Sports & Science: A Balanced Life with Robert

[JustRobert]

In the short time that I've been here, I've noticed that no one has ever started a thread about sports! I don't know why that's so but I for enjoy both science and sports. I like the balance it puts in my life.

Myself, I lift weights several times a week, do cardio, as well as play various different sports -- all for hobby. I was wondering what everyone in here does for sports? Personally, I'd be really surprised to see other lifters out there.

Take it easy,
Robert

p.s. If you want to read a weight-lifting journal, let me know and I'll start one if there is sufficient interest.

 

[DeadWolfe]

I lift weights and do some cardio, but just to stay in shape, and that's it.

 

[chroot]

I'm by no means a body-builder, but I lift twice a week and ride about 100-150 miles a week on my bike.

As a child, my eyesight kept me from becoming good at most competitive sports, so I took up scuba diving and rock climbing instead. I love being outdoors.

I'm not sure why you think few people here are into physical fitness; do you think we're all just a bunch of fat, socially-outcast nerds who play Risk and drink two liters of Pepsi every day?

- Warren

 

[russ_watters]

Dude, you've been here for 4 hours. Do a search...

 

[loseyourname]

There are plenty of sports threads buried around here somewhere, including a couple having to do with weight-lifting. JasonRox and Astronuc are the resident body builders.

 

[devious_]

FOOTBALL BABY.

(Real football, not American football.)

 

[scott1]

Would playing chess, liner algerbra, caclus and programing be consired "sports"?

 

[Mk]

What about competitive computer games? poker?

People post threads regularly about soccer cups.

 

[Moonbear]

Dude, you've been here for 4 hours. Do a search...

The search feature hasn't been working lately.

But, yeah, I was going to reply that Russ and Gokul have both kept us going on football threads during football season. And there have been the biking threads, and the Olympics threads (or was that just making fun of the medals and curling?), and we definitely have a few body builders here, plus others who enjoy weight-lifting, but not for body building.

As for me, I lift, chase and wrestle sheep for exercise.

 

[ZapperZ]

I think spanking quacks would also be considered as a sport, no?

Zz.

 

[Azael]

In the short time that I've been here, I've noticed that no one has ever started a thread about sports! I don't know why that's so but I for enjoy both science and sports. I like the balance it puts in my life.

Myself, I lift weights several times a week, do cardio, as well as play various different sports -- all for hobby. I was wondering what everyone in here does for sports? Personally, I'd be really surprised to see other lifters out there.

Take it easy,
Robert

p.s. If you want to read a weight-lifting journal, let me know and I'll start one if there is sufficient interest.

Im pretty serious about powerlifting. Not competing yet though because of my lack of grip strenght and because my squat is yet far from my deadlift because of years with a bad knee.

Used to focus on bodybuilding but I have ditched that because I don't have the genetics to get anywhere in that sport.

 

[Hootenanny]

I'm signed for a professional Rugby League club over hear in the UK. I usually train six times a week; lifting weights, CV and skill work.

Regards

-Hoot

 

[marlon]

tennis and squash (two times a week when i was in college)

Now, i am not in college anymore :)


marlon

 

[Astronuc]

There are plenty of sports threads buried around here somewhere, including a couple having to do with weight-lifting. JasonRox and Astronuc are the resident body builders.

Azael was a body builder. I think JasonRox does power lifting, but I think he took a break. I believe Jeff Ford is a power lifter.

I actually do weight-training. I work on strength and endurance.

In addition, I run distance (for endurance) and sprinting (for speed and strength).

I also like outdoors like chroot. I prefer real football (aka soccer) or Aussie rules football to American football.

 

[dav2008]

Would playing chess, liner algerbra, caclus and programing be consired "sports"?

Maybe if you're linearly transforming a 200 lb. vector.

 

[Anttech]

Cricket in the summer... some seasons I play rugby in the winter... Rugby outside the 6 nations in Europe is dangeous so I tend not to play now.. The problem is they don't know the rules, and are typically big chaps. Cricket is fun tho ;)

 

[RVBuckeye]

Any hockey fans here? I don't play anymore, but I loved playing it growing up. I nearly started to develop withdrawal symptoms last year when they went on strike. (wish they had a smilie with a tooth missing)

 

[heartless]

I play soccer and do some biking whenever I can, I used to be in a soccer team, well, not anymore,

I'm wondering, why people do weight-lifting?

Thanks,

 

[Astronuc]

I'm wondering, why people do weight-lifting?

Different reasons. Some do body-building - bulging muscles. I never cared for that.

The other reason is strength and endurance. Runners (sprinter) and bicycle riders need strong legs for speed and acceleration.

There are many sports that require strength for optimal performance.

During early years of university, I did construction work (structural iron) and we worked with heavy pieces of steel. Having the strength was beneficial.

And having strength that I do has saved me from serious injury, as well as enabling to work with smaller tools in tight places. In one case, another guy and I were removing a heavy motor (300+ lbs / 140 kgs) from a basement, we had to climb up some concrete stairs. We fastened the motor to a metal bar to distribute the weight. It was a narrow staircase, and I was on the down side. Well about 8 ft (2.5 m) up the stairs, the bar collapsed and the motor came back at me. It happened so fast, I could get out of the way, and I ended up cradling the motor in my arms. Either I go down the stairs with the motor - ending up on the floor with a 300 lb motor on my chest or I get it up. I heaved it and got it upstairs - and I pulled a groin muscle and developed a slight inguinal hernia (which I pushed back in myself). The fact that I had strength save me from serious injury or worse, and I saved the motor.

And there were other cases where I saved myself or someone else from falling, simply because I had the strength.

That and I love to play sports like football (soccer) and Tae Kwon Do.

 

[Ba]

I do football(soccer), biking, swimming. And rock-climbing during the summer.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I'll play almost anything, but my speciality is soccer. I'm on the Milwaukee Bavarians Majors team. Practice just started so I'm pumped about the new season.

 

[Astronuc]

Pattylou posted this elsewhere.

Here's a nice study for more benefits of exercise:

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060225/bob10.asp

Some excerpts:

Out of the variety of neurotrophic factors released during exercise, however, scientists found that one in particular stood out: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. This protein seems to act as a ringleader, both prompting brain benefits on its own and triggering a cascade of other neural health–promoting chemicals to spring into action.

They studied two groups of healthy mice housed individually in cages that were identical except for one detail: One group of mice had running wheels.

Over the next several weeks, the researchers kept track as the runners voluntarily racked up an average of 4 to 5 kilometers on their wheels every night.

Although both groups of mice swam at about the same speed, Gage and his colleagues noticed that the runners learned the location of a platform hidden under the maze's opaque water significantly sooner than their less-fit counterparts did.

Dissections showed that the runners had about twice as many new brain neurons as the sedentary mice did. When the researchers tested individual neurons isolated from both groups, they discovered that neurons taken from the runners showed greater signs of strengthened connections and cellular learning.

...dissected the animals' brains at 6 months of age to measure the beta-amyloid. They were surprised to find about half as much accumulation of the substance in the runners as in the nonrunners.

Bottom line according to Pattylou: BDNF (Brain derived neurotrophic factor) is produced during exercise, it stimulates nerve development, and effects protection to neurons. It may offer protection against diseases like alzheimers, and may help some patients that have paralysis.

That's good enough for me.

 

[Azael]

I'm wondering, why people do weight-lifting?

Thanks,

That is like asking why people run around after a ball on a field or why people dress upp in armor and run straight into each other
Because its fun and challanging.

Nothing in the world gives a bigger rush than pulling a new one rep max in the deadlift. That is the greatest feeling in the world.

Its very fun to get muscular aswell. It feels good.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Well, i do weight-lifting about 3 or more times per week. I also do cardio on the biobikes like 1 or 2 times per week. I am mostly working on gaining more strength.

 

[Astronuc]

Cricket in the summer... some seasons I play rugby in the winter... Rugby outside the 6 nations in Europe is dangeous so I tend not to play now.. The problem is they don't know the rules, and are typically big chaps. Cricket is fun tho ;)

6 nations in Europe? I thought there were more than that.

I do remember one of my roommates in college used to return from rugby with torn clothes, bruises and scratches - and sometimes teeth marks!

Occassionally someone would get a broken foot, hand or arm, but that was not too common, or a broken nose or torn ear.

Biting the nose or ears is not very nice.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I shoot billiards. That's about the closest thing to a sport I do on a regular basis.
I did however just recent start having to walk home from work at night on a regular basis. Now I walk about three hours straight four nights a week. I had thought it might be good to get the excersize but with the way I hurt from it I'm wondering if I'm doing more harm than good. It doesn't tire me out that much but I'm usually quite sore for a day or two after. Does anyone know if I'll get used to it or if maybe I'm over doing it?

 

[JasonRox]

There are plenty of sports threads buried around here somewhere, including a couple having to do with weight-lifting. JasonRox and Astronuc are the resident body builders.

I am no longer the bodybuilder.

School and work make it so difficult.

 

[Cyrus]

I am no longer the bodybuilder.

School and work make it so difficult.

Me too. I have not been to the gym ALL semester.

 

[Sisyphus]

I'm pretty big into Tae Kwon Do myself. Never really got into any other formal form of exercise.

 

[russ_watters]

I lift and run (and occasionally bike if my shin splints are acting up) but unfortunately, I don't play many sports anymore. Just golf, which is only barely a sport. If I can find adult leagues (or more athletic friends), I'd like to get back into playing sports.

When I was a kid, I did a lot: soccer, swimming, wrestling, tennis, & baseball. I sucked at baseball, though.

 

[scott1]

what exactally are "sports" is it another word for fictinol realsitic video games?
Or is it just another term for math and logic puzzles

 

[heartless]

what exactally are "sports" is it another word for fictinol realsitic video games?

Kinda wondering, how something can be "fictional realistic"?
Yeah, the word "sports" got also another meaning over the last century just like almost all other words. ALthough I think "sports" should be only reffered to physical ones, or at last something like chess. Video games, sex, playing instruments shouldn't be considered sports.

Thanks,

 

[Chi Meson]

The only teacm sport I was any good at was crew (rowing). And that's not the same as other team sports. Anything that involved incorporating other peoples strategy into your own strategy was missing from my brain. I see a lot of other "singular" sport athletes here. Might this be a character trait?

Of course I "appreciate" baseball, and basketball (Hey, I got an MFA from George Mason!) but I am hopeless when playing them. But I'll take any of you on for a half-marathon!

 

[JustRobert]

I'm wondering, why people do weight-lifting?

Thanks,

For me, I started lifting in high school and got some complements. So I never stopped lifting... I enjoyed the compilments too much I guess

Take it easy,
Robert

 

[JustRobert]

I think a big factor for lifting (that non-lifters don't often understand) is that weight lifting has a lot to do with one's mental conditioning. It is a one man sport where you define the goal, and success or failure is completely in your own hands (barring medical scenarios). You can only get mad at yourself if you don't succeed.

Another factor that non-lifters don't often know is that weight-lifting is a knowledge-intensive sport. You have to read lot of books to understand the role of nutrition in building, and more importantly, maintaining, muscle.

Robert

 

[JustRobert]

Im pretty serious about powerlifting. Not competing yet though because of my lack of grip strenght and because my squat is yet far from my deadlift because of years with a bad knee.

Used to focus on bodybuilding but I have ditched that because I don't have the genetics to get anywhere in that sport.

Sorry to hear about the bad knee. How long have you been lifting?

Robert

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I used to be very active in sports. In particular I was good at football, and honestly, I might have been good enough to be a pro kicker [kicked a 60 yard punt in the 8th grade], but I never did pursue this due to knee injuries aggravated while playing high school football.

Also, was in competitive swimming, absolutely loved playing volleyball, studied Judo formerly, and informally, Karate and a mix of other martial arts for fun. I would spar with a buddy who had his brown belt at the time...I think...one below black anyway. Also, once went six rounds with a former golden gloves national champion. Of course, he totally kicked my butt.

For years I ran and finally achieved a routine of five miles a day, followed by one-hundred push-ups, and then 100 sit-ups. Also, I started lifting weights at age twelve and continued to do so well into my early twenties. In fact one of the first things I ever bought with my own money was a weight set. In particular I was a very strong at the free weight military press, and also the leg press on the weight machine. In high school I could pump 750 Lbs almost indefinitely if I went slowly enough...which certainly didn't help my knee problems.

Desert and moto-cross motorcycle riding were also favorites. We used to go to places like El Mirage dry lake area, Gorman, Glamis, and other desert areas in Southern California.

Played baseball for some years but totally sucked. I think my batting average needed an extra decimal position to average > zero.

Did some long distance cycling for a time. The longest trek make in one day was about 120 miles - took nineteen hours of riding through desert and mountains.

Oh yes, can't forget body surfing and Boogie boards - great fun!

Now my favorite sports are brush clearing, weed spraying, home remodeling, and various chainsaw sports.

 

[chroot]

It took you nineteen hours to do 120 miles on a bicycle? That's an average of just over 6 mph. You can practically walk that fast. What kind of terrain limits you to 6 mph?

I did my last century (102.1 miles) in under seven hours, on a road bike, on asphalt.

- Warren

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Up the San Bernadino mountains. We rode from Long Beach to the camp grounds above Hemet. In fact I forgot that we had to ride back - all down hill so not nearly so memorable.

Also, since we camped for three days we also had 80 Lbs backpacks.

... which reminds me, did a lot of mountain hiking in Scouts.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Make that more like sixty pounds. I remember having to carry an eighty pouind pack but that was a different trip...I think. Anyway, I didn't even think about the math. It was a slow trip with many breaks. We had to carry camping gear as well as bicycle repair items. Also, I was only about fifteen at the time.

 

[loseyourname]

I was mostly involved in middle-distance running in high school. I ended up with a personal best during my sophomore year of 16:36 for a three-mile cross country course (set it at the Rosemead Invitational) and 4:34 for the mile. Asthma and subsequent apathy derailed me a bit after that, though, and I got into other non-athletic pursuits. I was (and am) much too tall to have had any chance at an actual future in distance running anyway, though.

The only think, looking back, that I think I might have been able to have a future in was probably baseball. I was able to throw close to a 90 mph fastball when I was only around 15 or so, but I didn't develop any actual interest in the sport until recently, and opted for track instead because I enjoyed running more.

I've always been huge on pickup basketball, too. Honestly, though, I don't really have the ideal athleticism for basketball (specifically, no lateral quickness or dribbling ability) so I've mostly just become a really good perimeter shooter. I'm terrific in practice.

I've never been much good at anything else. I'm especially terrible at swimming. I can do it, but frustratingly slowly. I've always been a thin guy, too. My body wasn't meant to carry a great deal of weight and I've never had the least bit of inclination toward body-building. I could use some serious strength-training, though. It's been a while, so I can't really say, but I'd imagine my max leg press, bench press, and clean are all probably less than 30% what they were in high school. I wonder if I'd still be able to throw the fastball.

 

[JustRobert]

I actually do weight-training. I work on strength and endurance.

In addition, I run distance (for endurance) and sprinting (for speed and strength).

I also like outdoors like chroot. I prefer real football (aka soccer) or Aussie rules football to American football.

Cool, how long have you been lifting?

Robert

 

[Astronuc]

Cool, how long have you been lifting?

On and off for about 34 years.

About 30 years ago, I was doing heavy lifting, which complemented the fact that I worked summers and holidays doing structural iron work. The strength came in handy. It was faster to climb straight up the columns than use the scaffolding.

I stopped heavy lifting for several years - graduate school and work. Instead I did light-moderate training supplemented with pushups, pullups, situps and running. Plus, like Ivan, I do gardening and tree-trimming around the property.

I recently started increasing the weights for more serious strength training.

I did Tae Kwon Do for several years before giving up (termporarily) due to scheduling/traveling conflicts.

And don't forget STRETCHING - it's very important!

 

[Jeff Ford]

Im pretty serious about powerlifting. Not competing yet though because of my lack of grip strenght and because my squat is yet far from my deadlift because of years with a bad knee.

Used to focus on bodybuilding but I have ditched that because I don't have the genetics to get anywhere in that sport.

If you want to talk grip strength shoot me a message

I compete in strongman and highland games and plan to try olympic lifting and powerlifting this year. I definitely don't look like a bodybuilder though.

 

[Jeff Ford]

I'm wondering, why people do weight-lifting?

I started doing it because I had a back injury that needed rehabilitation. After a few months I got addicted to the idea of getting stronger. Now I feel more run down when I don't lift than when I do.

 

[Astronuc]

I started doing it because I had a back injury that needed rehabilitation. After a few months I got addicted to the idea of getting stronger. Now I feel more run down when I don't lift than when I do.

Same here - if I am not physically active - weight lifting, running, cycling, soccer or other activity, I feel run down.

Sitting behind a desk sucks, especially when it is nice and sunny outside.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I'm a wreck now. The only reason that I quit all of the above is that my body fell apart. Now I have to moderate my activities and do only what is needed around here, or I end up out of commission and can't do anything. Just the walk from my office to the house can be painful on a bad day.

 

[Astronuc]

All that carousing and fancy living in the 20's is finally catching up.

I too feel a little pain here and there. However, light weight-training and walking/running help reduce that. It's when I am inactive for prolonged periods that my knees and ankles don't feel right.

Tha's one reason I try to walk during lunch or in the afternoon, even if its a short distance. Plus I prefer being outside.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I was born with bad knees, but the one thing that I would warn against is being bad to your back. Heavy lifting and running were the ultimate back killers. Remember all of those military lifts that I mentioned...

 

[Astronuc]

I was born with bad knees, . . .

My best friend in high school had a similar problem, he blew out one knee and then later the other . . . while standing. I kid you not. He just standing by a window one day, and pop, the knee collapsed! No significant load on it.

. . . but the one thing that I would warn against is being bad to your back. Heavy lifting and running were the ultimate back killers. Remember all of those military lifts that I mentioned...

A harness or properly designed belt is important for back support. Overloading the back can result in permanent damage. It's best to start out light and work up. Once one starts lifting more than say 100 lbs, then its time to be using a belt. For me the back was limiting. I could easily lift 140+ lbs with one arm, but my back by itself could not handle 240+ lbs. At the time I did not use a belt for back support.