The Vent and Rant Thread

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Having another cold. It's getting better, though at the moment I'm sneezing myself silly.

Look on the bright side of it: it's better than peeing yourself

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Look on the bright side of it: it's better than peeing yourself

Normally I would agree, but having a sneezing fit of six or more sneezes is very tiring and not fun.

[Dylrob]

Man, the P&R forum has been so inactive since the mods banned all the trolls!

[Lin2412]

My friend decided we should have an "abs challenge" for the new year. It looks so promising and we can dreamily go ahead and try our luck with it, but I still don't think it's realistic. She seems utterly positive about it and I really don't want to burst her bubble. I'm having a hard time on the routine and this is giving me a hard case of body malaise.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Lin2412

My friend decided we should have an "abs challenge" for the new year. It looks so promising and we can dreamily go ahead and try our luck with it, but I still don't think it's realistic. She seems utterly positive about it and I really don't want to burst her bubble. I'm having a hard time on the routine and this is giving me a hard case of body malaise.

If I may--and this is not ranty enough for this thread--change it up. Do 1 crunch (or leglift--whatever exercise you find the EASIEST). Just one. Do 2 tomorrow. Do 3 the day after.

That's all. Or--and this has worked for me--do a single plank. If you are unfit, try 10 seconds the first day. Try 15 seconds the next. Just slowly increase the time until you can do 30 seconds.

The next week, after doing 5x in a row of 30 second planks--do two planks. Hold the second as long as you can.

The trick with exercise, IME, is just to start out with what you can easily do, and work up. Folks get whacky, and overdo, almost invariably. They want to look like (insert famous set of abs here) and end up with DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness) or worse. That's a worthless approach. Enthusiasm can only carry you so far.

OTOH, doing ONE exercise--anyone can do that. Anyone, within reason, can do one crunch, one plank, one sit-up (insert whatever you can do here). Then increase.

I'm facing this same issue myself, right now: after 3 years of having one injury after another, I'm utterly out of shape, for the first time in decades. I mean, pitiful shape. I used to work out on a ballet barre 3x week, and now I doubt I could do a single plie, not a deep one, anyway. No core strength at ALL, and my arms--well, it doesn't do to dwell on it. My plan is to plank my way back--one lousy plank at a time.

At the end of the 90's, I had something similar--had a condition, had to have surgery; both kept me from working out for quite a while. Had to rehab myself from a total wreck. One plank at a time, allowed me to work my way back. Nothing out there, if you are working out alone/at home, etc.,makes working out "a blast," at least, not for me; it's all self-discipline. But just like everything else, it's easier to be self-disciplined for under a minute at a time, and then work up to a better workout.

(P.S.: if you do not cardio at all, I highly recommend a simply brisk--not exhausting pace, just brisk--walk for 40-45 minutes. This isn't punishing at all, and, in fact, is just long enough to push a boatload of oxygen through your brain. This O2 significantly improves your mood, your cheerfulness, and makes the workout the next day feel "easy." It's great for your legs/calves, glutes, etc., as well. I recommend this for anyone who struggles with any sort of mood swings; it's fabulous for women dealing with hormonal imbalances of ANY kind--and it's a real help for almost anyone, of any gender. PLUS, it's good for general fitness. But the 02 boost is worth the time, if you can manage it.)

Sorry for the un-rant. Hope this helps you, Lin. Remember: it's not who works out the most, upfront--the success of working out is longevity, and sticking with it. Tortoise and the Hare!

HTH,
Hitch

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Hitch

That's all. Or--and this has worked for me--do a single plank. If you are unfit, try 10 seconds the first day. Try 15 seconds the next. Just slowly increase the time until you can do 30 seconds.

The next week, after doing 5x in a row of 30 second planks--do two planks. Hold the second as long as you can.

Sound advice, but what's a plank?

Originally Posted by orlok

Sound advice, but what's a plank?

[Stitchawl]

Perhaps the number one reason most people fail at getting in shape is that they plan out a careful progression of really boring exercise. The first couple of days doing it feels great... We're on our way to better health. But by the fourth day we're looking for any excuse what so ever NOT to do the exercise today. Even something that one normally enjoys, such as swimming, becomes a chore when you're just swimming laps, and it's a rare person indeed who continues for any length of time. Some people last a month or two, others a week or two, but most folks just a few days. Health Clubs and Spas know this, and that's why most don't sell one-week packages. They sell six-month packages knowing that most folks will drop out before the second month. But...

... if instead of boring exercises, you chose an activity or sport that you enjoy that can use all of your muscle groups as well as cardio workouts, the fact that you enjoy them keeps you coming back for more. Tennis, roller skating, Tai Chi, badminton, folk dancing, even ping pong done three times a week provides a great workout. I bitch and moan after an afternoon of fencing, feeling muscles I'd forgotten I had, but I can't wait until the next club session to fence again. My wife doesn't care for all the equipment of fencing, so she chose table tennis. When played the way her club plays, it's a real cardio workout as well as great interval training. We both come home with our clothing soaking wet from all the exertion. And nothing boring about it. We look forward to doing it.

The key is finding an activity you really enjoy. Doesn't make too much difference what it is as long as you do it several times a week. Obviously the more intense the body involvement, the more benefit one derives from it. Pick something you enjoy.


Stitchawl

[CRussel]

I agree, but with a caveat, Stitchawl. Some of us are forced by circumstance to do our exercise in fairly boring ways. (For example, swimming in my Endless Pool. ) But even though the swimming is boring, if I have a really good book to listen to while I do it, and I only allow myself to read that book while swimming, I have a major incentive to get back in the pool. So the exercise is still boring, but the book keeps me coming back, hopefully until the swimming becomes part of my morning routine again.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I agree, but with a caveat, Stitchawl. Some of us are forced by circumstance to do our exercise in fairly boring ways. (For example, swimming in my Endless Pool. ) But even though the swimming is boring, if I have a really good book to listen to while I do it, and I only allow myself to read that book while swimming, I have a major incentive to get back in the pool. So the exercise is still boring, but the book keeps me coming back, hopefully until the swimming becomes part of my morning routine again.

I agree completely! I use audio books when I take my 10k walks. The first few times I enjoyed the new scenery and that took my mind off the drudge of distance walking through the city. But after talking all the different routings I could think of, I needed some other distraction, and audio books did it for me too. I hope it continues to work for you with your swimming. As much as I love diving, I just can't deal with swimming laps. We have a pool in our building that I could use. Perhaps I'll try it with audio books and see. I use my walks on days when I'm not fencing, 'putting up with' them as a way to improve my fencing stamina. (I don't 'stroll!')


Stitchawl

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Perhaps the number one reason most people fail at getting in shape is that they plan out a careful progression of really boring exercise. The first couple of days doing it feels great... We're on our way to better health. But by the fourth day we're looking for any excuse what so ever NOT to do the exercise today. Even something that one normally enjoys, such as swimming, becomes a chore when you're just swimming laps, and it's a rare person indeed who continues for any length of time. Some people last a month or two, others a week or two, but most folks just a few days. Health Clubs and Spas know this, and that's why most don't sell one-week packages. They sell six-month packages knowing that most folks will drop out before the second month. But...

... if instead of boring exercises, you chose an activity or sport that you enjoy that can use all of your muscle groups as well as cardio workouts, the fact that you enjoy them keeps you coming back for more. Tennis, roller skating, Tai Chi, badminton, folk dancing, even ping pong done three times a week provides a great workout. I bitch and moan after an afternoon of fencing, feeling muscles I'd forgotten I had, but I can't wait until the next club session to fence again. My wife doesn't care for all the equipment of fencing, so she chose table tennis. When played the way her club plays, it's a real cardio workout as well as great interval training. We both come home with our clothing soaking wet from all the exertion. And nothing boring about it. We look forward to doing it.

The key is finding an activity you really enjoy. Doesn't make too much difference what it is as long as you do it several times a week. Obviously the more intense the body involvement, the more benefit one derives from it. Pick something you enjoy.


Stitchawl

I agree that if someone can find a way to do something recreational that they enjoy long enough to get in shape, then that's a vast improvement over the discipline of "workouts." Unfortunately--take stroll around any club or golf-course, etc.--very few people do. Very few people will, for example, fence enough to achieve a cardio workout 3-5x weekly.

That isn't to say that you don't; as you do 10K's, you obviously do. But as you also said, you do 10K walks to aid in your fencing fitness. So, even you add in exercise in order to be "fit" for fencing.

I'm sure if Lin had a sport she loved, she'd be doing it. I mean--maybe I'm wrong, and she does, and just got out of practice. And I concur, that it would be GREAT if the average person could find something sport-y to do that they loved, and could do, often enough to stay in shape. Unfortunately for most of us, that's either not possible, or...?

I know I live so far from anything remotely resembling a sport that I could do, (anything--swimming, skating, yadda) I'd would never be able to leave my business/office long enough, often enough. to be fit. But planks and a barre? Those I can do at home. And yes--it's boring. So what? Boring doesn't kill you, and I'm with CRussel: using audiobooks (or even a small dvd player with a movie, or Netflix, whatever) helps pass some of the time on the most-boring stuff. And walking? THAT, you can do almost anywhere.

I don't really think most people quit out of boredom--I think most people quit out of lazy, myself. Like everything in physics--least amount of energy. That's why I suggested doing one plank at a time, and working up. Start with what you CAN do, and develop the HABIT. You have a habit of having fun, and that works for you, which is great. For me, it's easier to have a habit of routine.

Hitch

[Bilbo1967]

I'm trying to complain to Virgin Mobile about my son's last bill (actually, I'm trying to get an explanation of the bill, but apparently I have to raise a complaint to do that).

No problem, you might think? Well, as the normal customer services agent explained to me, "Virgin Mobile Complaints department do not deal in the medium of voice"! In other (non-weasel) words, they won't lower themselves to actually talk to paying customers, you have to e-mail them. So I mailed them and they responded pretty quickly with a request for a couple of pieces of information about my account so that they could verify my identity. Fair enough, I sent the required info back. They responded equally quickly to say that the info I had provided was incorrect (it wasn't). I have now sent the info again with a request that they tell me what is wrong with it. That was over a week ago - they would appear to be ignoring me now

I would bet that Virgin Mobile boast high customer satisfaction statistics. Of course, that's not too difficult to achieve if you make it physically impossible for people to make a complaint

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I'm trying to complain to Virgin Mobile about my son's last bill (actually, I'm trying to get an explanation of the bill, but apparently I have to raise a complaint to do that).

No problem, you might think? Well, as the normal customer services agent explained to me, "Virgin Mobile Complaints department do not deal in the medium of voice"! In other (non-weasel) words, they won't lower themselves to actually talk to paying customers, you have to e-mail them. So I mailed them and they responded pretty quickly with a request for a couple of pieces of information about my account so that they could verify my identity. Fair enough, I sent the required info back. They responded equally quickly to say that the info I had provided was incorrect (it wasn't). I have now sent the info again with a request that they tell me what is wrong with it. That was over a week ago - they would appear to be ignoring me now

I would bet that Virgin Mobile boast high customer satisfaction statistics. Of course, that's not too difficult to achieve if you make it physically impossible for people to make a complaint

Hmmm. Well, perhaps you need to do it according to the way I first read your post. If they won't deal "in the medium of voice" then RAISE YOUR VOICE and make them deal in THE MAXIMUM OF VOICE. Get mad at them, now that they won't talk to you. (Since they say the confirming info is wrong, etc.)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I agree completely! I use audio books when I take my 10k walks. The first few times I enjoyed the new scenery and that took my mind off the drudge of distance walking through the city. But after talking all the different routings I could think of, I needed some other distraction, and audio books did it for me too. I hope it continues to work for you with your swimming. As much as I love diving, I just can't deal with swimming laps. We have a pool in our building that I could use. Perhaps I'll try it with audio books and see. I use my walks on days when I'm not fencing, 'putting up with' them as a way to improve my fencing stamina. (I don't 'stroll!')


Stitchawl

Ah, lap swimming is a Zen. When you get good at it, you can go for an hour or more, back and forth (or in the case of my Endless Pool, straight into the current). Totally zoned out, almost a meditation. At which point the book actually can be a distraction and what you want is quiet music.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Hmmm. Well, perhaps you need to do it according to the way I first read your post. If they won't deal "in the medium of voice" then RAISE YOUR VOICE and make them deal in THE MAXIMUM OF VOICE. Get mad at them, now that they won't talk to you. (Since they say the confirming info is wrong, etc.)

Oh, I've tried that. I left stuff out of my post, like the fact that one thing wrong with the bill was that they'd charged two monthly tariffs in one month. When the CS representative told me that they would refund one of those "as a gesture of goodwill" the volume did indeed get turned up to 11!