Comments on: Gym Training Doesn't Compare to the Real World: Lessons From 10 Years of Manual Labor, and 5 Tips for Breaking Free of the Gym Environment http://physicalliving.com/gym-training-doesnt-compare-to-the-real-world-lessons-from-10-years-of-manual-labor-and-5-tips-for-breaking-free-of-the-gym-environment/ Change Your Body, Change Your Life Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:17:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John http://physicalliving.com/gym-training-doesnt-compare-to-the-real-world-lessons-from-10-years-of-manual-labor-and-5-tips-for-breaking-free-of-the-gym-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-464 John Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:55:59 +0000 http://johnsifferman.com/blog/?p=2037#comment-464 Good to hear from you Jan :) It's so true how just changing your environment can change an exercise completely. That's why I love training outdoors, it's usually a new, fresh experience. Keep up the good work. I expect you and the rest of the Siffer ladies to outperform me in the alligator walk someday... Good to hear from you Jan :)

It’s so true how just changing your environment can change an exercise completely. That’s why I love training outdoors, it’s usually a new, fresh experience.

Keep up the good work. I expect you and the rest of the Siffer ladies to outperform me in the alligator walk someday…

]]> By: Jan http://physicalliving.com/gym-training-doesnt-compare-to-the-real-world-lessons-from-10-years-of-manual-labor-and-5-tips-for-breaking-free-of-the-gym-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-463 Jan Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:51:40 +0000 http://johnsifferman.com/blog/?p=2037#comment-463 So great. After a month of spin classes, treadmills, ellipticals, the Siffy ladies have had it. Today we were back outside doing bear crawls, and lunges up the 100 yard hill. During the flu scare here we ditched the gym for a couple of weeks and exercised in my garden in the real early morning hours and saw some sunrises we normally miss. It's amazing how different familiar exercises are when you do them on uneven surfaces or while experiencing different textures and other physical input...even smells. I agree with the comment before on the advantages of the gym enviornment, but there's so much richness and complexity we miss out on when we don't mix up the enviornment alongside our exercise routines...by the way, Siffy girls up to 45 seconds on the alligator on hands and toes, we're catching up to you, oh and...the leg thread through sucks!!!! LOL we still haven't forgiven you for that one. :-D So great. After a month of spin classes, treadmills, ellipticals, the Siffy ladies have had it. Today we were back outside doing bear crawls, and lunges up the 100 yard hill. During the flu scare here we ditched the gym for a couple of weeks and exercised in my garden in the real early morning hours and saw some sunrises we normally miss. It’s amazing how different familiar exercises are when you do them on uneven surfaces or while experiencing different textures and other physical input…even smells. I agree with the comment before on the advantages of the gym enviornment, but there’s so much richness and complexity we miss out on when we don’t mix up the enviornment alongside our exercise routines…by the way, Siffy girls up to 45 seconds on the alligator on hands and toes, we’re catching up to you, oh and…the leg thread through sucks!!!! LOL we still haven’t forgiven you for that one. :-D

]]> By: John http://physicalliving.com/gym-training-doesnt-compare-to-the-real-world-lessons-from-10-years-of-manual-labor-and-5-tips-for-breaking-free-of-the-gym-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-461 John Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:16:26 +0000 http://johnsifferman.com/blog/?p=2037#comment-461 Thanks for your comment dubbahdee. I'm glad you brought up that point that there is value in the gym environment. I tend to go off on rants and forget to mention that if it wasn't for the gym environment, I wouldn't be who I am today. There are many lessons to be learned from the traditional training methods, and many uses for a more controlled training experiences, like physical therapy, for example. Have fun building your wall. I just finished helping my neighbor finish a retaining wall along the road, good stuff! Thanks for your comment dubbahdee.

I’m glad you brought up that point that there is value in the gym environment. I tend to go off on rants and forget to mention that if it wasn’t for the gym environment, I wouldn’t be who I am today. There are many lessons to be learned from the traditional training methods, and many uses for a more controlled training experiences, like physical therapy, for example.

Have fun building your wall. I just finished helping my neighbor finish a retaining wall along the road, good stuff!

]]> By: dubbahdee http://physicalliving.com/gym-training-doesnt-compare-to-the-real-world-lessons-from-10-years-of-manual-labor-and-5-tips-for-breaking-free-of-the-gym-environment/comment-page-1/#comment-462 dubbahdee Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:21:40 +0000 http://johnsifferman.com/blog/?p=2037#comment-462 Can't believe there are no comments on this post. I've been thinking about this for a few days, since I first read it. I have preferred training outside, I avoid gyms, and have been moving toward odd weights exercises, and a focus on functional strength for several years. Having said that, I think that gyms have a few purposes: 1) getting the uninitiated into exercising in a controlled, "safe" and socially acceptable environment. 2) Preparing for sport events that take place under controlled circumstances. 3) Allowing people to weave a social aspect into their training, including accountability, informal advice, and shared experience. I started my strength training with the Body for Life program using a bench and dumbbells in my basement. Now I use kettlebells, barefoot running, and I'm making plans with a sledge hammer and tire iron. I know this; training with these tools, focusing on form and progressive workload prepares me to do real life work without injuring myself. Also, not every physical labor job is as intensive as your wall building. I love splitting wood, but since I do it by myself, the time it takes to place each log to split and picking up and stacking the split pieces limits the intensity. When whacking a tire with a sledge, I can get very intense. Since my work is not physical, I find that having a physical outlet for exercise is very useful. I'm planning to build a 2 course dry laid fieldstone wall next year. That will be some good work. Can’t believe there are no comments on this post.

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days, since I first read it. I have preferred training outside, I avoid gyms, and have been moving toward odd weights exercises, and a focus on functional strength for several years. Having said that, I think that gyms have a few purposes:

1) getting the uninitiated into exercising in a controlled, “safe” and socially acceptable environment.
2) Preparing for sport events that take place under controlled circumstances.
3) Allowing people to weave a social aspect into their training, including accountability, informal advice, and shared experience.

I started my strength training with the Body for Life program using a bench and dumbbells in my basement. Now I use kettlebells, barefoot running, and I’m making plans with a sledge hammer and tire iron. I know this; training with these tools, focusing on form and progressive workload prepares me to do real life work without injuring myself.

Also, not every physical labor job is as intensive as your wall building. I love splitting wood, but since I do it by myself, the time it takes to place each log to split and picking up and stacking the split pieces limits the intensity. When whacking a tire with a sledge, I can get very intense.

Since my work is not physical, I find that having a physical outlet for exercise is very useful.

I’m planning to build a 2 course dry laid fieldstone wall next year. That will be some good work.

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