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Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

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Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#91

Post by JustSomeNobody »

excessdye wrote: post #82

I do an hour every other day, but you could split it up as 30 everyday. 30 minutes of running in place. I live in a city and getting to a nice spot to run would be the distance of my run anyway. Started stationary running in my apartment. 30 minutes is 3.5 miles for me. 30 minutes of body weight training. 5 minute yoga stretch routine, then 10 burpees, 30 squats, 15 push-ups, 10 chair dips, 10 pull-ups, 10 lunges. I…

I'm curious, is there a technique to running in place? Running in place kills my ankles and calves. I used to jog and didn't really have an issue.

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#94

Post by mucholove »

Have you considered purchasing your own weight rack?

Rogue sells a few pre-made one's that fold into the wall and occupy little space. It's a larger upfront investment but you can have free weight gear in your house and it will pay for itself fast.

If you're outside the USA, you can usually find a local welder / shop to make one for you.

Outside of strength training, you could go for long walks (I enjoy these).

If you find a fun community, Acro, BJJ, Climbing, Dance, Football / Soccer etc, you might have your day made.

You could also box more often.

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#95

Post by 988747 »

bluepoint wrote: post #87

Gym is indeed boring and so is running. Pick an activity that you actually enjoy doing (or you think it has potential). Preferably one that involves flexibility, coordination and strength and pushes you out of your comfort zone. Dancing, acrobatics, martial arts, yoga.

I would add team sports: basketball, soccer, etc. I do not know how much of a social person OP is, but having peers counting on you to show up adds extra motivation.

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#97

Post by abvdasker »

I also hate the gym and this sounds almost exactly like what I do. For the last 3 months I've been alternating between running through my neighborhood (2 miles for ~20 minutes) and weightlifting at home (~30 minutes) a total of 5-6 times per week. Running you can do pretty much anywhere and any time of the year with the right outfit as long as there isn't snow/ice on the ground. For the weightlifting I bought a pair of adjustable weight dumbbells [1] and just follow along with a YouTube workout at home (there are tons of them).

So far this has worked great for me. I've gone from 213 -> 192 pounds and built a little bit of muscle, though not a ton because I've been eating at a moderate caloric deficit. Diet is a huge component depending on what your goals are and I had to learn to love salad. Once I get down to 180 pounds I'll probably switch things up and start eating more and lifting more frequently in order to bulk up.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8S38LW?tag=verywellfit-onsite-...

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#98

Post by actually_a_dog »

CalRobert wrote: post #36

Live somewhere you can bike and/or walk to work and for your daily needs. Admittedly this can be weather-dependent, so it might not suit your requirement (though even living in Ireland I find rain only rarely causes an issue). I lost about 100 pounds this way. Moving to a new country would be one of the more extreme options but this video describes the idea of "The Gym of Life" well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP…

Lots of good suggestions here, but yours dovetails nicely with mine: if your situation supports it, get a dog. Walk the dog. Play with the dog. Take the dog to the park.

I tend to hate physical activity for its own sake. I’ve been known to say I’ve never run in my life unless I was being chased. But, having a dog opened up a world of activity with a purpose. I now get outside and walk for a minimum of about 40 minutes a day, and most days much longer. It’s done wonders for both my physical and mental health.

But that actually points to an underlying principle: if you hate the gym because it’s boring or seems pointless, find an otherwise enjoyable activity that also incorporates an element of physicality.

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#99

Post by epistemer »

artemonster wrote: post #79
gardenhedge wrote: post #8

I would say Kettlebells. I would say some kettlebells exercises like swings would compliment your Boxing training while being different. They will also take up very little space in your home in terms of storage and working out. Also, walking is outside and dependent on the weather but I would really recommend walking daily to counteract sitting.

Which weight to start with for a 90kg guy with little experience and poor shape?

16kg is pretty standard for a male. Personally, with getting older I really love higher reps for conditioning with a 12kg but they all have their use.

I think most people are delusional though to believe they are going to stick with home kettlebell workouts if they don't like the gym. Most likely the kettlebell will be an expensive door stopper in a few months.

I have just met so few in shape people in my life that don't go to a gym. I have a pretty decent home gym and a good assortment of kettlebells but the external gym I go to just has so much more.

Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?

#100

Post by hakunin »

I hate gym too (also mid 30s), and use the hate as a tool. I hate it so much, that nothing will stop me from going, because I'm always at the lowest possible desire level anyway. I don't care if the weather is bad, if my mood is bad, or anything else. I just deliver myself to the place no matter what. For over 13 years now.

(People who like gym risk not going when they don't like it. I have no such risk. I'm not tethered to liking.)

But here's the real trick: if you can afford it, get a personal trainer.

Pick a cadence (e.g. Mon/Wed/Fri or Tue/Thu/Sat), deliver yourself to the location no matter what, and let trainer take over from there.

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