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Resolutions for programmers (2012)

matt.might.net

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Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#121

Post by mysterypie »

branchless wrote: post #110
mysterypie wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I urge everyone here to take up lifting Everyone I've spoken to got into lifting because they think it gets girls. They won't admit it directly or perhaps realize it themselves, but a series of questions leads to women: Of all types of exercise, why weights? -> So then why do you need to be toned? -> OK, then why do you need to look good in a T-shirt, or at bars, or in your profile pic? -> Because women like it. Pr…

Why are the women you say are beautiful "beautiful"? Because they are physically fit and have good child-bearing markers. We are hard-wired for this. That said I utterly agree with the other poster's assessment of the benefits of exercise - less stress, better sleep.

> [beautiful women] are physically fit

Being muscular is neither a necessary or sufficient condition for being physically fit. And in fact most beautiful women are beautiful despite not lifting weights, so why should lifting weights be a factor in the attractiveness of men. (I will grant that some women do want muscular men, but I don't think it's that big a factor for most women.)

> benefits of exercise - less stress, better sleep

Note again: I don't dispute that exercise is very important. I'm commenting only about the motivation for lifting as the choice of exercise.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#122

Post by richmt »

slaunchwise wrote: post #107
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

If you're new to weightlifting, this is a simple, effective entry point: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ You use 5 compound exercises and work out 3 times per week. Recommendation is to start as light as possible.

I see stronglifts 5x5 recommended a lot on sites like reddit and generally disagree that beginners should start out with it.

From what I've read online, the 5x5 structure often leads to quicker stalling in progression for some than doing 3x5 like starting strength has you do for squat, overhead, and bench.

Also, some people really don't need to start as light as SL will have you starting on. Anecdotally, a friend of mine with an athletic background says when he starting weight training for college sports, he could bench over 200lbs for one rep having never seriously trained before. Starting with just the bar like SL recommends would be a big stall in his progress. On SL it'd take him about 53 weeks to bench 200 for 5x5 if starting with the bar and increasing by 2.5 pounds each bench exercise (1.5 times per week).

Also, Mehdi has no proper training in the background. Someone like Rippetoe, author of starting strength, has years of experience in powerlifting and coaching.

Quick article for further reading.

http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/stronglifts-5x5/

It mostly looks at SL from a powerlifting perspective, but much of the criticism is still valid.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#123

Post by [deleted] »

slaunchwise wrote: post #107
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

If you're new to weightlifting, this is a simple, effective entry point: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ You use 5 compound exercises and work out 3 times per week. Recommendation is to start as light as possible.

[deleted]

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#124

Post by icebraining »

henry_vonfire wrote: post #117
pavel_lishin wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's a combination of things. 1. Convenience. If I have a gym in the building I live in, I'm about 10x more likely to use it. If it's a block down the street, I might go once a week. If it's two blocks down the street, it might as well be in Algiers. 2. Knowledge. I don't know how to lift weights, and I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and end up injuring myself. Apparently even running isn't trivial to do without po…

I haven't met anyone in a gym who is not willing to give you advices about how to lift.

Why would I trust advice from random strangers? For all I know, they're damaging themselves as well.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#125

Post by thebosz »

jonathanfoster wrote: post #106

I really like the resolution to embrace the uncomfortable. When you're young and inexperienced you have very little to lose by taking uncomfortable risks, but as you advance in your career it becomes more difficult to take the same risks. I recently read the 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss and he has some great exercises called Comfort Challenges that really push you to go outside of your comfort zone. Some examples i…

> * Approach attractive males/females and get their numbers

Should I get my wife's permission first?

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#126

Post by cballard »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #97
cabinpark wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was very lucky, growing up, to be the son of a sports medicine doctor because, from birth, healthy eating and exercise and their benefits were grilled into my brain. Unfortunately I see too many people in my job (academia) who don't exercise despite the huge potential benefits to their productivity and life. So this makes me wonder: what is it about exercise that turns people off? Is it a communication issue? Is it…

For me it's a combination of things. 1. Convenience. If I have a gym in the building I live in, I'm about 10x more likely to use it. If it's a block down the street, I might go once a week. If it's two blocks down the street, it might as well be in Algiers. 2. Knowledge. I don't know how to lift weights, and I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and end up injuring myself. Apparently even running isn't trivial to do without po…

If you like video games, you might like climbing more than lifting - unlike lifting, the numbers are mostly made up and don't really matter, the only thing that counts is solving problems.

More like a strategy game than lifting, which is like, I dunno, Cookie Clicker?

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#127

Post by panglott »

cabinpark wrote: post #76
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

I was very lucky, growing up, to be the son of a sports medicine doctor because, from birth, healthy eating and exercise and their benefits were grilled into my brain. Unfortunately I see too many people in my job (academia) who don't exercise despite the huge potential benefits to their productivity and life. So this makes me wonder: what is it about exercise that turns people off? Is it a communication issue? Is it…

It's both hard and boring.

Yes, yes, audiobooks, I know. Audiobooks/podcasts are great at lower intensities.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#128

Post by oskarth »

mysterypie wrote: post #103
richmt wrote: post #48

On the health note, the single most beneficial thing I did for myself this year was to start lifting. 6 months ago I started committing 3 days a week to a strength training program which I've strictly followed since. Making gains in the gym has motivated me to sleep better and eat better which both have had huge effects on every aspect of my life. Not only that, but the exercise has helped a ton with anxiety I've had…

> I urge everyone here to take up lifting Everyone I've spoken to got into lifting because they think it gets girls. They won't admit it directly or perhaps realize it themselves, but a series of questions leads to women: Of all types of exercise, why weights? -> So then why do you need to be toned? -> OK, then why do you need to look good in a T-shirt, or at bars, or in your profile pic? -> Because women like it. Pr…

Perhaps this is more a function of your social group than anything else. Of the three people I know that got into lifting (including myself, one woman and two men, all in long-terms relationships at the time), none did it to "get girls", but in order to be stronger (as opposed to just looking strong a la hypertrophy/bodybuilding).

Why be stronger? Many reasons, but it boils down to health and being strong enough to do activities that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do, both now (such as hiking or cross-country skiing) but also 30-50 years from now (not breaking a hip bone when you fall in the shower, for example).

For me, lifting heavy weights is a great counterpoint to spending time sitting still in front of a screen. Humans weren't made for that, and most humans nowadays are, to put it simply, weak (compared to what we were evolutionary selected for). As much as we would like to, we aren't just brains on a stick, we are also animals with physical demands.

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#129

Post by k__ »

richmt wrote: post #122
slaunchwise wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're new to weightlifting, this is a simple, effective entry point: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ You use 5 compound exercises and work out 3 times per week. Recommendation is to start as light as possible.

I see stronglifts 5x5 recommended a lot on sites like reddit and generally disagree that beginners should start out with it. From what I've read online, the 5x5 structure often leads to quicker stalling in progression for some than doing 3x5 like starting strength has you do for squat, overhead, and bench. Also, some people really don't need to start as light as SL will have you starting on. Anecdotally, a friend of…

How about hypertrophy? Can I simply do 5x5 with 10-12 reps per set and switch the focus from strength away?

Re: Resolutions for programmers (2012)

#130

Post by [deleted] »

henry_vonfire wrote: post #117
pavel_lishin wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me it's a combination of things. 1. Convenience. If I have a gym in the building I live in, I'm about 10x more likely to use it. If it's a block down the street, I might go once a week. If it's two blocks down the street, it might as well be in Algiers. 2. Knowledge. I don't know how to lift weights, and I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and end up injuring myself. Apparently even running isn't trivial to do without po…

I haven't met anyone in a gym who is not willing to give you advices about how to lift.

[deleted]
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