27

Post by e03179 »

Anyone have some links to studies that show sitting in a chair at your desk is bad for your health?

Someone the other day said that he "heard" that sitting in a chair all day long for years is just as bad for your health as smoking. Not sure I get the correlation, but surely we have enough data points to have several credible studies.

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#28

Post by bmccormack »

e03179 wrote: post #27

Anyone have some links to studies that show sitting in a chair at your desk is bad for your health? Someone the other day said that he "heard" that sitting in a chair all day long for years is just as bad for your health as smoking. Not sure I get the correlation, but surely we have enough data points to have several credible studies.

Check out http://juststand.org/. That (and talking with colleagues who stand at their desk every day) motivated me to try standing.

Thanks to Fog Creek providing adjustable-height desks for every employee, this was really easy to do. I started with 2 hours each day one week, then 3 hours the next week, etc., until I'm now standing the whole day. I love it.

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#29

Post by checker »

larsberg wrote: post #14
brosephius wrote: post #11

we’re a tech co - meatheads are nowhere to be found so programmers can't be athletic? I'm sure that's not what he meant, but that's how it comes across. also, the idea of group pushups as a "team building" activity - seriously? that just sounds awkward and weird. not to mention that pushups are not remotely sufficient as exercise if that's all you're doing. you want to help your employees stay in shape? commit to mak…

Yeah, I found that statement funny, since the first tech company I worked for was MSFT. Out in that area (the pacific northwest), physical activity is a huge deal -- hiking, skiing, and snowboarding especially. On every team I was on, the vast majority of the people were in stunningly good shape. Even the 35+, multiple-kids crowd. I still remember one time that I almost killed an interview candidate by mistake. Ran d…

Taking the stairs is such an easy way to burn a few calories. It surprises me how few people do it in my office.

Although, as shown by your story, some people just aren't able to!

Re: Why We Do Pushups

#30

Post by juliano_q »

I like do to pushup intervals while I am at the computer at home. Be allowed to do it in the work and not be considered a crazy freak would be awesome to me. I really feel better and "more alive" after some pushups, and it boosts my productivity.

But I dont like the idea to do it as a group. I like to take my time and do the max repetitions that I could possible handle. Do it as a team would be limiting.

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