What's your fitness level?

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Pookeysgirl I will be happy to give you 20 pounds, if you wanted 20 kilos I think I could just handle that

Working at a desk all day takes a lot of work to keep in shape, maybe not work, but motivation.

You got that right. I try to walk around as much as I can. Walking from and to the trainstation instead of talking the bus. It's a relief when I can go running in the evening, I hate sitting still all day.

Originally Posted by Mortis

I broke right my shoulder, right wrist, 8 ribs, collapsed lung and a minor fractured skull 10 years ago in a stupid motorcycle accident (woman hit me on the rear right side, and didn't even stop, would have been dead if I wasn't wearing a helmet and gear). I was in great shape for a 36 year old guy when I had the accident and recovered well, I was back in the pool swimming within 6 weeks and back wall climbing in 8 weeks, my regular routine in the winters.

I applaud you for wearing motorcycle gear! I don't see many motorcyclists with the right gear, sometimes even shorts and a t-shirt in the summer. Motorcycle accidents are a big problem in Belgium, it's one of the theme's that reoccur every year in our (road safety institute) campaigns.

Oh yeah, I can donate a couple of pounds to pookeysgirl as well

[astra]

Originally Posted by Iridal

Motorcycle accidents are a big problem in Belgium, it's one of the theme's that reoccur every year in our (road safety institute) campaigns.

A senior traumatologist in the town of my birth said one day:
As long as there are bikers, I will never be out of job.

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by Iridal

I applaud you for wearing motorcycle gear! I don't see many motorcyclists with the right gear, sometimes even shorts and a t-shirt in the summer. Motorcycle accidents are a big problem in Belgium, it's one of the theme's that reoccur every year in our (road safety institute) campaigns.

I follow a simple rule, I only count on myself, so I wear everything that will help, even here where it gets very hot an humid in riding gear. We have a saying, "If you don't wear a helmet, please sign the organ donor card, you're nothing more than a future donor"

Originally Posted by astra

A senior traumatologist in the town of my birth said one day:
As long as there are bikers, I will never be out of job.

You know I agree with that statement despite still riding whenever I can, I see there is a huge difference between good and bad riders, the same difference between good and bad drivers of cars. The problem is that when you hit a light standard in a car you generally walk away if you were wearing your seatbelt, on a bike it's best not to hit roadside furniture (lights, signs, park benches etc.). When I was hit by a car I blame myself, I should have seen it coming, I think, I don't remember starting out for work that day or the hospital the first day. I'm not bitter, the woman that hit me was caught, here excuse for not stopping was, "I was scared". Gee thanks!

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by Mortis

I follow a simple rule, I only count on myself, so I wear everything that will help, even here where it gets very hot an humid in riding gear.

Sounds like a good rule to me. Especially on a motorcycle, car drivers generally have very little attention for them.

Originally Posted by Mortis

You know I agree with that statement despite still riding whenever I can, I see there is a huge difference between good and bad riders, the same difference between good and bad drivers of cars. The problem is that when you hit a light standard in a car you generally walk away if you were wearing your seatbelt, on a bike it's best not to hit roadside furniture (lights, signs, park benches etc.). When I was hit by a car I blame myself, I should have seen it coming, I think, I don't remember starting out for work that day or the hospital the first day. I'm not bitter, the woman that hit me was caught, here excuse for not stopping was, "I was scared". Gee thanks!

In Belgium motorcyclists get their license fairly quickly, at least compared to obtaining a driver's license for a car. They have to take a couple of lessons, but not enough to learn how to drive properly. And then there's also the spring phenomenon. Lots of motorcyclist don't drive in the winter, and when they start driving again in spring they are a bit rusty. Making accidents more likely. Also because the car drivers have to adapt to lots of motorcyclists on the road again as well.

I once saw a motorcylist fall on a highway with lots of traffic. Immediately 5 other motorcyclist were standing around the guy, protecting him when he was down. Very impressive.

[Mortis]

I always thought that Belgium had a graduated licensing system, in Canada, where I learned to ride, any kid can go out and get his license on the smallest moped he can find and then go straight to the bike shop and buy the biggest fastest bike, this usually ends in a very expensive, if not fatal, lesson.

Here in malaysia more than 3500 riders are killed a year, and they sell 500,000 bikes a year! A lot of people here refuse to wear helmets and this is the biggest reason for the deaths. Drivers here don't pay attention to motorcycles and motorcyclists tend to ride like they stole the bikes, so all in all the deaths are low.

Sorry, this is a topic I tend to get on the soapbox.

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by Mortis

I always thought that Belgium had a graduated licensing system,

I had to look this up. Age limit for moped is 16. Theoretical exam only.

Age limit for motorcycle is 18 (and 21 for motorcycles +25 kW). There are 2 options after theoretical exam:

1. 8 hours with a driving school
2. Lessons with a 'private' teacher

No minimum number of months of driving experience specified (so you can have 8 hours with the driving school and go straight to the pratical exam). People who obtained their driver's license before 1985 can drive a motorcycle without any examinations or lessons!

So all in all not what you call a high-quality education.

Originally Posted by Mortis

Sorry, this is a topic I tend to get on the soapbox.

And rightly so, there's no need to apologise (not to me at least)! There's a reason I work at a road safety institute you know

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by Iridal

And rightly so, there's no need to apologise (not to me at least)! There's a reason I work at a road safety institute you know

Nope didn't know that

[desertblues]

I bought myself a Kettle Bell. I read it somewhere on the forum and that name just stuck. It should be good for a workout, I think.

[obs20]

Originally Posted by desertblues

I bought myself a Kettle Bell. I read it somewhere on the forum and that name just stuck. It should be good for a workout, I think.

Nice!

[Mortis]

Referring to the previous post by obs20, I love the bit: "Train like an athlete" I would class anyone thats working out like that to be an athlete already, I could be wrong though

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by desertblues

I bought myself a Kettle Bell. I read it somewhere on the forum and that name just stuck. It should be good for a workout, I think.

Just be wary of overswinging. Without a kettle bell, some of the motions would result in a muscle pull, with one, you can get full muscle tears.

But once you get used to it, it can be a nice combination of cardio and lifting.

Good luck!

[markbot]

I looked at the body mass index data a while back. It's truly shocking how fat Americans have gotten over the last 25 years, especially at middle age. It's getting to the point where normal weight people are having a hard time buying clothes that fit since the average American is so disgustingly overweight. I live in NYC so it's not that bad....but once you drive out to the suburbs or countryside it's a whole different story.

It has more to do with eating habits than exercising. At some point, people forgot about the importance of a balanced diet.

My female friends typically gain weight because of cookies and ice cream. They then complain to me for getting fat. They stare long and hard at the ice cream frig in the grocery store....before walking away...but then later going back to grab a small pint of sugar and fat.

It's pretty sad. And it's getting worse.

To America's women: STOP EATING ICE CREAM! I beg you.

[MrPLD]

I used to spend 6 hours a week at squash (like racquet ball for those in the US ), it was intense, it burned up a lot of energy and I loved it... but then the courts were closed down and there was nothing else in the town that I had the same passion for (been doing it since I was 13). Within 6 months I had popped up a size and my mind started crashing on me due to anxiety disorder. 18 months later I've got chronic health issues related to persistent stress/anxiety and the spiral gets steeper.

Never in my life have I been this bad (I'm in my late 30's) and to be honest I'm downright scared of what my 40's will be like. I'm not "fat" yet but I am sporting a bit of a spare tyre around the waist and I know that there's (excess) fat building up around my organs. It feels -wretched- to not be active like I used to be - I want to get back but the drive has been sapped out of me.

Paul.

So my answer was I work out almost eveyrday (sic) and consider myself "in-shape." The thing is that unfortunately age plays such a part in things. I am in good shape for my age, but have less stamina and peak levels than when I was in my 20s and did not work out at all. Curse father time.

[MrPLD]

(I should point out, I don't eat junk-food, salads, home cooked food, no "deep frying", well balanced meals etc - the problem in this case is sheer lack of activity and pleasure in life).