Making one's body work. Includes walking, jogging, running, lifting weights, playing sports, cycling and any active play. The opposite of watching TV.
111
votes
27answers
23k views
Exercises for a programmer sitting by the PC all day [closed]
What exercises are recommended for people, who sit in front of the PC working for long hours?
42
votes
3answers
5k views
Should I stretch after exercise?
Are there benefits with stretching right after exercising? Does stretching afterwards affect the risk of injury?
39
votes
8answers
2k views
Is there a best time of the day to exercise?
For weight loss results is there a time of day that is most beneficial to exercise?
32
votes
8answers
2k views
How can an overweight engineer get back in shape?
One year later - if anyone sees this note, just to say thanks. I now have 10% body fat, 85kg (started at 130!), and I run demi-marathons.
After reading a vast quantity of books and papers (about 60 ...
30
votes
3answers
15k views
Why does running make you have to poop?
So I've always wondered what about running makes you have to go to the bathroom? Why is it that it seems to accelerate the downward progress of any ... you know ... Or maybe I'm the only one this ...
26
votes
8answers
946 views
What is a “Runners High”?
There have been a few times in my life, where I believe I have experienced the phenomenon called "Runners High", or the euphoric state during a run where you feel like you can keep running for ...
21
votes
5answers
576 views
How do you motivate yourself to keep exercising?
I'm always trying to find different ways to exercise (currently playing lots of Wii - that counts, right?) but I find the problem of after a few weeks to a month I lose motivation, get distracted and ...
18
votes
16answers
1k views
How can I make exercise more interesting?
I want to exercise. I really do. But it's boring.
From conversations with others, I gather that exercise gives people a natural high, but I don't seem to get one myself. I used to try to play sports ...
18
votes
9answers
2k views
What is a reasonable rate of weight loss to work towards?
I often like to set short term goals that don't really work for weight loss. I'm wondering if there is a general principle I should obey like 'lose 1 kilogram per two weeks' - what sort of rate of ...
18
votes
8answers
1k views
What kind of home exercises are helpful when one trains martial arts?
I have recently started training martial arts (mostly striking, some wrestling).
I have trainings twice a week (monday/wednesday). Trainings are pretty demanding, even after 3 months. I don't train ...
18
votes
6answers
1k views
Why do distance running training programs tell you to do long runs so slowly?
I'm trying to improve my times in the half marathon and the marathon, so I've been reading a lot of training plans for races at those distances. One thing I've noticed is that most of these programs ...
15
votes
9answers
4k views
What to do with sore muscles
Say I have done some exercise and the next few days I am rather sore in certain muscles.
What is the best thing to do about that? Let them rest (avoid using them)? Use them a lot? Exercise more? Rub ...
15
votes
5answers
2k views
What kind of cardio exercises can be performed without a gym or fitness equipment?
For a healthy heart, I've got myself into a habit of stopping by the gym after work and using the fitness equipment (treadmill, stair machine, etc.) or using the stationary bike I have at home.
...
14
votes
5answers
5k views
Best exercise to lose belly fat fast
I have had a couple of lower back surgeries in the past but I'm okay to do any activity. During the last 10 years I have gained a little more weight around the mid section but have been actively ...
14
votes
7answers
3k views
What's a good home exercise for the lower back?
It seems there are a ton of easy ab exercises, but very few for the lower back to keep the muscles balanced as your abs get stronger. What are simple home exercises for the lower back?
13
votes
4answers
521 views
Interesting and competitive exercises for couples
My wife and I are quite competitive, however being of the opposite sex it's hard for us to compete with things like push-ups etc.
I'm looking to find some other exercises that we can do together that ...
12
votes
5answers
1k views
How can I get a flat stomach?
I can do plenty of sit-ups and other ab exercises. I also have a house-mate who is a personal trainer so I know I'm doing them right.
However, I can stick to a routine of doing reasonable quantities ...
12
votes
3answers
314 views
How to get started with exercising without any previous experience?
I have never exercised except in grade school when I played volley ball. I am not fat 5'8 and 140 lbs, but I have no muscle tone at all, I am completely flabby. To make things worse I have no cardio ...
12
votes
4answers
770 views
How to overcome lack of willpower when not having access to a personal trainer or training buddy?
During exercise I often notice that I'm physically capable, but not mentally. At some point a strong mental listlessness makes me stop my workout.
Normally at this stage a training buddy or a ...
12
votes
2answers
352 views
Is it advantageous to be fit when young?
Let us assume that we have two people. The first person starts exercising at 20 years old and continues to do so for the rest of his life. The second person doesn't exercise in his 20's, but when he ...
12
votes
4answers
4k views
What are the best ways to deal with headphone cords while exercising?
I'm looking to buy a new set of headphones; I don't care much about audio quality, so I use the same pair of headphones for running and normal use, and prefer the kind of earbuds that slip over the ...
11
votes
4answers
3k views
Push-up Variations
Are there some push-up variations I can do to work the biceps or shoulder muscles? Illustrations or pictures would be appreciated as well.
11
votes
2answers
552 views
Why are push-ups and sit-ups so common?
Growing up in many school activities we were made to do sit-ups and push-ups. In Navy Cadets we did pushups and situps whenever we exercised. I have also seen it included in many general fitness ...
11
votes
3answers
7k views
What is a jump rope good for?
I have a jump rope, and my pulse sure goes up while jumping. But what am I exercising exactly?
11
votes
2answers
6k views
Working out after a long period of not exercising
I haven't worked out in about 2 years and I want to start exercising again. My diet is also pretty bad- I eat a lot of fast food. I am only about 5 pounds over weight though, (5'10, 155 lbs) but I ...
11
votes
1answer
337 views
Should you still exercise when sick?
Should one continue to exercise even when sick? I know it may depend on the sickness, but what about minor things like a cold or fever? Are there chronic sicknesses where you should still regularly ...
11
votes
3answers
3k views
How to prepare the body for workout in the early morning?
I usually do sports only in the afternoon or in the evening, because my body needs several hours to work properly after I get up in the morning. I can perform mental tasks very well in the morning and ...
11
votes
1answer
587 views
Burning calories: Using elliptical type equipment
While ellipticals offer stationary movement with low impact on the knees, they also seem to offer burning off insane amounts of calories when compared to equal time/work on a treadmill.
Same brand ...
10
votes
3answers
363 views
What do I do when I see people at the gym doing exercises wrong
I am always curious about this, not sure if its appropriate question, but I imagine others wonder the same thing. I usually don't care when it is simple exercises like biceps, but sometimes I see ...
10
votes
8answers
1k views
what exercises are good (and bad) for striking speed in martial arts?
Since being told that biceps are bad for punching speed, I've toned down the amount of pull-ups I do, and switched to a wide grip with palms facing away to emphasize the lats more than the biceps. Now ...
10
votes
6answers
3k views
What are the top intensive bodyweight exercises?
I am 22 and have tried two gyms, but I always fall back to burpees.
I am looking for more exercises that
are fun to do.
require only bodyweight (and minimal equipment).
are intensive and have even ...
10
votes
3answers
540 views
Cardio before or after exercise?
I usually do a 10-20 mins Cardio (Treadmill/Elliptical/Cycling) before I go for the weights and other exercises. Is this a good practice? Would there be any advantages if I order my routine ...
10
votes
2answers
425 views
When fat is burnt, where is it taken from?
I'm just curious if there is a general pattern of where fat is taken when it is spent during exercise. Is it taken more or less equally from all fat in the body, are some areas used more than others, ...
10
votes
3answers
13k views
Will wearing ankle weights all day long make any difference?
If I wore them when I'm not exercising, like if I wore them at work (I work in an office), or at home, all day, would it be like a passive form of exercise?
To estimate how much I walk: I guess I ...
10
votes
6answers
415 views
How do I lose Weight when I weigh 345lbs?
I am a mother of five children. I have always been a big girl since about the age ten. When I reached the age of 15 I managed to only be 25 lbs overweight. Once I got further along in high school, ...
10
votes
4answers
2k views
How to strengthen the “foot muscle”
Not sure what the muscle is called, or if there is more than one, but seems like there is a muscle under my feet going from somewhere close to the heel and forward to where the toes are "attached".
I ...
10
votes
1answer
9k views
What is the most effective way to improve a saggy belly?
I used to have a fairly flat stomach but I had a baby 4 months ago by c-section and my lower abdomen is quite saggy. What can I do to lose the extra weight there and get it taut?
9
votes
3answers
603 views
Optimal exercises for an abdominal workout
In response to this answer, I was curious what exercises specifically target the abdominal muscles. Answers given so far include:
Works abs directly:
leg raises
rollout
Indirectly:
squats
My ...
9
votes
2answers
371 views
Can an active person eat more cholesterol?
Looking at the nutritional facts on an egg carton, I see that one medium sized egg satisfies 71% of the daily nutritional requirements for cholesterol. Many bodybuilders eat up to a dozen of eggs per ...
9
votes
2answers
668 views
Should I exercise when my muscles are aching?
I exercised for the first time in a long time yesterday. This is what I did:
500 jumping jacks at moderate pace
100 jumping jacks at fast pace
10 min of running in place at moderate pace
100 ...
9
votes
3answers
4k views
What swimming technique is more effective for a cardio workout?
There are multiple technique out there, with the two I mainly use being breastroke and freestyle. Is there a difference between the two as far as their effectiveness in a cardio workout? Is there a ...
9
votes
1answer
572 views
Strict weight watchers adherence and regular, varied exercise not achieving results
I'm very frustrated by my inability to lose weight. I'm a 28 year old female and I'm stuck in the overweight range. Despite years of consistent and steady weight watchers and exercise, I cannot ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
How should I be exercising during the Ramadan?
With the start of Ramadan, I will be fasting for approximately 12 hours a day (no food or water). Is there any weight loss benefits to running towards the end of the day?
My thoughts being that my ...
8
votes
5answers
454 views
Is it possible to become relatively fit without going for runs?
My stats: Navel Waste 25" Height 5'9" BMI 24.8 Body fat: 19% 167.5 pounds.(from an online calculator) This is from a body weight of 147 pounds 2 years ago, and a Navel waste of about 33".
I have just ...
8
votes
3answers
403 views
What are some good exercises to work the forearms?
My husband and I have both been lifting dumbbells in an attempt to build some muscle. We feel like we're hitting our upper arms pretty well, but not the lower arms. What are some good exercises to ...
8
votes
6answers
586 views
What to do against side stitch?
Who am I
I started running about two months ago. Before that I occasionally played football/soccer so one can say that I was out of shape but not to a very high degree. As a teenager though I played ...
8
votes
2answers
933 views
How do I know how much weight I should be lifting with dumbells?
I was just given a set of weights - adjustable weight dumbells - as a present, but I have no idea what sort of weights/how many reps I should be doing in order to achieve the best results.
I'm ...
8
votes
4answers
774 views
Why rest between sets?
Why is it common to rest between sets of repetition? Could I, instead of resting, exercise another muscle group?
8
votes
6answers
362 views
What are the ways to reach the optimal running cadence (180 steps per minute)?
I have recently learned that the optimal stride rate is 180 steps per minute.
Other than listening to a metronome while running, does anybody have any tips on what can I do to monitor my stride rate ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
How can I calculate calories burned during an activity?
I've found various online "calculators" for looking up how many calories are burned when doing an exercise like using an Elliptical machine.
Is there a way to calculate how many calories I burned ...
