DMGWhy?
Several outdoor/mountain bike blogs I read have been touching lately on the issue of outdoor vs. gym training, and that has me thinking about my fitness history and why I do what I do.
A good friend often says that I'm becoming "one of those obsessively hyper-fit California people." And that may be true. But I think reasons matter.
It's not about vanity. And it's not about health. It's about fun.
I do not do anything, not Krav Maga, not biking, not climbing, not running, not hockey, none of it, just to stay in shape. I do it because there's no other way I'd rather spend my free time. I only put any thought into "staying in shape" or "making sure I get a workout" because being in shape opens the door to stuff that's even more fun.
I have to admit, though, that to me lifting weights is pretty boring. I do it simply because resistance training is the single best way to improve raw strength and prevent injury. I go infrequently, and get it overwith quickly.
And getting stronger means more fun. Yes, really. Think of it this way: weakness is a really boring reason to fail. Failing because you haven't mastered a subtile skill is fun. Having a failure point out a skill you didn't know you needed is really fun. That's the moment when you push back your personal limits of what's possible.
So that's why I do all this stuff. Because every single day I wake up and do something that I couldn't do the day before. Maybe it's finishing a tough climb. Maybe it's riding a section of steep, rocky trail. Maybe it's learning to stay in the pocket when I box. It's all really, really fun.
So that's me. But even if staying in shape is your only goal, why pick an activity that bores you, that makes you want to be somewhere else? There are lots of ways to stay in shape, but we're convinced that dumbells and stairmasters are the single best way.
So, if you want to burn a few calories, some fun doing it! Try ping pong! Boxing! Ballroom dancing! Scottish highland games! Tennis! Water polo! Karate!
The fittest people I know rarely lift weights or ride stationary bikes. They're climbing mountains in Pakistan, or running river rapids, or rock climbing in Joshua Tree, or riding their bike along the Continental Divide. They're playing with their dogs in the park, or riding next to me on local trails, or putting me to shame at the climbing gym. They're elbowing me in the neck at Krav.
Or, if lifting weights is your thing, do that. But if you're not having fun, you're wasting your time no matter how fit you get.