A Waste of Energy
I just don’t get exercise equipment. What is wrong with going outdoors for a walk or a run? So what if it’s rainy or dark. While walking in a natural environment one sharpens other skills. You listen for traffic; you develop better motor skills by jumping over stuff and avoiding walking in dog shit. You are more able to have a simple walk become a social activity, saying hi to people along the way. There nothing better than re-entering a warm house after a brisk walk in the cold.
Rowing machines do nothing for the balance one develops while rowing a real craft, nor do you ever get to see the cool things you see when you are on the water.
Weight lifting is lame because all you do is build up the body with a lot of wasted energy. Why not split wood and stack it for someone who is physically unable; who heats their home with wood.
Stationary bicycles also don’t give you any skills of balance and getting through the streets with guile.
I say that somehow gyms should have electrical generators attached to every piece of equipment. That way when people waste all that time and energy they could at least be doing something beneficial for society by supplying electricity. Can you imagine how much power could be generated across the country with all the energy expeneded in gyms across the country?
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 5:33 AM
16 Comments:
Cliff and I walk in the pasture for a half-hour every day; we get wet feet when there's dew, but it's OK. I was told at one time not to walk by the orthopedist, because of wear and tear on already-bad knees; but when he heard about Cliff's heart surgery, and that I keep him motivated to walk, he gave me the go-ahead. Now, when my knees won't let me do that half-hour walk, I will get a stationary bike. For a year I rode a bike 7 miles one way to work at an orchard; it's dangerous! I nearly got run over several times. Out here in the country, there's just no safe place to ride a bike.
I agree with about 80% of what you have to say. I have to walk for my back and during the winter months here - with snow and ice everywhere - I'm terrified to walk outside. Big fear of falling. So, we have one of those exercise machines in the basement. (So incredibly boring.) Maybe I should hook it up and generate some electricity at home.
Great idea Guy - and how about hooking up the rear end of vegetarians for the use of their gas. If ever there was a surplus, it could be used as an anti terrorist weapon sure to clear any den of its occupants.
Speaking of, isn't it a drag when you get into an elevator when its previous riders cut a juicy one. How do you explain that to people getting on after you are in there. You are considered a stinker if you keep your mouth shut as well you should (since I consider fart smell as tiny molecular particles of floating shit) and a stinking liar if you try to explain. Lose/lose situation. I know, I know - take the stairs. More energy wasted though - see how I cleverly got that around to the subject at hand
Donna, a mountain bike on the horse paths would be great. When my wife had a horse and I didn't, I'd ride ol Silver, my mountain bike.
Beth, what you need to do is get a bigger butt, that way when you fall it won't hurt so much ; )
Speaking of butts, Moosehead and his speaking butt. Yes, take the stairs, at least I would if I saw him getting off an elevator. Moose, you really need to start blogging. How about you send me some articles and I'll run them here and I'll take some time off.
"Cracked" me up again Guy! Love that cerebral/coarse mix. Makes it almost acceptable humor.
Thanks for the guest blog offer. Might take you up on it some time. Trying this online dating experience - well, for about 24 hours now. Nothing like hanging yourself on the cyberspace meat hook. May end up providing blog ammo. At least I know what BBW means now...
The mental image of you riding your bike dodging bombs behind your wife's horse is somewhat Monty Pythonish.
We have a stationary bike and a rowing machine upstairs, and that works great, because I literally have to escape to the attic to work out for 1/2 an hour. During the spring and summer, though, it's walkwalkwalkwalkwalk. And the kids have to go with, which slows me down, but we just walk farther. We pick berries and take a dog or two along. We watch the ships and see which countries they come from. We take photos. It's great and we do it almost every night.
BTW: I would be happy to turn some of that exercise machine work into real energy. Ed Begley Jr has to pedal his bike for 10 minutes to make toast.
Horses aren't as fast as bicycles. It's good to bomb proof them with bikes as well.
Mo3, better get Salve Hubby down in the workshop with a generator and some tools, between the five of you and the pets, you might be able to get off the grid all together.
I like the people who live in suburbia where driving is required for even the simplest tasks. They'll complain if they don't get the nearest parking space to the big box store entrance. But then they have an unused exercise bike in the basement. Instead of living where they could walk to the store and get exercise that way, they drive, and then have to go out for "recreation" (I hate that word) in the boring suburban neighborhood. Chances are they drive somewhere to begin their walk or go to a gym. Idiots.
If you want info on generating power while cycling indoors, just do a search with the terms "stationary bicycle generator." Some gyms already have cycles which operate a boob tube as long as you're pedaling.
I'm one of those people who drives to a gym! It's not my first choice, but I live in an area without streetlights, so I won't walk in my neighborhood at night. I walk during the day with the kiddo, but she is not that fast. (She's 2.) And not that into the stroller. So I get an hour to myself 3 nights a week, and go to the gym while the hubbie has the kiddo. I also use the pool there too. I even get my own tv on my tread mill. :-o
I'd love to live out in the country somewhere and be able to just go for walks like when i was a kid, but my Dh won't leave So Cal, so my options are limited! :-)
And besides if all of us city people moved to the country, it wouldn't be the country anymore... LOL
We do walk for things like going downtown and to the library and post office though...
You'll have to forgive me, I've been reading a James Howard Kunstler book about making communities livable and our dependency on the automobile. ;-)
This is his blog: Clusterfuck Nation
That blog is great! I'll have to spend some more time reading it.
I'd love to get away with out having a car. Or even be able to go down to one car. Someday maybe. :-) For now I just have to be happy driving a small car that gets awesome gas mileage.
Capital idea, Guy! Plus, we could hook a couple of the dogs up to a new treadmill, attached to a generator, and light up half the town! They could lose a few pounds...
That's the spirit, Mo3.
OC, tell me about, my country home is now in suburbia.
Rich and all, I doubt much driving will be going on this summer. Gas prices up 30 cents above where they were last year at this time. I wonder what MPG my John Deere gets?
I could not agree with you more! I do anything I can to stay fit and healthy without exercising indoors in a gym. I even started a super secret yoga society to get myself and other people outside having some fun rather than just trudging away on a treadmill in some stuffy gym!
Tanya, can you imagine how much power could be generated from those machines. Thanks for stopping by, by the way...
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