Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#71

Post by _Algernon_ » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

thrance wrote: post #56

jb1991 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ask anyone in the army how all those years of running drills have affected them as they got older. It’s not so rosy. Lots of knee problems in that group. Above average practice of running throughout life also increases likelihood of requiring pacemakers later in life.

Just because our ancestors did something doesn't mean it's automatically good for your health. After all, prehistoric men weren't known for their long life expectancy.

What data are you basing this on? My understanding is that historical life expectancy is only as low as it is because of the immense infant mortality rates. People who survived through childhood tended to live long.

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#72

Post by SonOfLilit » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

endoblast wrote: post #24

I go for a decent walk most days and it doesn't require effort or get boring. It goes well with listening to headphones and relaxing the eyes on the horizon plus seeing a bit of nature and humanity in action. This does me a lot of good however the only upper body exercise I get is playing the piano! I can't see myself joining a gym or doing press-ups reliably in the long-term. I need to find a suitable hobby which ha…

Consider rock climbing

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#73

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:28 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #40

bob1029 wrote: post #19

> The author Daniel Lieberman has put it well: Exercise is healthy and rewarding even though it’s something we never evolved to do. We have ostensibly spent much of our evolutionary budget on the ability to run ~indefinitely no matter what. Compared to virtually any other animal, we can vastly outperform them in the most arduous environments. Our bodies are mechanically optimized for running at every level. We have c…

Ask anyone in the army how all those years of running drills have affected them as they got older. It’s not so rosy. Lots of knee problems in that group. Above average practice of running throughout life also increases likelihood of requiring pacemakers later in life.

[deleted]

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#74

Post by derektank » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:29 PM UTC

Xenoamorphous wrote: post #38

bob1029 wrote: post #19

> The author Daniel Lieberman has put it well: Exercise is healthy and rewarding even though it’s something we never evolved to do. We have ostensibly spent much of our evolutionary budget on the ability to run ~indefinitely no matter what. Compared to virtually any other animal, we can vastly outperform them in the most arduous environments. Our bodies are mechanically optimized for running at every level. We have c…

How much of that is due to only using two limbs? Which also makes us slower I guess.

There is actually some evidence that, in a sprint, humans might be able to run faster on all 4 limbs than on 2

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27446911/

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#75

Post by chickenzzzzu » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:29 PM UTC

NeutralForest wrote: post #6

chickenzzzzu wrote: post #4

Until you injure something particularly nasty, like a joint, tendon, muscle tear, etc...

You can also walk and bike, it doesn't need to be crazy intensive.

As if no one, ever, in the history of time, was injured by walking or biking?

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#76

Post by bad_username » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:29 PM UTC

> That I was born in the capital of the world’s richest country is one of the greatest strokes of luck in my life—a pure accident of timing and gametes. There is no way to pay back this good fortune, and wallowing in guilt over it would do nothing, either.

Why in the world does the author have to feel so bad about beibg lucky in some way? How does luck deserve the feeling of guilt? This has to be as unhealthy as exercise is healthy.

Grateful, yes, appreciative, absolutely, motivated to do good, of course. Having to pay "back" (to whom?), feeling guilty? Absurd and corrosive

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#77

Post by chickenzzzzu » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:31 PM UTC

maccard wrote: post #70

olddustytrail wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lack of exercise is vastly more likely to cause injury to your body than exercise is. Unless you're an elite athlete pushing your body beyond what is reasonable, but that really doesn't apply to most people.

Exercising wrong is more likely to cause you injury than either of those things. Do a bit, and do it carefully

Such platitudes are legitimately useless as nearly everyone who injured themselves while exercising immediately sees the error in their ways, but that doesn't help them undo the permanent damage they've done

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#78

Post by oldpersonintx2 » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:31 PM UTC

jb1991 wrote: post #40

bob1029 wrote: post #19

> The author Daniel Lieberman has put it well: Exercise is healthy and rewarding even though it’s something we never evolved to do. We have ostensibly spent much of our evolutionary budget on the ability to run ~indefinitely no matter what. Compared to virtually any other animal, we can vastly outperform them in the most arduous environments. Our bodies are mechanically optimized for running at every level. We have c…

Ask anyone in the army how all those years of running drills have affected them as they got older. It’s not so rosy. Lots of knee problems in that group. Above average practice of running throughout life also increases likelihood of requiring pacemakers later in life.

[dead]

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#79

Post by evilduck » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:32 PM UTC

datameta wrote: post #26

Walking is exercise. Never forget that. Consistency over sporadic herculean efforts always wins out.

You're right of course, consistency is safer and more sustainable but ego is a bitch and nobody is ever bragging or impressed about an average adult being able to walk their dog daily, or doing ten 50kg squats twice a week, or even jogging a mile three times a week (except maybe your doctor, and probably only then if you're over 40).

Re: Why Exercise Is a Miracle Drug

#80

Post by gooodvibes » Sat, Aug 02, 2025, 5:33 PM UTC

datameta wrote: post #26

Walking is exercise. Never forget that. Consistency over sporadic herculean efforts always wins out.

There are positive physical and mental change that happen with more intensive cardio and with resistance training that you can't get from walking no matter how much you walk. And there's nothing herculian about those modes of exercise.