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I actually dislike weight lifting. Most days I prefer to play handball, basketball, or any other high intensity sports.
I like playing basketball too, and I played it weekly, but the number one problem for me is not being able to play basketball alone (practice doesn't count), you can pretty much rock climb any moment when you have an unplanned urge to do it.
Its annoying when people act like going to the gym and lifting weights is the end all be all of exercising. Fitness is so open ended and there's so many ways to go about getting in shape that requires NO weights at all. And believe me, I love lifting some heavy duty weights but the ways you can go about getting into shape is endless. It all also depends on your goals and what you want. Want to be big, strong, gain brute strength, put on mass, size and rip through your clothes? Yeah, you might want to try lifting heavy weights, powerlifting etc. Want to just be in general good shape? A simple jog with some body weight exercises and a healthy diet can do the trick. Want to be flexible? Dynamic stretching and yoga (which you don't need to go to a gym or AT ALL) will do wonders. I can keep going but you don't have to go lifting weights to be in shape.
Yeah I totally agree with you and a lot of ppl around me think like that. I think the main thing is whatever approach you take on fitness, you shouldn't feel like it's a grind and it should feel like fun instead, since most people are already feeling the grind when working.
I'm doing my best to find variety as I get burned out quickly on one sport/activity. Right now I run 6-10 miles, do fitness classes (something called group power, very good stuff), I play tennis, swim, 10-15 mile biking, kayak, and when I'm out RVing, I take resistance bands and do calisthenics where I can on picnic tables and sneak on jungle gym type equipment if no one is around (with my cheap-ass Aldi sold gravity straps). Still make it to the gym for dumb bells when I can.
Trail running if it's an option in your area is nice. Slower pace, no concrete and out in the woods
Yes, agree.
I'm always looking for scenic runs to take the boredom out....I've got some great places along water (on concrete, unfortunately). Beaches can be tough sometimes if the sand isn't compact.
I'm doing my best to find variety as I get burned out quickly on one sport/activity. Right now I run 6-10 miles, do fitness classes (something called group power, very good stuff), I play tennis, swim, 10-15 mile biking, kayak, and when I'm out RVing, I take resistance bands and do calisthenics where I can on picnic tables and sneak on jungle gym type equipment if no one is around (with my cheap-ass Aldi sold gravity straps). Still make it to the gym for dumb bells when I can.
I definitely agree finding variety is important. It balances the developments of the muscles and cardio. Although I don't like swimming, yoga, basketball as much as I like rock climbing, I still find them fun to do when I lower the frequency to about one time in two weeks.
Isn't it rather funny how we have to go to the gym or find other ways to work out when years ago most people got their "workout" from just normal everyday activities? Think about a man in a construction job or behind a plow or a woman beating a heavy rug on the wash line or mopping her floors on her hands & knees. I wonder if someone from the 1700's was dropped into a gym what they would think. :-)
If I didn't go to the gym I would have little exercise. I actually enjoy lifting weights but if it was available I would definitely try rock climbing. I will probably swim more once I find a good, truly waterproof face mask.
I overdid it at the gym the last two weeks because I had been slacking so I'm paying for it today. Everything hurts but today is gym day so I will pop a couple of liquid Advil and head over there around 11 a.m. regardless.
Its annoying when people act like going to the gym and lifting weights is the end all be all of exercising. Fitness is so open ended and there's so many ways to go about getting in shape that requires NO weights at all. And believe me, I love lifting some heavy duty weights but the ways you can go about getting into shape is endless. It all also depends on your goals and what you want. Want to be big, strong, gain brute strength, put on mass, size and rip through your clothes? Yeah, you might want to try lifting heavy weights, powerlifting etc. Want to just be in general good shape? A simple jog with some body weight exercises and a healthy diet can do the trick. Want to be flexible? Dynamic stretching and yoga (which you don't need to go to a gym or AT ALL) will do wonders. I can keep going but you don't have to go lifting weights to be in shape.
I do (fairly advanced) yoga 4x a week and hike 2x a week (5-6 miles) after work with a longer (7-12 mile) hike on the weekend, and (aside from sitting at a desk for work, ugh) the rest of my time is usually spent in a fairly active manner. I'm lean and strong and happy. If I never see the inside of a gym again it'll be too soon!
Its annoying when people act like going to the gym and lifting weights is the end all be all of exercising. Fitness is so open ended and there's so many ways to go about getting in shape that requires NO weights at all.
True, I have a friend who uses her body weight and yoga as strength training, and she cycles or runs.
I love to mix it up - gym with weights one day, walking the next, cycling the day after that, long hikes on the weekends. I use the weights at the gym, hand weights or resistance band at home. My "rest" day consists of a.m. and p.m. yoga, walking to and from the train station, and in the winter: bowling.
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