with exercise i've found benefit as a function of time to be crazy non-linear. there's a much bigger difference between 0 minutes and 20 minutes spent exercising than between 20 and 40 or 40 and 60. so when i'm busy, i do what i can, keep it short, but never cut it out. i try to do something every other day at least. it clears my head and resets my stress.
i like to run. simple. no gym membership. no complicated/expensive gear -- only necessary investment is a pair of running shoes (runs around $90). best of all, you can exhaust yourself quickly: if you don't have much time to spare, just run faster* for less time.
* i wouldn't recommend taking this to an extreme. i knew a guy in college who'd max out the treadmill for a few minutes, sweat like crazy and call it a day. odds are that's terrible for you. (he also had an anger management problem...related?)
The park is definitely the better workout, because the uneven surface also makes you work out all the small muscles you need to keep your balance. People who run 5 miles on a treadmill often get tired after 2 in the park. Best to run on the grass if you can though.
I'd like to add that I believe basic calisthenics to be superior to weight training for most people. Whereas weights are designed to exercise specific muscle [groups], I think that activities like sit-ups and push-ups work muscles in such a way as to deliver more real-life benefit. They certainly expose you to less risk than weight-training and can deliver a full workout without much planning, a requirement when using weights.
In my opinion, most people lifting weights do so for superficial reasons, (not that there's anything wrong with that). I feel more practical strength when using a conservative calisthenic workout than I do when I used to lift weights, although my physique was more impressive when lifting. Note that I had proper guidance when lifting weights.
If you do a bodybuilder-style lifting workout, it will target specific muscle groups. But if you're doing squats, cleans, deadlifts and their variations, you're using many muscles, sometimes your whole body. The transfer is going to be the same.
You are exposed to more risk (I'm recovering from a minor strain in my lower back from deadlifts - I'll be more conservative next time), but I think in the long run, the rewards outweigh the risks.
Do you have an idea, how to do deadlifts and cleans without "professional" weights and without a gym?
Bodyweight squats are good. So are chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, push-ups, burpees and planks. I'd avoid sit-ups, especially if you hunched over your desk all day. A fun way to spice up the workout is "Parkour".
My workout is running a few kilometers to a selected tree, doing some of the exercises above and running home. Takes about an hour each. Three times a week.
It's been good - it's a program of pull-ups, push-ups and squats with 3 sessions a week and a series of levels to work through. Pretty nice if you're busy, none of the workouts go past 30 minutes because there's a focus on high intensity in the workout.
Probably wise to take the guys nutrition advice with a grain of salt, since it doesn't see to be his main area of knowledge.
I agree with this. If you're looking for exercises using body weight only, I'd recommend checking out Ross Enamait or Matt Furey, both of whom publish reasonably priced books with good workout suggestions.
For those already in decent shape, here's a way to maximizing the use of those 20 minutes: high-intensity interval training (HIIT - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_trainin...). The basic premise is to alternate between maximum effort (sprinting) and medium effort (jogging) at set intervals. The key is that the sprints are anaerobic rather than aerobic. This type of workout induces a state of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, thereby raising your resting metabolic rate for about 24 hours.
Hop on a treadmill (or bike, elliptical, whatever), warm up for 5 minutes, then go all-out for 30 seconds. Jog for 60 seconds, then go all-out for another 30 seconds. Repeat the cycle 6-8 times. Cool down for 5 minutes.
Best bang for your 20 minutes. Do it just three times a week; add in lifting, normal cardio, etc. as desired.
I walk from the sofa to the microwave and back to retrieve my hotpocket. Some days I go out to the mailbox to collect the pile of mail that has built up from the days I didn't quite make it out (but the sun hurts my eyes and burns my pasty skin so I quickly retreat indoors to bask in the glow of my monitor).
On those days that I manage to taste the fresh air I occasionally get the feeling, way in the back of my head, that I should get out and do something. Someday.
on one hand, I love this joke, but on the other hand, while i enjoy nice weather, I'm sufficiently sun burnable that my idea of nice outdoor weather is a bright day with diffuse light due to a thin film of clouds
[edit: i do tan, just very very slowly :p, though that may be a consequence of summers spent doing cs / math research rather than healthy stuff :)]
p90x. But I dont strictly follow their schedule, I usually do it 3-4 times a week. You can do half of their workouts anywhere, and the other half with a pullup bar and some free weights.
I've been doing P90X for about 2 months now (entering phase 3 this week). Before P90X, I did almost zero physical activity - I didn't play sports in high school and in college the best I did was ultimate frisbee maybe once a month. I haven't been following the diet plan which is probably a mistake but I've seen fairly steady weight loss and muscle gain - for the first time in my life I can do pullups (I'm up to 2!) and pushups! It's an intense program and will (absolutely will) wear you out if you're out of shape but my fitness is soaring and being able to keep up with a game of bball or frisbee is extraordinarily gratifying.
I'm currently doing the P90X lean program. After I finish that, I'll double my weights and will switch to P90X classic. I workout every day, since its pretty easy to make the time commitment when you have a daily routine.
You definitely see results fairly quickly + if you stick to the entire weekly regiment you'll focus on muscles that you tended to ignore before. i.e. for the first time ever I'm getting decent muscles on my legs.
As far as visible improvements(besides actual muscles), when I started out I was doing 10 more or less crappy pullups, and now I can do 15 proper ones(you know where you fully extend your arms)
I do about 40 minutes of biking a day (commute to train station) and try to get to the gym twice a week for about 30 to 45 minutes. Since biking is enough cardiovascular exercise for anybody I mostly do weights at the gym, and typically (when I have an extra 15 minutes free) some yoga for stretching.
I recommend the chalice lift for a good all-purpose hacker exercise. Go over to that big set o' one-hand weights the folks are always using for bicep curls. Find the largest one you can comfortably lift with both hands. Hold it with both hands supporting the top, braced against your chest. Pick a point on the wall at forehead level -- your eyes never move from that point for the duration of the exercise. (This is a hack to avoid back damage.) From a standing position, pretend you are sitting down on a bench directly behind you. Then, from the sitting position, stand to return to your original position. You can actually use a bench the first few times to get a hang out of it. Sitting to standing is one rep. Do five sets of five reps or 3 sets of 10 reps. I like to vary the weight I use -- first work with one I know I can do easily, then with one I know is a stretch, then back to easy.
Works your legs, torso, and a bit of your upper body like you would not believe, scales trivially until you reach the limits of your upper body strength (but even for out of shape hackers you can get a lot of benefit at the final point for your arms -- I'm at about 30 lbs right now, which is really not that much, and it feels like a real workout and has been empirically effective since a few months ago 15 lbs was similarly tiring), requires minimal time, equipment, and skill. Biggest downside: you'll look like an absolute doofus doing it.
Bonus points: keep a journal. Things that get measured get improved, etc.
That lift looks far too complicated and awkward for a noob to weightlifting.
If you want to start weight lifting go really simple to avoid any problems early on.
Squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press. Do everything with barbells to start if possible, if not go with dumbbells.
I do agree 5x5 or so is the way to go - especially starting out as this will allow you to go with heavier weights.
Don't go to failure, keep well below that and stay consistent a few times a week. It is by far the best way to gain overall strength. Lookup 'riptoes workout' as a good guide to that basic plan if you want the generally accepted best way to gain strength from scratch.
Lunges are also a really good choice starting out - you can modulate the intensity with super easily - change how low you go, add weights, put your arms in the air, do intense rep sets, add kicks, etc. Lunges are a great exercise.
I commute on a bike (5 miles each way). I also run 5k's when they come around, Lift weights twice per week, and go on long (50+ mile) bike rides when I can.
if you're looking for motivation, i highly suggest finding some sport that you enjoy doing. go looking for it, i'm sure one exists.
i do a 2-3 hour workout 2-3 days/week centered around a martial art i compete in on the national/international level. the enjoyment factor really helps get you off the couch.
and i do about 1 hour or so of warmup into a weight routine 2 days a week to compliment the other training.
I was spending too much time at the computer, and decided to put together a basketball team together for the UCSF (mission bay) rec league. I also shoot at the park on Folsom & 7th every day from 5-6pm. Feel free to join if you like to ball - it's great exercise.
No matter how many resolutions I've made, I'd never follow through on going to the gym. I eventually realized it's not that I don't like exercising, it's that working out in a gym is incredibly boring.
I started taking taekwondo classes 4 days a week (classes are about 90 minutes), and it's great. The workout is much more strenuous than I was getting with a personal trainer for about 1/8th the cost, and it's building strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. I'd had minor back problems my whole life, and they've completely gone away.
Plus, there aren't many workouts with such a clear and tangible progression from novice to expert. It is very motivating to attain new skills, and yet know that there's a lot more to learn.
Also, I try to get out on my bike on the weekends when the weather is nice.
Yep, in the past I would go through a month of exercise addiction at the gym or pool, then do nothing for the next four months. I've been off-road cycling (mountain biking would be a hyperbole for south-east england) for four years now, non-stop; its a great thing to discover an activity you enjoy so much, and the exercise becomes an added bonus.
I run 6 days a week and ice skate 2-3 nights a week. Running allows me to both stay in good shape and do a lot of thinking; I've caught quite a few bugs during those morning runs. I played ice hockey in middle school and have loved skating ever since, so it's more for fun than health.
so true! walking or running or biking or swimming make for excellent designing or problem solving time.
doesn't replace solitude with a whiteboard, or other parts of the process, but definitely helps with getting one's thoughts in order and seeing around assumptions. i feel more creative when my blood is flowing.
You almost nailed it. It's not how much exercise you do during the week, but that you spend time to do it regularly. Again, it doesn't matter exactly what you do. The point of exercise is that it challenges you a bit. So, if you go to the gym 4 times a week, even half hour before they close, you will be able to get 20-25 minutes of running in.
That consistency of showing up, even for 15 minutes a day 4 times a week, is what builds the habit. Building the habit is the important part. After you get the habit, then you will naturally start doing more challenging things to avoid boredom, because the constant is that you keep going, but what you do is what may change day to day. As well, you will find yourself setting aside more time to go to the gym because you'll feel more confident with your surroundings and the people. You may also become interested in classes, and start promising friends that "you'll see them at 5pm tomorrow." As you get (or stay) in good shape, you will learn about and be invited to various other athletic events or sports, which will reinforce the habit to stay in shape.
i go outside everyday to at least play keep away from my dog with my husband. sometimes we play tennis, or variations on tennis, rather.
sometimes i run to a pool and then swim. on weekends i tend to do longer runs, or else long bike rides to ponds for swimming. this is now that it's warm. during winter i swim indoors after work most days.
i'm trying to start up weekly roller hockey (thurs, 6pm, ahern, cambridge). all you need are skates/blades and whatever protective gear you want. i can bring sticks if you let me know.
i also enjoy roller tennis and roller frisbee. hmm, i guess that's it. i tried indoor soccer this winter, which was prett good. i used to fence. sometimes i spar outside, but i miss the precision of electronics.
i love moving outside. i think people interact with such freedom and joy when outside, especially in nice weather (though all sorts of weather can be interesting). just shooting hoops with someone can make for a more easy going conversation.
recently i've learn yoga, which again is especially awesome when done outside, say after running to a nice field or creek.
i pretty much work constantly at my computer, though i try to read at night before sleep (rather than working until my eyeballs literally need massaging). i try to tear myself away from work with things like piano and sewing, but exercise is the most consistent and best feeling.
oh yeah! pickup ultimate frisbee at least once a wee!! winter pond skating and ice hockey this year was also sweet!!
I play ice hockey 2 to 3 times a week depending on the league's schedule. I would like to do more exercising like weight lifting and maybe some biking...
For cardio, it's most often the stationary bike in my condo gym. I pedal as fast as I can get to 1,000 calories (about 32 minutes). I sometimes go for a 10k run instead, if it's nice outside (about 45 minutes). In the summer, soccer with my work team replaces cardio once a week.
For weights, I run through a circuit of exercises in about 35 minutes. On a universal gym: seated bench press, quadricep extensions, hamstring curls, tricep extensions, lat bar pulldowns. With free weights: back flys, shoulder lifts. On a mat: various situps. To finish off: 2 minutes of very high-intensity cardio on a stairclimber.
Weekdays, I do my workouts right after work, before dinner. I don't think I've missed a workout for about four years, except when traveling. (When traveling, I do a 25-minute body-weight "core circuit" of situps and pushups in the morning immediately after getting up.) Weekends, I get the workout (usually the cardio) out of the way as soon as practical...usually after getting laundry or some other task started.
If doing this every day without fail seems rigid and bordering on obsessive, it's because I've learned for my own personality type, it's vital to make it part of my daily routine. The less I have to think about it, the more likely is that I'll stick with it and make no excuses. There's now never any question as to whether I will or won't exercise on any given day - it's as routine as eating dinner.
I run. 5-12 miles a day depending on speed (5 being the shortest, fastest, and 12 being long and moderate with a pickup at the end) -- quit track to do programming and startup stuff seeing as I'm in high school, but I keep discipline cause it helps me stay focused academically too.
I've recently taken to exercising several hours a day; mostly weights and taking decently long walks.
What I've noticed is that this actually gives me somewhat more time to code, as I spend much less of the day feeling tired and don't need quite as much sleep.
First 30 minutes is machines/free weights then 45 minutes on the treadmill jogging.
Mon/Tue and Thu/Fri 6:30AM -> 7:45AM before I go into the office. I have to do it before I go to work, so that I never miss any days due to working late. I don't allow myself to ever miss even one day, to keep the habit in tact.
I forgot how much more alive I feel when I exercise until I started again after a long break.
Mostly every day. I go climbing two to three times a week, two to three hours each time. I try to run every other day, 3-4 miles, and I try to make it out to the gym twice or so a week. Nothing's that consistent except the climbing, so I hope to make it into a proper regimen. Last half year or so I've been going to the gym/running about twice a week but nothing on a schedule.
However, I have set definite goals for climbing and have a 5K and a 10K in May, so that's something specific to train for.
91 comments
[ 5.3 ms ] story [ 162 ms ] threadBut I should do more!
i like to run. simple. no gym membership. no complicated/expensive gear -- only necessary investment is a pair of running shoes (runs around $90). best of all, you can exhaust yourself quickly: if you don't have much time to spare, just run faster* for less time.
* i wouldn't recommend taking this to an extreme. i knew a guy in college who'd max out the treadmill for a few minutes, sweat like crazy and call it a day. odds are that's terrible for you. (he also had an anger management problem...related?)
In my opinion, most people lifting weights do so for superficial reasons, (not that there's anything wrong with that). I feel more practical strength when using a conservative calisthenic workout than I do when I used to lift weights, although my physique was more impressive when lifting. Note that I had proper guidance when lifting weights.
You are exposed to more risk (I'm recovering from a minor strain in my lower back from deadlifts - I'll be more conservative next time), but I think in the long run, the rewards outweigh the risks.
Bodyweight squats are good. So are chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, push-ups, burpees and planks. I'd avoid sit-ups, especially if you hunched over your desk all day. A fun way to spice up the workout is "Parkour".
My workout is running a few kilometers to a selected tree, doing some of the exercises above and running home. Takes about an hour each. Three times a week.
http://www.simplefit.org/
It's been good - it's a program of pull-ups, push-ups and squats with 3 sessions a week and a series of levels to work through. Pretty nice if you're busy, none of the workouts go past 30 minutes because there's a focus on high intensity in the workout.
Probably wise to take the guys nutrition advice with a grain of salt, since it doesn't see to be his main area of knowledge.
Other than that I run about 5km 3 times a week.
Hop on a treadmill (or bike, elliptical, whatever), warm up for 5 minutes, then go all-out for 30 seconds. Jog for 60 seconds, then go all-out for another 30 seconds. Repeat the cycle 6-8 times. Cool down for 5 minutes.
Best bang for your 20 minutes. Do it just three times a week; add in lifting, normal cardio, etc. as desired.
On those days that I manage to taste the fresh air I occasionally get the feeling, way in the back of my head, that I should get out and do something. Someday.
[edit: i do tan, just very very slowly :p, though that may be a consequence of summers spent doing cs / math research rather than healthy stuff :)]
Don't forget to do your ears, the backs of your hands, and the back of your neck.
You definitely see results fairly quickly + if you stick to the entire weekly regiment you'll focus on muscles that you tended to ignore before. i.e. for the first time ever I'm getting decent muscles on my legs.
As far as visible improvements(besides actual muscles), when I started out I was doing 10 more or less crappy pullups, and now I can do 15 proper ones(you know where you fully extend your arms)
I recommend the chalice lift for a good all-purpose hacker exercise. Go over to that big set o' one-hand weights the folks are always using for bicep curls. Find the largest one you can comfortably lift with both hands. Hold it with both hands supporting the top, braced against your chest. Pick a point on the wall at forehead level -- your eyes never move from that point for the duration of the exercise. (This is a hack to avoid back damage.) From a standing position, pretend you are sitting down on a bench directly behind you. Then, from the sitting position, stand to return to your original position. You can actually use a bench the first few times to get a hang out of it. Sitting to standing is one rep. Do five sets of five reps or 3 sets of 10 reps. I like to vary the weight I use -- first work with one I know I can do easily, then with one I know is a stretch, then back to easy.
Works your legs, torso, and a bit of your upper body like you would not believe, scales trivially until you reach the limits of your upper body strength (but even for out of shape hackers you can get a lot of benefit at the final point for your arms -- I'm at about 30 lbs right now, which is really not that much, and it feels like a real workout and has been empirically effective since a few months ago 15 lbs was similarly tiring), requires minimal time, equipment, and skill. Biggest downside: you'll look like an absolute doofus doing it.
Bonus points: keep a journal. Things that get measured get improved, etc.
If you want to start weight lifting go really simple to avoid any problems early on.
Squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press. Do everything with barbells to start if possible, if not go with dumbbells.
I do agree 5x5 or so is the way to go - especially starting out as this will allow you to go with heavier weights.
Don't go to failure, keep well below that and stay consistent a few times a week. It is by far the best way to gain overall strength. Lookup 'riptoes workout' as a good guide to that basic plan if you want the generally accepted best way to gain strength from scratch.
I commute on a bike (5 miles each way). I also run 5k's when they come around, Lift weights twice per week, and go on long (50+ mile) bike rides when I can.
i do a 2-3 hour workout 2-3 days/week centered around a martial art i compete in on the national/international level. the enjoyment factor really helps get you off the couch.
and i do about 1 hour or so of warmup into a weight routine 2 days a week to compliment the other training.
This is exactly what I've done. Rock climbing at a local gym 3 times a week. I also run 3.5 miles 2 times a week but only for the added fitness.
I really enjoy rock climbing; it's an excellent combination of physical fitness and problem solving.
No matter how many resolutions I've made, I'd never follow through on going to the gym. I eventually realized it's not that I don't like exercising, it's that working out in a gym is incredibly boring.
I started taking taekwondo classes 4 days a week (classes are about 90 minutes), and it's great. The workout is much more strenuous than I was getting with a personal trainer for about 1/8th the cost, and it's building strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. I'd had minor back problems my whole life, and they've completely gone away.
Plus, there aren't many workouts with such a clear and tangible progression from novice to expert. It is very motivating to attain new skills, and yet know that there's a lot more to learn.
Also, I try to get out on my bike on the weekends when the weather is nice.
doesn't replace solitude with a whiteboard, or other parts of the process, but definitely helps with getting one's thoughts in order and seeing around assumptions. i feel more creative when my blood is flowing.
That consistency of showing up, even for 15 minutes a day 4 times a week, is what builds the habit. Building the habit is the important part. After you get the habit, then you will naturally start doing more challenging things to avoid boredom, because the constant is that you keep going, but what you do is what may change day to day. As well, you will find yourself setting aside more time to go to the gym because you'll feel more confident with your surroundings and the people. You may also become interested in classes, and start promising friends that "you'll see them at 5pm tomorrow." As you get (or stay) in good shape, you will learn about and be invited to various other athletic events or sports, which will reinforce the habit to stay in shape.
Weights a few times a week, running a few times a week. I play hockey during the winter twice a week.
I am hoping to get back into good shape soon...it gets harder as you get older.
sometimes i run to a pool and then swim. on weekends i tend to do longer runs, or else long bike rides to ponds for swimming. this is now that it's warm. during winter i swim indoors after work most days.
i'm trying to start up weekly roller hockey (thurs, 6pm, ahern, cambridge). all you need are skates/blades and whatever protective gear you want. i can bring sticks if you let me know.
i also enjoy roller tennis and roller frisbee. hmm, i guess that's it. i tried indoor soccer this winter, which was prett good. i used to fence. sometimes i spar outside, but i miss the precision of electronics.
i love moving outside. i think people interact with such freedom and joy when outside, especially in nice weather (though all sorts of weather can be interesting). just shooting hoops with someone can make for a more easy going conversation.
recently i've learn yoga, which again is especially awesome when done outside, say after running to a nice field or creek.
i pretty much work constantly at my computer, though i try to read at night before sleep (rather than working until my eyeballs literally need massaging). i try to tear myself away from work with things like piano and sewing, but exercise is the most consistent and best feeling.
oh yeah! pickup ultimate frisbee at least once a wee!! winter pond skating and ice hockey this year was also sweet!!
http://theorytopractice.wordpress.com/
4 days a week: cardio. 3 days a week: weights.
For cardio, it's most often the stationary bike in my condo gym. I pedal as fast as I can get to 1,000 calories (about 32 minutes). I sometimes go for a 10k run instead, if it's nice outside (about 45 minutes). In the summer, soccer with my work team replaces cardio once a week.
For weights, I run through a circuit of exercises in about 35 minutes. On a universal gym: seated bench press, quadricep extensions, hamstring curls, tricep extensions, lat bar pulldowns. With free weights: back flys, shoulder lifts. On a mat: various situps. To finish off: 2 minutes of very high-intensity cardio on a stairclimber.
Weekdays, I do my workouts right after work, before dinner. I don't think I've missed a workout for about four years, except when traveling. (When traveling, I do a 25-minute body-weight "core circuit" of situps and pushups in the morning immediately after getting up.) Weekends, I get the workout (usually the cardio) out of the way as soon as practical...usually after getting laundry or some other task started.
If doing this every day without fail seems rigid and bordering on obsessive, it's because I've learned for my own personality type, it's vital to make it part of my daily routine. The less I have to think about it, the more likely is that I'll stick with it and make no excuses. There's now never any question as to whether I will or won't exercise on any given day - it's as routine as eating dinner.
What I've noticed is that this actually gives me somewhat more time to code, as I spend much less of the day feeling tired and don't need quite as much sleep.
Mon/Tue and Thu/Fri 6:30AM -> 7:45AM before I go into the office. I have to do it before I go to work, so that I never miss any days due to working late. I don't allow myself to ever miss even one day, to keep the habit in tact.
I forgot how much more alive I feel when I exercise until I started again after a long break.
However, I have set definite goals for climbing and have a 5K and a 10K in May, so that's something specific to train for.
The benefits to my physical and mental health were huge.