Gym vs. Home

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Thursday, September 6. 2012

I've been impressed by how effective the petite 20-something blonde trainers are in encouraging middle-aged men to push to their limits during their 5 am work-outs at my gym. (I suspect the healthy-looking male trainers have a similar impact on the ladies.)

That should be no surprise, of course, given male psychology. Gyms and blonde trainers don't come cheap, however.

Even before Paul Ryan touted his enthusiasm for the Insanity program, I had been hearing about it from people (Ryan uses Insanity and P90X). I kinda like the way the woman in the Insanity ad says "I want to feel good about sharing myself with my husband for many years to come." That's a great attitude.

The problem with home work-out regimens is the self-discipline. On the other hand, challenges to self-discipline are how we build character. But, on the other hand...

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 13:00 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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Any regimen requires self-discipline. I got close to having rock-hard abs back when I was in my 20's and would go to the gym in the AM before work, or at lunch.

Today, after years of not belonging to a gym (though I'm not in terrible shape overall), I've found just getting to the gym on weekends is a struggle. The enthusiasm I had in my 20's is replaced with a "I have other things to do" complacency.

But when I go, I push myself. Not crazy hard like P90X, but enough to have lost 10 pounds over the last 8 months.

You have to make the decision and do it. Nobody else can do it for you, not even the trainer.

#1 Bulldog on 2012-09-06 14:46 (Reply)

I finally become old, grumpy, and stubborn enough to make daily exercise (workouts) pretty much a "no excuses" thing. Nothing other than honestly unavoidable work requirements, vacation, and illness the only things that will keep me from exercise. Very few "lazy days". And even when I have to miss I will try to at least do some few minutes of something. I call them "place holders". Never do nothing at the alotted time. It takes enormous time and effort to build good habits and no time, or effort, at all to lose good habits.

I ain't doing anything approaching Insanity or X90. Just trying to be as healthy as I can be within reason. I work hard, but not insanely.

Oh, and it doesn't matter gym vs. home. I keep the time slots either way. 3 days at the gym, 3 days at home. Faithfully. Change the routines to match the seasons. Lotta biking in the summer, lotta getting ready for skiing once the weather goes south.

#2 Knucklehead (Link) on 2012-09-06 15:13 (Reply)

Exercise may make you feel better about yourself and improve the quality of certain aspects of your life, but the bottom line is it takes a minute of exercise to extend your life another minute. If you are looking to live longer, exercise is but a time shifter: for every minute of longevity you strive to gain in old age, you must sacrifice a minute of your youth to exercise your body. For some people, it's a tradeoff that's worth making. For others who are fanatical about exercise, working out is an obsession that consumes their entire lives. I consider that a life wasted.

My wife and I take a vigorous walk each day. I also go to the gym 3 times a week to work out. My gym membership is free, covered by Medicare Advantage. That's one of the Medicare programs Obama plans to raid in order to fund ObamaCare.

#3 Agent Cooper on 2012-09-06 15:46 (Reply)

I'm sure the the petite 20-something blonde trainer would motivate me too. I don't think my wife would be impressed.
I'll start by putting up the picture and see if that motivates me to exercise.

#4 EarlW on 2012-09-06 16:23 (Reply)

I believe in excercise and enjoy it as well. I don't think though there is any proof that a minute of excercise will extend your life another minute or even another second. For most people their life expectancy is determined the moment their parents choose each other, it's genetic. Sure there are things you can do to make it worse and probably some things will extend your life expectancy but for the most part it is in your genes.

#5 GoneWithTheWind on 2012-09-06 20:54 (Reply)

I do nothing. Expect to live as long as I would have anyway, most likely, though maybe not quite so capable of a heated marathon with that woman in the image. But then, I'd have other lazy, and and perhaps even more satisfying ways to keep her interest.

#6 XRay on 2012-09-06 22:35 (Reply)

What, so are you filthy rich or just braggin'?

#6.1 Agent Cooper on 2012-09-06 23:09 (Reply)

Oh hell, neither. Relying on history is all.

#6.1.1 XRay on 2012-09-07 23:53 (Reply)

Twenty-something blondes promising things they have no intention of delivering doesn't do it for me. The only reason why women do things like that is because men are willing to pay for even feigned attention.

#7 InRussetShadows (Link) on 2012-09-07 01:36 (Reply)

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Thursday, September 6. 2012

Gym vs. Home