Pickup sports. I can run all day playing football or basketball.
Since that isn't an actual option I have anymore, I mostly actually use an exercise bike. It's low impact and I can do it while my brain is occupied elsewhere. I'd like a rowing machine because it's a big full body power workout, but I have no room for one.
When it’s not hot AF I quite enjoy trail riding. I haven’t been in two years though because it’s quite hard to find that much free time (~4 hrs) when I have two kids under 6. I enjoy feeling the breeze as I ride, the constantly changing scenery, and the random challenges of rough terrain and steep hills. It’s also quite fun to use GPS and map your ride and see the stats.
Kids definitely make things harder don’t they? Mine are 2 and 5 and so even if we go out, they walk slow as shit, and if I turn up the intensity in hide and seek it’s over before it starts. I like to think I’m essentially exercising most of the time though, because they can certainly get my heart pumping.
Hiking, for me. There's a variety of trail difficulties, so you can do something more casual if you want to, and aside from the great cardio, you're out in the beautiful outdoors.
I enjoy things when I have a sense of progression I think. So I most enjoy lifting because of that, and when I could, the novelty of strongman was great to mix in.
I used to swim all the time but I burned out on it. I was just adding mileage and I think the only thing that kept me going was the whole body exhaustion/relaxation afterwards. As well as buying myself some bone conducting earphones so I had something to listen to instead of my own thoughts!
Alongside lifting I walk and run around with my dog for nearly an hour a day. I love my dog but we go on the same tracks around the property all the time, so it would be even more monotonous without all the podcast I listen to. Right now she's a bit puppy-crazy, so training new things isn't as effective, which could make it more interesting. Plus there's no heel/agility training I can work on until she literally grows her joints.
I also kayak once or twice a month for a few days. I like it for both the adventure and the people I paddle with, even if it can feel a bit tiring being in a social situation for an extended amount of time. It's probably my most enjoyed activity quite easily.
I take Hippocrates’ “walking is man’s best medicine” advice when it comes to physical activity. It’s good for the body and mind and also good for interacting with people.
Dancing, Aerobics, Jazzercise is my favorite. Because it is exactly complicated enough that I can turn my brain off and just dance. Running is so monotonous I can’t stop thinking.
What I do now is yoga and lifting and walking, because that’s what I have available here.
I’m mid 50-s and have never not worked out. Last time was yesterday, first time when I was maybe 7? Did different sorts of dance practice for a long time, then ran when that was the only possible workout, have to move physically or I get anxious.
Running. My brain struggles to start with anything that requires a lot of actions to get started. Going to the gym, for instance, requires me to grab my stuff, bike to the gym, change clothes, and then keep switching exercises. Any of these actions require me to get over a mental “bridge”, and can thus cause me to stop.
With running I change clothes, put on shoes, and just start running. I can be outside very quickly, before my brain realizes what’s really going on. And once I’m going it seem to cost me more mental energy to stop than to keep going. So for my brain it’s perfect. Barely any setup and almost no “bridges” to cross.
Long distance walking. I usually pick a direction, put on a podcast or some music, and just vibe as I walk and listen.
I do it because it’s not overly complicated, allows me to relax and enjoy something to listen to as I walk, gets me out of the house and maybe towards another activity I’d like to do, and it helps me sleep better at night.
On a light day, I might do it for 30 minutes. I might go for 2 hours if I’m in good condition. I think my record was over 5 hours.
First, why do you like to do swimming laps? Also, when is the last time you have engaged in physical exercise, and do you have any additional thoughts?
I like swimming because of the no impact when swimming. Another reason is because its like meditation for me, I don’t think about anything else when I swim. The last time I engaged in physical exercise was on Thursday so 3 days ago.
It’s also swimming for me. I used to swim combative during my time in school, but stopped after I graduated. I didn’t do any sport regularly for about 10 years and picked up swimming again a year ago and I love it.
It gives me a break from every day stress. Once I’m in the pool, all the noise gets drowned (literally and figuratively). I totally agree that it’s like meditation. Concentrating on your breathing and feeling your body float in the water you either think about nothing, letting your body do the moves you practiced a million times over and over, or you try to feel every muscle and the feedback of the water to try to perfect your stroke by making small adjustments. No distractions, no phone in your pocket, no music in your ears, no one trying to talk to you. Having my routine and knowing how long it takes I don’t even have to check the clock.
Also I like that you don’t have to rely on the weather. There’s no excuse not to go because it’s too hot, or raining or whatever. In an indoor pool you always have the same conditions no matter what.
I had horses for 10 years, and riding was by far the best exercise for me. I have fibromyalgia, so I can’t do many exercises without causing me way too much pain. I last rode in 2014.
I also love kayaking but haven’t gone in a long while because of kayak transport issues.
Yoga is also fun. I play the Nintendo Switch game Yoga Master and do yoga like once a month.
I have a very hard time with exercise. I do get about 20 mins of cardio each night catching my ducks to put them in bed.
I joined the gym last October, I usually road cycle 100-150 miles a week, come winter I’d hook my bike up to a turbo and spend winter indoor training, but by God it was dull, this past winter was amazing, 3 times a week strength training, yoga twice a weekend, pilates once a week, spin classes a couple of times a week, winter has never passed so quickly. Come summer the weather has been shit, barely done 1000 miles outdoors, usually would have done that in the first two months, carried on with strength training, yoga and pilates, but not so much the spin classes.
Jiu Jitsu. Really fun to grapple hard against an opponent. Unlike striking sports, you can practice pretty hard and mostly avoid injuries. There is a thinking component and a mental strength component making it much more fun than other workouts I do.
Grappling is great because not only do you need to learn strategy, patience, set ups, push pull, etc; you also have to train your body to do what your mind is thinking.
If the body is capable but the mind is weak, you suck. If the mind is capable but the body is weak you suck. And if both are weak, your just like me!
Also it’s gender semi neutral. Women can absolutely dominate against men using skill. Same with Davids vs Goliaths.
Yeah same here. The problem is that as I get better, I put in a lot less effort. I lost like 15 pounds from white through blue belt. I’ve gained back 8 during purple. On my way to being a stereotypical bald fat brown belt.
Road cycling. I was running for years, but I never really enjoyed it much. Never really got past the hobby stage of cycling, but eventually bought a nice mountain bike and started getting serious.
Then I later sold the mountain bike and got a road bike. This is my true calling. I have the full gear, with bibs, cycling socks and everything. I try to ride my bike whenever the weather is nice, but… that is unfortunately rare in my area.
Playing Switch games while walking on a treadmill. I always found exercise boring before, but the split controller of the Switch makes it easy to play while walking.
I have found I don’t even notice I’m walking and look forward to it since I’m actually looking forward to gaming.
Dark Souls while walking is the best. I’ve walked about 140 miles in the last month.
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