Do you work out?

[Akka]

Edit : I'm not the thread OP, seems that he somehow asked a question then deleted his post

Three to four times a week (plus one or two martial arts classes). It doesn't really show, as I tend to be very wiry and barely get any mass, but I am in pretty good shape for my age.
Not really looking forward to each time I do exercize (usually have to force myself to go), but I feel bad and missing something when I don't (sport can be pretty addictive in some weird sort of way), and I feel much better each time I've done it, so I do it nevertheless.

 

[Leifmk]

Yeah.

Used to do martial arts when I was younger but that became impractical after we had kids (wife works evenings and nights a lot, getting out of the house to attend group activites on a regular schedule is just not going to happen). Took up lifting ten years ago. It's been a tale of nice progress interrupted by occasional setbacks due to injuries or sickness or having more kids, and then the same progress all over again, rinse and repeat.

 

[tetley]

Yes. In high school when I would go running, there used to be a band of violins following me around playing Chariots of Fire. Now, it's a band of tubas playing Baby Elephant Walk.

 

[wolfigor]

After a long time of sitting on my bottom (due to family and work) I re-started working out at the beginning of the summer.
3 days a week working out in the gym (following a rather strict program of power lifting) and 2 days of martial arts (HEMA).

I went from XL to M in clothes and built up considerable muscles since then.
I tend to gain weight easily, and muscles easier.

 

[Kyriakos]

I just walk. For 1 hour/day, but sometimes for longer.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I have a gym membership, but currently it's not working out.

 

[Snerk]

I lift and I ski. Ideally I'd lift three times a week but that frequency just isn't sustainable for me. 1-2 times a week is more realistic. Skiing will depend on season (roller skis though) and weather. I'd like to get at least one ski session (AT or XC) a week during winter. Still waiting for enough snow now. I've got a fairly lean build too so any bulk beyond defined muscles is tricky but whatever. Various health woes will regularly mess up my work-out intentions but not much to do about that, just gotta adapt and try to work around it.

 

[Arakhor]

Edit : I'm not the thread OP, seems that he somehow asked a question then deleted his post

Actually, that was me. It was a spambot, but there appears to be an actual discussion, so I resurrected the thread and you are now the first poster.

If someone else wants to start a different exercise thread, I can merge these posts into that thread.

 

[Snerk]

Aww a friendly spambot who just wants to have a work out chat.

 

[MaryKB]

I used to go to a gym, and I still pay for my membership, but I've only been like two or three times this year. I should probably cancel, but I only pay $10 each month and I keep thinking I'm going to go back, but that's probably not going to happen.

I never did strength exercises, I just exercised to feel better. I'd use a stationary bicycle or the treadmill, I'd alternate between visits. I'd do some sort of muscle exercise, but not extensive at all, mostly just to stretch my arms and my back.

I used to like bicycle riding out of doors, but I have a flat tire on my bike and I didn't go riding this year, I don't know how to fix that. I enjoy walking like @Kyriakos, and taking strolls through my nature area (when weather is nice) is pretty much my only exercise these days.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I used to go to a gym, and I still pay for my membership, but I've only been like two or three times this year. I should probably cancel, but I only pay $10 each month and I keep thinking I'm going to go back, but that's probably not going to happen.

I eventually will, I'm pretty sure, but otherwise a similar situation. I started with this gym because i was training for a particular hike, and when I was done training I stopped going and cancelled my membership. They kept sending me offers to bring me back, and eventually they made such a good offer that I thought "for that price even if I don't go much it's still worthwhile." Of course, I have hardly gone at all so it really isn't, but I might start training again and I'd hate to have to pay full rate if I do.

 

[MaryKB]

I eventually will, I'm pretty sure, but otherwise a similar situation. I started with this gym because i was training for a particular hike, and when I was done training I stopped going and cancelled my membership. They kept sending me offers to bring me back, and eventually they made such a good offer that I thought "for that price even if I don't go much it's still worthwhile." Of course, I have hardly gone at all so it really isn't, but I might start training again and I'd hate to have to pay full rate if I do.

I totally know what you mean, I feel like for $10 a month right now I have the option to go whenever I want, even if I just haven't felt like it. Maybe when my medicine starts taking effect I'll feel more energy to go, and it'll be helpful not having to worry about signing up, I can just grab my bag and go. I started going because my boyfriend needed to lose weight, so I got memberships for both of us and got him to go a few times, but he stopped and I was just going by myself, but I just lost energy for it.

 

[BenitoChavez]

I do indeed exercise but I hate gyms so I bought a set of weights and converted part of my basement to an exercise area. For cardio I usually just go outside and run/walk/bike although in the winter the snow and ice makes it treacherous so it usually is just walking.

I seem to have nagging injury issues however which limits my progress. Most of my injuries I can't really tell what the cause of them are. Just one day some part of me will start hurting and I don't know why. I assume I'm overexerting myself when I work out but it never hurts while I'm doing an exercise or immediately afterwards so it's difficult to determine what exactly I'm doing wrong.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

I swim 2-4 times per week, each session of about 1:30-2 hours in the pool or 4-5 km in the sea when it behaves. After many years i have developed big back and shoulders, but in general i am a bit flabby (typical long distance swimmer body). Should do some diet and gym but it is so boring/sacrificed...

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I swim 2-4 times per week, 1:30-2 hours in the pool or 4-5 km in the sea when it behaves. After many years i have developed big back and shoulders, but in general i am a bit flabby (typical long distance swimmer body). Should do some diet and gym but it is so boring/sacrificed...

Having been around swim teams this statement absolutely boggles my mind. One and a half to two hours in a pool chasing lines, and you say the gym is boring? Those lines are not going anywhere, ever, and that's a fact. I cannot imagine any form of exercise as mind numbingly boring as lap swimming.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

In the pool i usually practice different styles and drills with series of about 20 lenghts or so maximum.

In the sea however i just keep swimming. After a given time (about half a hour for me) i start feeling the water and it seems like a diesel engine switches on (i suppose it is lipids metabolism activation), at this point it feels like i could keep swimming forever faster and faster in automatic pilot mode, it is hard to explain but it is super-relaxing, it is like mind and body disociate and i can think with special clarity.

It is almost impossible to reach that point in the pool with other people in the same lane and a wall every 50 meters, though.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

In the pool i usually practice different styles and drills with series of about 20 lenghts or so maximum.

In the sea however i just keep swimming. After a given time (about half a hour for me) i start feeling the water and it seems like a diesel engine switches on (i suppose it is lipids metabolism activation), at this point it feels like i could keep swimming forever faster and faster in automatic pilot mode, it is hard to explain but it is super-relaxing, it is like mind and body disociate and i can think with special clarity.

It is almost impossible to reach that point in the pool with other people in the same lane and a wall every 50 meters, though.

Please don't be offended, but some folks, me included, might describe that more briefly as "you are bored out of your mind." Though, to be honest, I don't consider open water swimming to be boring.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Why not? If you think swimming is boring open water swimming which basically is non-stop crawl swimming for hours should be the summun of boredom for you .

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Why not? If you think swimming is boring open water swimming which basically is non-stop crawl swimming for hours should be the summun of boredom for you .

Open water swimming in totally flat calm water with no visibility I suppose.

Pointless but vaguely related and possibly amusing anecdote:

Spoiler :

When I was in the navy we had to pass a quarterly fitness check; run a mile and a half, with a table of limits based on age. I hated it, because I've never liked running unless it involved chasing something or encountering something that was interested in eating me. Anyway, I was really happy when the navy introduced a swimming option; 1K, again with limits based on age. I'd say that three quarters of the crew of the boat immediately opted for this over the run.

As can be expected in a group of barely past adolescent males, this immediately lead to competition, and bets. Everyone knew who could and maybe would run the runs fast, but a swim was full of unknowns. I bet heavily, figuring that I'd beat at least as many people as would beat me at the very least, and it turned out I was the fastest guy in the water the first time out, so I made a killing. Of course, this was sort of a one off, since when the next quarter came along it was a lot harder to stir up a lot of bets. But naturally interdepartment obnoxiousness led to some betting and on a quarterly basis I had to maintain my nominal conditioning to dispatch assorted challengers. Since we were stationed in Hawaii and I spent all available time either snorkeling or bodysurfing this went well enough.

Then, the torpedomen came up with this new guy. He's maybe nineteen and was on his high school swim team, which they would have been well served to keep to themselves. Despite telling everyone not to bet on me, and certainly not betting myself, the torpedogeeks did make a killing when the guy crushed me by a significant distance. He was smooth as glass, and I'm a thrasher, pure and simple.

Anyway, I wasn't really married to the idea of being "boat champion swimmer," and in fact probably never had been since the ship's emergency diver opted for the run every quarter. But, the kid was obnoxious about it. And there were people who thought somehow a rematch would change things somehow. And I was younger and even more arrogant than I am now.

So I told the kid "more distance" and agreed to a rematch, from this ruined outdoor natatorium I knew to a marina past the opposite end of a beach where I did a lot of snorkeling...about a mile. The kid didn't think that distance was going to make any difference, which was almost certainly true. The difference arose from the six foot swell bouncing off the reef that ran offshore along the beach. No smooth stroke for the high school pool swimmer, just a straight up test of how far and fast we could will ourselves through the chop. He had to be pulled ashore.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Open water swimming in totally flat calm water with no visibility I suppose.

Pointless but vaguely related and possibly amusing anecdote:

Spoiler :

When I was in the navy we had to pass a quarterly fitness check; run a mile and a half, with a table of limits based on age. I hated it, because I've never liked running unless it involved chasing something or encountering something that was interested in eating me. Anyway, I was really happy when the navy introduced a swimming option; 1K, again with limits based on age. I'd say that three quarters of the crew of the boat immediately opted for this over the run.

As can be expected in a group of barely past adolescent males, this immediately lead to competition, and bets. Everyone knew who could and maybe would run the runs fast, but a swim was full of unknowns. I bet heavily, figuring that I'd beat at least as many people as would beat me at the very least, and it turned out I was the fastest guy in the water the first time out, so I made a killing. Of course, this was sort of a one off, since when the next quarter came along it was a lot harder to stir up a lot of bets. But naturally interdepartment obnoxiousness led to some betting and on a quarterly basis I had to maintain my nominal conditioning to dispatch assorted challengers. Since we were stationed in Hawaii and I spent all available time either snorkeling or bodysurfing this went well enough.

Then, the torpedomen came up with this new guy. He's maybe nineteen and was on his high school swim team, which they would have been well served to keep to themselves. Despite telling everyone not to bet on me, and certainly not betting myself, the torpedogeeks did make a killing when the guy crushed me by a significant distance. He was smooth as glass, and I'm a thrasher, pure and simple.

Anyway, I wasn't really married to the idea of being "boat champion swimmer," and in fact probably never had been since the ship's emergency diver opted for the run every quarter. But, the kid was obnoxious about it. And there were people who thought somehow a rematch would change things somehow. And I was younger and even more arrogant than I am now.

So I told the kid "more distance" and agreed to a rematch, from this ruined outdoor natatorium I knew to a marina past the opposite end of a beach where I did a lot of snorkeling...about a mile. The kid didn't think that distance was going to make any difference, which was almost certainly true. The difference arose from the six foot swell bouncing off the reef that ran offshore along the beach. No smooth stroke for the high school pool swimmer, just a straight up test of how far and fast we could will ourselves through the chop. He had to be pulled ashore.

That anecdote remembers me the famous (among open water swimmers at least) classification of the different types of swimmers according to Swim Smooth trainers.

Explanation at: https://www.swimtypes.com/smooth/

The torpedomen's champion was the typical "smooth" swimmer, best type of swimmer of course with an extensive background of pool swimming and even competition since kid but with zero experience in open water. Things like choppy waters, disorientation, fear of imaginary marine predators and even sea sickness can destroy these guys. Logically, after adaptation, smooth swimmers become the best in open waters too. (with some competition from powerful "swingers" )