Why I Love Working Out

http://www.zacharyburt.com/2011/01/why-i-love-working-out/

by zackattack • 16 years ago

26 22 16 years ago

Actually, I can honestly say that I love working out. It helps regulate my sleep and moods, a lot of my workouts are focused around skills like martial arts, so I'm learning new things while I do it, and to be quite honest, this xkcd says it all:

http://xkcd.com/189/

I didn't get into working out until I started treating it like the geek activity it always wanted to be. Biology, anatomy, physics, math, it's all there.

I always wonder how high school would have been different if Phys Ed. had been as challenging of a class intellectually as any other science.

brianmwang• 15 years ago

Incidentally, the startup my partner and I are working on is very much inspired by the same notion found in this XKCD comic. We're entering private beta in two weeks so if you're interested, shoot me an email.

jpadvo• 16 years ago

Read his post again, and pretend he's talking about unit testing instead of working out.

The emotional and psychological kick I get from running is in some ways very similar to the feelings I get from writing good unit tests. Everything is under control. I can do anything. Life feels good.

And then I get shin splints or find a heap of spaghetti. :)

taitems• 16 years ago

Since RunKeeper discounted it's Pro version (it's free for all of January - I am not affiliated, I promise) a lot of us at work have started competing against each other. I used to run a bit, and it's given me the motivation to start up again. Colleagues who have never ventured off a treadmill are giving it a go. Who can run further? Who can run quicker? Personal bests!

This is my first real notable encounter of peer and game theory, and it's having great results. I can honestly say that I now enjoy working out, thinking about working out, and strangely, analysing my workouts.

zackattack5• 16 years ago

Does anyone know of a forum like Hacker News except for business? Where successful people hang out and post? I'm happy to pay a monthly "not successful, noob" tax...

InclinedPlane• 16 years ago

There's the Business of Software discussion board: http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/?biz

zackattack5• 16 years ago

I am actually not especially interested in software. I would rather apply my technical mind to innovate on non-software problems...

civilian2• 16 years ago

Business people don't understand forums and are not good with computer. :)

But seriously, business people spend a lot more time talking to people in real-life instead of communicating online. They probably tend to be extroverts, and the silent-light-box method of communicating is just not for them. I really don't think you're going to find anything of decent quality. At best, you're going to find a "successful introverted businessman" forum... which would actually be really interesting.

zackattack5• 16 years ago

dude, get real.

PakG1• 16 years ago

Doesn't look similar at all, but just found out about www.poetsandquants.com. Maybe that'll scratch your itch.

sliverstorm• 16 years ago

Man I love working out. Actually, I don’t. Anyone who tells you that working out is awesome is probably trying to sell you something. Most of the time I spend in the gym is suffering and generally unpleasant

Really? For me the unpleasantness is a fraction of the total time I spend there (pretty much all concentrated in coming out of the hole on the last set), and there's a definite pleasant component as well (any time I do squats after being away for the gym for more than a few days, I come away bouncing up and down, I suddenly feel so good)

zackattack5• 16 years ago

ya, really, i would NOT exercise if it weren't for the endorphin, metabolic & aesthetic benefits.

xiaoma2• 16 years ago

>Man I love working out. Actually, I don’t. Anyone who tells you that working out is awesome is probably trying to sell you something.

The author lost me at the second sentence. I love working out and I'm not trying to sell anybody anything. Pushing myself is exhilarating! The human body is built for activity, not sitting on its ass 12 hours a day.

civilian2• 16 years ago

The whole post moved in a different direction, with "working out" being a metaphor for accomplishing other things. Take a chill pill...

xiaoma2• 16 years ago

I didn't get to the rest of the post. The author lost me at the beginning. No chill pill needed, the internet provided me plenty of other reading options while eating my lunch ^_^

Swizec2• 16 years ago

Man, working out is awesome. I used to do two hours of weight lifting every day, but eventually stopped due to monetary reasons connected with protein powders and gym membership fees.

These days I have a short 15-ish minute routine every morning and do two hours of boxing thrice a week. It's painful and sometimes horrible, but my god it is awesome!

Sure wish my sexy would come out of all this flab though, but that would require too much care with diet.

sharadgopal• 15 years ago

hey i was thinking about taking up boxing as a sport. i am essentially waiting for my gear [gloves] to arrive. i have access to a punching bag / speed ball.

would you recommend a DIY approach to learning the basics, or is it essential to learn it from someone who already knows it ?

thanks.

Swizec2• 15 years ago

I've been doing it with a guy who knows his stuff for over a year and I still can't do a lot of things perfectly. Not to mention all the whacky combinations he comes up with.

It's pretty essential you do it with someone who can coach you, at least in the beginning otherwise you'll be doing more harm than good imho.

nagnatron• 16 years ago

Maybe the author should try something else than going to the gym. I do bouldering and besides being tons of fun, it has improved how my body looks immensely.

x0ner• 16 years ago

I am a cyclist and it is all about suffering. Sports or workouts where I don't suffer just seem kind of boring now. v02 for life. :)

Why I Love Working Out

Related Stories