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Gym exercise/Running vs Sports
zeeny
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
In this thread, I'm going to try and see how people feel about competitive(as in having an element of competition) sport activities(football(and I mean soccer, of course), basketball, volleyball, tennis, field hockey) as opposed to exercising for health & looks - gym, running etc.
I have been to a gym twice in my life(both times running). I haven't had a health(breaking bones etc so you have to do specific exercise to strengthen a part of your body) or a weight problem and I have never been able to fake any kind of interest in working out or running for looks.
At the same time, I adore sports. I usually play at least 3 times a week(tennis with a regular partner, soccer, volleyball(probably the only team sport you can play competitively mashing up both sexes) & basketball). I don't play at a high level, but it is well arranged and pretty competitive while staying open for common acquaintances to join.
I have more than a couple(but certainly not many) of my social circle who work out twice a week and try to maintain a healthy life. They rarely join with any kind of sports activity out of the gym. For most of them, I believe, the main reason to skip is lack of time. However, with the exception of a single guy, all those people are just bad at team sports and are ready to admit it. Lack of coordination is the most common but not at all the only problem.
I'm looking for input from four kinds of people, in this thread.
Anybody is free to share pretty much any thoughts touching on the subject. I'm not sure how much debate we can get going on here, but I'm willing to find out.
PS: I'd like to be forgiven for grouping Gym & running together, please.
Edit: edited for two typos and one forgotten word.
I have been to a gym twice in my life(both times running). I haven't had a health(breaking bones etc so you have to do specific exercise to strengthen a part of your body) or a weight problem and I have never been able to fake any kind of interest in working out or running for looks.
At the same time, I adore sports. I usually play at least 3 times a week(tennis with a regular partner, soccer, volleyball(probably the only team sport you can play competitively mashing up both sexes) & basketball). I don't play at a high level, but it is well arranged and pretty competitive while staying open for common acquaintances to join.
I have more than a couple(but certainly not many) of my social circle who work out twice a week and try to maintain a healthy life. They rarely join with any kind of sports activity out of the gym. For most of them, I believe, the main reason to skip is lack of time. However, with the exception of a single guy, all those people are just bad at team sports and are ready to admit it. Lack of coordination is the most common but not at all the only problem.
I'm looking for input from four kinds of people, in this thread.
- - First we have the guys hitting the gym regularly to boost their physical output while at the same time enjoying and participating in (team) sports competitions. How do you equate both things? Which one do you find more challenging and which one do you enjoy more? If you had to drop one which would it be? Where do you get more social contacts?
- - Then there are those that go to the gym/run for health reasons, because of lack of time or because they lack the facilities or capabilities to join a competitive sports activity. First it would be nice to know the reason you hit the gym? Are you good enough at ANY sports activity to play competitively with your friends and feeling comfortable?
- - Another group are the people who never/rarely go to the gym, but participate in social sport activities. Is there something you don't find appealing in gym exercise or is it a question of not having enough time/resources?
- - and finally we have those that only jump in Quake and probably not even there. Tell me why do you hate stretching your joints so very,very much? Lack of time?
Anybody is free to share pretty much any thoughts touching on the subject. I'm not sure how much debate we can get going on here, but I'm willing to find out.
PS: I'd like to be forgiven for grouping Gym & running together, please.
Edit: edited for two typos and one forgotten word.
zeeny on
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Lifting and sports can both be incredibly challenging depending on your goals. I tend to treat both events with a purpose and a drive to improve. I can see how just jogging or lifting to maintain could be less challenging, but there are parallels in sport as well.
From a social perspective, it's no contest. People meet people at sporting events, but with the iPod era people treat the gym in a way similar to a commute. In my experience, they just want to get it over with and not be bothered.
I'm not really all that competitive... I don't compete at martial arts, and I don't really care if my team wins at soccer, it's just "different" each time, and that works for me.
What about solo sports, where pretty much all the burden of competition is on yourself? Have you tried tennis, squash, badminton or similar? Would you be willing to try or does the dislike for competition translate into solo competitive efforst as well?
Also, two guys holding views pretty similar to mine enjoy lifting weights. Let's see if that is going to be a pattern as in the end I may have to try it.
I've started doing basic cardio and running now to get back in shape when I'm done with work, but I really hate it. The competitive level isn't there, and I don't really feel a need to challenge myself to break that next big crunch goal. It's unexciting, and I can think of several other things I'd rather be doing.
That said, I really HAVE to exercise at this point if I don't want to look like a fat lard. Plus it helps with the ladies.
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I'm doing a big race at the end of the summer though so I'll have to start doing runs outside every day soon. I'm not a fan of running, but it's the best way to build up endurance for me and doing the race will make me feel like I really accomplished something.
I play indoor soccer infrequently on the weekends and that's the best. Once summer really starts I'll be trying to pick up another team I think so I can play even more. I am much more motivated to actually show up to games and exercise if I know other people will be there and are counting on me.
EDIT: I'm starting to get into strongman/highland games type events, which are a lot more competitive. They actually give out money/trophies at these things! It's amazing!
Good for you. I wish I had that personal drive. When it comes to it, my internal struggle isn't whether to work out or not, it's whether or not I should play Counter-Strike or practice guitar. I say CS wins about 60% of the time. :P
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Haha thanks. Believe me, in play CS too, and its addicting (webkillers office servers ftw!)... so is LOTRO... Whenever I have downtime, I always play games, and get all giddy looking at the new videocards that I can't afford. I'm a nerd at heart.
Outside of that, I will go biking or lift free weights.
Anyhow, I find that if I'm not motivated towards a goal, it's harder for me to exercise. It's just more difficult for me to get into that mood if I don't have something else motivating me.
Over here, the focus is all on kids and obesity... There was even a news article about kids Gyms. That was some of the most disturbing shit I've ever seen.... Body conscious six year olds? They dont need a fucking gym... they need to PLAY more. And whenever kids are shown on TV doing sports its because they're a "future olympian" or something - so kids think that if they arent the best - they shouldnt bother.
Personally, as I've grown older, and have less time, I do gym/swimming and running, to focus on fitness - but its because I participated in these things when I was a kid, and it taught me the importance of physical activity - even though I didnt have it explicitly pointed out. Also - Martial Arts is the most fun you can have (excluding the obvious) and get fit doing it.
I think he meant competitive sports where it's you vs. other guy, instead of a team
I'm not sure if I was understood correctly, I didn't mean training said sport by yourself, but was referring to the fact that all those are mainly 1v1 competitions.
If you misunderstood, sorry, I wasn't clear enough. Realised it too late. If, however, you got my meaning and that was your reply, I really believe you're wrong. There is no repetitive pattern when you actually play any of the above sports.
There is improvisation, there are spikes in physical effort applied, tactics, a score, a whole different level of satisfaction from the achievement of winning etc. I can understand how it wouldn't be any different than a team sport if competitiveness is really what you dislike, but there is no fucking way in hell you can equate what I listed above to running 5 miles or making 5x10.
Teh Awesome.
My main way of getting and staying in shape is solo activities, I do it to stay active and feel good about myself. Weightlifting, jogging, running, walking, biking... one way I can track my progress is how well I can do chin-ups. A while ago they were almost impossible to do, they're getting much easier!
My favorite activity though is definitely hiking in offroad trails. Exploring woods with no civilization in sight is a blast, although my biggest excersion has only been about six miles to the top of a trailed mountain and back. I have woods near my house and its fun to go through those and see what I find on the other side, farms and stuff.
i started running at a gym recently, and there's nothing that kicks your ass like a really hard run... sports don't do that to me, unless you're playing them for like 2+ hours nonstop.
most of all, most of all
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but i'm bound to fall
bound to fall for you
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I was a bionic warrior when I played soccer. It's impossible to play and not get a decent workout. I could eat anything I wanted and still weigh 145 pounds. Thirty pounds later....
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Personally, I do not play sports to stay in shape. I do it for the absolute pure pleasure of it. Even if I was after losing weight, I'd say that losing weight and getting a kick from what you're doing is still better than being bored and losing weight faster. Probably not true if you're after a six-pack. Doubt sports would help a lot there.
Also, I'm not sure you're correct with regards of gym vs sports fitness benefits. Except for the ability to target specific muscles, I'd say pretty much any sport played at a good level would burn more or close to calories compared to a 1h gym visit.
Edit: Actually, this table seems to indicate most sports burn more than usual gym activites:
http://fitnesslogs.com/calories3.htm
Team sports, however, are fucking awesome. Just like video games are betting when playing with your friends, sports are a lot more fun when passing the ball to your buddy Dave. With so much to focus upon, the only time I notice I'm running too hard is when I can't seem to get enough air. As for the motivation, I can let myself down, but I could never do that to my teammates so I have to work as hard as I can at all times. Getting in shape quickly is just a side effect.
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This year I started working out and hitting the gym though, and I have found I really enjoy it. I like being able to just zone out everything else, and hit the treadmill and the weight machines listening to my ipod.
I haven't tried sports though since losing weight, so maybe my reaction to them would be different now.
Anyway, the point of cardio is that your body needs it. It is not optional for good health. The health benefits of 30 minutes of intensity-interval or high-intensity cardio per day are innumerable. Yes, it's boring as shit. Yes, I'd much rather sit around and play TF2. But 30 minutes is really not too of a burden in exchange for significantly reduced risks of diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory disease, and depression (just to name a few).
Unless your team sports are really cardio-intensive and you're doing them every day or at the bare minimum 3 days a week they're not a substitute for cardio exercise.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
One thing I really hate though is jogging/running on a track or outside when not in a sports capacity. Something about it just plain sucks, yet I can run for an hour on a treadmill and not mind much.
i generally run at 6.5mph - 9mph hour. check the counts on those - you'll see why i do it.
but actually, i agree with you - sports are about fun. once i get pretty fit (i'm going for a very low percentage of body fat), i'll probably look around for local friendly soccer teams and whatnot.
most of all, most of all
someone said true love was dead
but i'm bound to fall
bound to fall for you
oh what can i do
Of course not and if you bothered to read the rest of my post I pointed that out.
I was eliminating the presence of a "team" as I thought that might be why you dislike competing.
I have never actually met a person who dislikes all kind of competition. Do you have a specific reason for it?
I LOVE team sports of all sorts though. I'll run (or skate or whatever) till I'm about to drop as long as it's for a REASON. Just running (or skating or whatever) for the hell of it, I spend the whole time convincing myself not to stop out of tiredness/boredom.
Working out is really good for you though. I gotta get my lazy ass back to the gym this summer.
I saw that, I just thought that running 10km in 1 hour is really beyond the scope of losing weight or keeping yourself in shape. If you can do it, odds are you're already pretty fucking fit, alright?;o)))
Also, you know you don't need to be that fit for soccer so go for the fun...NOW!!!
Ok. I can completely relate to that.