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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?

#131

Post by traverseda »

yeahboats wrote: post #116
traverseda wrote: post #111

VR boxing. High cardio, works a reasonable amount of muscle groups. 30 minutes should be plenty, and there's other VR stuff you can try although none quite as good for fitness. Buy one of those cheap ocules headsets and if you don't like it or get bored you can probably get most of your money back by selling it. And yeah the facebook integartion stuff sucks but there aren't really any other options in that price rang…

Do you have one that you recommend? The two I've seen are Creed, and one whose name currently escapes me but is cheaper. The latter I have heard is a more "authentic" experience, while Creed is more of a game.

Thrill of the fight is the one I use. You don't necessarily need to pay for software in the ocules quest platform right now though.

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

#133

Post by nanomonkey »

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.

Kettlebells, yoga stretches and daily walks are the best daily combination that I've found.

The Quick and the Dead by Pavel Tsatsouline is a great book and routine (100 push ups and 100 kettlebell swings spread out in 15 second intervals over 30 minutes).

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

#134

Post by traverseda »

machiaweliczny wrote: post #129
yeahboats wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have one that you recommend? The two I've seen are Creed, and one whose name currently escapes me but is cheaper. The latter I have heard is a more "authentic" experience, while Creed is more of a game.

Try „Les Mills bodycombat”. I am pretty fit and have trouble with medium level. Best cardio on VR. For more fun „Pistol Whip”, also great

I'd say that's more of a rhythm game than a boxing game. There are a fair number of entries in that genre, beat saber is popular, supernatural is similar.

Honestly though you can just search for "best VR workout games".

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

#135

Post by giardini »

tgv wrote: post #69
cerol wrote: post #61

Just to give some context, I've been a marathon runner for 7 years. I have a PB of 3:24, and I'm training for a sub 3 hour marathon right now (logging around 70 - 120km per week). I run 6 times a week, and work out at the gym 3 times a week. I consider myself to be in my all-time peak athletic shape right now. I don't mean to be rude, but this comes from years of people picking fights with me about exercising and eas…

In shape or fit is several levels below what you describe. Personally, I find running a marathon near lunacy. You may like it, but it's not healthy in the long run.

Got to agree on the lunacy. Legend has it that the first marathoner, Athenian messenger Pheidippides, died after running the 26.4 miles from Marathon to Athens and announcing the victory of the Athenian army over the Spartans at Marathon. But he had a good reason to do so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheidippides

Apparently he ran much farther (like 6X as far) in the time before he died:

"The Real Pheidippides Story (Runners World):

https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20836761/the-r...

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

#136

Post by lm28469 »

> I'm in my mid 30s, and my age starts to show it's signs.

It's not your age that shows, it's your lack of exercise. A man's 30s should be closer to peak physical fitness than one foot in the grave as apparently most people view it.

> I don't like wasting time by getting to the gym, getting from the gym, and waiting for my turn for the equipment

Any gyms close to your place/the office you could hit early in the morning ?

Any room for a small power cage at home for bench/ohp/deadlift/squats ?

I personally do 10min of stretching in the morning/evening, heavy squats/ohp/deadlift twice a week and indoor rock climbing every now and then.

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

#137

Post by seanmcdirmid »

traverseda wrote: post #111

VR boxing. High cardio, works a reasonable amount of muscle groups. 30 minutes should be plenty, and there's other VR stuff you can try although none quite as good for fitness. Buy one of those cheap ocules headsets and if you don't like it or get bored you can probably get most of your money back by selling it. And yeah the facebook integartion stuff sucks but there aren't really any other options in that price rang…

This is my solution. It isn't perfect, but the best kind of exercise is the one you actually can do and want to do on a regular schedule.

FitXR is still my main go to, and mostly the boxing ones, but they have a few other course types (Dance, never tried, HIIT is ok, but not as fun as boxing, combat is just boxing with a few more moves, haven't tried Sculpt).

BeatSaber for when you want to warm up or you feel exhausted and can't get in the mood for a boxing session. Run the song at fast or very fast for a more efficient work out.

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

#139

Post by sprite »

mmh0000 wrote: post #117
hakunin wrote: post #100

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 teth…

Over the years, I tried gym memberships and always go bored and stopped going after a week or two. I got a personal trainer 7 months ago, and it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I find having someone besides myself to feel accountable to very motivating. It's also nice to have someone walk you through all the movements, proper form, and telling you what to eat. When I started with the personal trainer…

I feel like the most rewarding part of the gym is tangible gains. The weights don't lie.

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

#140

Post by ThereIsNoWorry »

Paid $800 for a stationary cycle, best purchase I've ever made, no joke. It's very hard to find an excuse to just sit on your cycle during useless passive meetings, in breaks, before or after work and watch youtube while doing it. One+ hour a day, 5+ days a week, intensity with a pulse over 120 bpm was all what was needed to go from BMI 24.5 down to 22.6 within 6 months. I also do 5 minutes of intense muscle training each weekday, to complement the cardio and raise my base metabolism. I've built some nice muscles, meaning the BMI without muscles taken into account is even better. I'm probably close to optimal weight and body fat percentage soon, then I will go down to 30 minutes of cycling each day. Eating habits got slightly better; I eat too much in general. Paradoxically, working out lowers appetite(?). I specifically take care I eat enough protein, though, around 100g a day, to not get muscle fatigue, as I still increase the intensity regularly.
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