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Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

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Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#1

Post by akira_f »

Greetings HN Community,

As we approach the end of the year and contemplate resolutions for a healthier and more balanced lifestyle, I'm curious about how my fellow tech enthusiasts tackle one of our common challenges: staying physically active amidst a predominantly sedentary tech lifestyle. How do you get motivated, and what routines or activities have you found effective in maintaining your physical and mental wellbeing?

This past year, I took a somewhat unconventional path for someone in our field—I started learning ballet. As a software developer and writer, I never imagined donning ballet shoes, but it's turned into an incredible journey. Ballet offers a unique and powerful blend of discipline, mental focus, and physical intensity that's not only improved my health but also brought a new dimension of creativity and performance into my work and personal life.

I've shared my experiences and the surprising benefits I've discovered in a Medium post titled "Why I Started and Keep Learning Ballet at 40+." As New Year's Eve prompts us to reflect and set goals, I hope my story of embracing ballet might inspire you to consider new, perhaps unexpected, ways to stay active and engaged.

Here's my story: https://medium.com/geeky-regimen/why-i-started-and-keep-learning-ballet-at-40-14ee0663b25e

On the eve of a new year, I'd love to hear your strategies and stories. How do you balance the demands of our tech careers with the need for physical activity? What unexpected hobbies or passions have you pursued to stay active and how have they impacted your life?

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#3

Post by mac3n »

THere seem to be a lot of engineering & technical people doing martial arts - perhaps because we believe in the efficacy of technique. It's also good for getting hour head out of abstraction and focusing on the present.

Classes provide structure and a community. Maybe not too different from ballet.

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#5

Post by mmbazel »

Honestly crossfit has been great (as long as you can swing the monthly). I do the group classes and it's great because (1) instructors take care of the programming, (2) they offer modifications if you really need them, (3) people are generally pretty chill (def less roid rage than at the gym), (4) I feel like I learned a ton of skills I can take with me traveling and I'm stuck with bad hotel gyms that have a couple dumbbells and kettlebells.

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#6

Post by akira_f »

pantantrant wrote: post #2

You just do.

For some people, before they get the hang of physical activity, they need tremendous burst of motivation or willpower to start moving their bodies. I am one of these people. I was more excited after my code got running than I myself did some running. This kept me sticking to my chair and fiddling with code. And, initial phase of physical training is not always comfortable or pleasant for a beginner. Benefits will only become obvious if one could persist through some critical threshold. Some people just retract again and again before they could easily "just do" physical exercise. I started to seriously consider exercising after suffering from years of chronic fatigue, which undermined my mind sharpness.

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#7

Post by akira_f »

idontwantthis wrote: post #4

For the past few months I’ve been working out for 5 minutes every 30 minutes while working. It’s been a huge help to my productivity and fitness at the same time.

Yeah! Benefits of small activities do accumulate and compound! One of my favorite exercise is the ballet elevé and relevé. These really can be done anywhere, even in a fully stuffed long-haul plane. Yes they can be huge help!

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#8

Post by akira_f »

mac3n wrote: post #3

THere seem to be a lot of engineering & technical people doing martial arts - perhaps because we believe in the efficacy of technique. It's also good for getting hour head out of abstraction and focusing on the present. Classes provide structure and a community. Maybe not too different from ballet.

So true! Besides the efficacy of technique, techies tend to seek intellectual stimulation constantly. Complex sequences of martial arts and ballet appear more interesting to them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVlL3SATRPw

Good performances of of martial arts and ballet both value high in aesthetics. In east Asia it is common to perform choreographed martial arts in parties or galas, this is not too different from dancing! Quite a few contemporary young actors in China are former full-time ballet dancers, because they can execute the fighting sequences in films or TV plays beautifully.

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#9

Post by akira_f »

mmbazel wrote: post #5

Honestly crossfit has been great (as long as you can swing the monthly). I do the group classes and it's great because (1) instructors take care of the programming, (2) they offer modifications if you really need them, (3) people are generally pretty chill (def less roid rage than at the gym), (4) I feel like I learned a ton of skills I can take with me traveling and I'm stuck with bad hotel gyms that have a couple d…

Yes crossfit is very effective! The program I am taking at home has many elements from crossfit. Plank or push-up for example, really does not require equipment and so effective for strengthening the core! All professional ballet dancers do that. I will soon be traveling for a week. My daily training program (TLB from https://trainlikeaballerina.com/ ) can be accessed online. I can do the exercise in any hotel. Elevé, relevé, tendu, frappé, slow motion fondue, and many streching exercises are even doable in a fully stuffed long-haul plane. Let's train into a healthy and prosperous 2024!

Re: Ask HN: Techies, how do you keep yourself physically engaged?

#10

Post by idontwantthis »

akira_f wrote: post #7
idontwantthis wrote: post #4

For the past few months I’ve been working out for 5 minutes every 30 minutes while working. It’s been a huge help to my productivity and fitness at the same time.

Yeah! Benefits of small activities do accumulate and compound! One of my favorite exercise is the ballet elevé and relevé. These really can be done anywhere, even in a fully stuffed long-haul plane. Yes they can be huge help!

I’ve actually been doing that in my routine, but for rock climbing instead of ballet! I can finally climb without hurting my toes because they are strong enough to not completely flex back when I put weight on them now.
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