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Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#121

Post by kevingriffiths »

mytimetoshine wrote: post #98

Yo! My time to shine. I'm a partner in a gym. I'm fit. I'm a full time software developer. People think I'm an athlete. You're trying too hard. You need to develop a habit to get fit. Consistency > intensity. Sooooo! Here is my tip. Go to the gym. Win the day by doing really easy stuff. Everything should be easy. Then finish your session before you are tired or sore. Go get food. A shake is perfect. You need to win.…

This is a great perspective - agreed that consistency is everything.

My personal journey into fitness started with P90X3, highly recommend trying it out. If you can get past the MLM aspects of BeachBody, it's a good place to start building consistency in weight lifting, cardio, yoga/core from home. Highly recommend getting Bowflex weights, a pull up bar, and you're good to go.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#122

Post by brundolf »

wink wrote: post #82
brundolf wrote: post #7

A lot of programmers get bored with normal exercises, but a lot of us seem to have affinity for both dance (especially swing) and rock-climbing. The correlation is uncanny, in my experience. Both of these are more mentally stimulating than most exercises, so it makes a certain amount of sense, though dance might be difficult right now with covid. Personally I also enjoy just taking walks. I can daydream the whole tim…

Maybe I've simply doing it wrong, and while I never went rock-climbing properly, but I've been going bouldering regularly for a long time and basically... I've not felt any change except a little bit of increase in arm/hand/finger strength, but also only for the muscles used in bouldering and nothing else. Nothing for stamina or general fitness, more like doing a single strength exercise with dumbells every day.

Yeah I don't think it's the best as cardio. Mainly strength, and mainly in certain muscles. But if it's the only exercise you can enjoy enough to keep doing it, it's better than nothing.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#123

Post by brundolf »

Graffur wrote: post #69
brundolf wrote: post #7

A lot of programmers get bored with normal exercises, but a lot of us seem to have affinity for both dance (especially swing) and rock-climbing. The correlation is uncanny, in my experience. Both of these are more mentally stimulating than most exercises, so it makes a certain amount of sense, though dance might be difficult right now with covid. Personally I also enjoy just taking walks. I can daydream the whole tim…

Programmers and dancing is something I have _only_ ever seen mentioned on HN.

When I was in college we had a swing dance society on campus that met twice a week and it was about 70% CS majors. As an adult in a different city I've met probably half a dozen coworkers or peers in software who are or have been into one kind of dance or another; my engineering manager at my last company was prominent in the blues dancing scene and when I told him which company I was going to, he told me my new CTO is like a master ballroom-dancer. Even Jonathan Blow has said that he enjoys swing dancing.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#124

Post by CobaltFire »

klondike_klive wrote: post #110
CobaltFire wrote: post #92

One thing I don't see addressed here that is critically important is injury prevention, specifically as part of your workout plan. Getting injured will derail you (in some cases permanently), and I've dealt with that myself. Climbing was recommended here, and I think that's a great idea. Hiking is usually a better idea for those just starting out though. Look into Training for the New Alpinism and Training for the Up…

Injury prevention: I feel like I reached a point in my 40s where I'd recover from one injury, go back to working out and soon get hit with an equivalent injury someplace else. Usually some kind of tendonitis. I'm not sure if my form is bad or I'm trying too hard or what. I'm currently unable to do upper body for the most part because of golfers elbow (I use a wacom tablet for work so maybe it's RSI too) and I'm wonde…

I'm dealing with RSI issues as well, and am in my late 30's. Hard career left me with a lot of small (and a couple larger) injuries.

The only thing I've found to help is stopping the actions that are unnecessary to reduce load, and training to build the tendons and ligaments. This can be difficult and has required I change how I work. It has, however, paid dividends.

I have a torn ligament in my shoulder that I'm about 18 months into rehabbing to try and avoid surgery, and I have a spinal injury that causes me major issues. I've managed to work through both but my progress is ridiculously slow and my max effort ceiling low compared to many. However I've hit points that I was told I'd never be able to do via the long and slow route.

There's nothing easy about it, and nutrition was a big part of it as well. I had to change hobbies, too, as those were using up some of the load I could use to train. Later on I was able to take them back up as I built up strength and recovered those injuries, but never to the point where I was.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#125

Post by CobaltFire »

rcavezza wrote: post #107
CobaltFire wrote: post #92

One thing I don't see addressed here that is critically important is injury prevention, specifically as part of your workout plan. Getting injured will derail you (in some cases permanently), and I've dealt with that myself. Climbing was recommended here, and I think that's a great idea. Hiking is usually a better idea for those just starting out though. Look into Training for the New Alpinism and Training for the Up…

On the injury topic, I used to pull muscles all the time. I would probably pull a muscle every 3-4 months that would sideline me for a month or two. This seemed to stop when I started doing yoga once or twice a week. I don't do it as much as I should anymore, but if you're getting injured lifting weights, I highly, HIGHLY suggest you give yoga a try.

I'm a huge proponent of yoga. It has helped me immensely.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#126

Post by alphanumeric0 »

You should include weight training as one of your goals if you sit a lot. Strength training is about preventing injury and maintaining your range of motion as you age. The more muscle mass you have the less injury prone you are. Focus on compound exercises like squats, deadlift, and bench pressing.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#127

Post by fenesiistvan »

mytimetoshine wrote: post #98

Yo! My time to shine. I'm a partner in a gym. I'm fit. I'm a full time software developer. People think I'm an athlete. You're trying too hard. You need to develop a habit to get fit. Consistency > intensity. Sooooo! Here is my tip. Go to the gym. Win the day by doing really easy stuff. Everything should be easy. Then finish your session before you are tired or sore. Go get food. A shake is perfect. You need to win.…

5km??? Isn't this a big effort for beginners?

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#128

Post by literallyaduck »

When you wake up do as many push-ups with good form in the morning as you can, then squats, and round it out with a morning walk. You can fine plans online for half marathons, I did one last year by myself and tracked it with my watch because the scheduled ones were stopped for CovId. Consistency is the key, do as much as you can without hurting yourself. In many places they have running clubs and groups so you can make it a group activity. At your desk you can find exercises to do, and do a few everything you compile or hit F5 etc.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get fit and healthy as a software engineer?

#129

Post by keefe »

For me, keeping it simple - I just maintain a routine. My lunch time is for exercise and I don't compromise on that. I figure out where 1 mile is and do my best. When I was 25, it was 7 minutes at 40 I'm happy to crack 10 and then there's another mile back. That's 2/3 of a 5K. If I'm tired, sick, hungover - then I still go. I'm not reachable at lunch and my coworkers get that. I try to do some weights too, but it's the routine that matters, imho.
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