From: Natasha Vita-More (natasha@natasha.cc)
Date: Tue Apr 01 2003 - 10:53:48 MST
At 09:50 PM 3/31/03 -0500, Jay Dugger wrote:
>Monday, 31 March 2003
>
>Natasha,
>
> By way of introduction, I'm a long-time lurker on the Extropians
> list. I have a recent interest in weight training and body building, with
> an emphasis on the health-improving aspects of the former. My job
> requires about 180 days of travel per year, so finding a gym to use poses
> real difficulties. This makes electronic muscle stimulator machines
> attractive to me. Such machines make no substitute for exercise, but they
> weigh little and fit in a suitcase.
There are some gyms that are national and international. I have belonged
to both World Gym (founded by Joe Gold of Gold's Gym) and Gold's Gym. They
are both now chains and Joe Gold has nothing to do with either
chain. However, the gyms are very good. Thus, my first suggestion is to
make a graph of the locations you travel and find out if there is gym that
services these areas. Then join!
Second suggestion is to determine if you are staying in hotels, motels or
people's homes when you travel. If it is hotels, then you can use the gyms
in the hotels. They are adequate.
Third suggestion is to combine the first and second suggestions and to
become more self-sufficient. This would require you streamlining your
workout closet - purchase 3 workout outfits that are easy to wash and dry
in the shower. Pack all three on your trips. Purchase an excellent pair
of workout shoes and a heart rate monitor which you can strap on while
doing aerobics.
Decide which aerobic sport works best for your physique. If it is running
(which I do not recommend for anyone with prior sports injuries), swimming,
cycling, roller blading, speed walking, walking, etc. Also, decide what
your body needs in order to become the body you want.
If the body you want is lean and cut, then your diet will have a major
influence on your goal setting. If it is to bulk up, or lean down there
are alternatives. So, I'd have to know what your goal is and help you
achieve it vis-a-vis diet and anaerobic.
As far as weight machines for travelling, there are a few that are sold on
TV that can pack easily in a suitcase. Don't waste your money buying an
electronic muscle stimulator. Cutting your abs is not a difficult thing to
do. It just takes discipline.
For abs, cut out fatty foods and large portions. Shrink your stomach and
drink plenty of water. Buy a bar that fits between doorways to do leg
raises and also buy a mat to do crunches. I use the crunch machine at the
gym - 4 sets of 40 reps (slow and hold while flexing). Then I do leg
raises - working up to 1 set of 70 (slow). The beauty of abs is that you
need to work hard to get them and you will have a heck of a lot of respect
for yourself for getting them!
Bottom line, all you need is to get out and move. Run or walk for 30 - 40
minutes 5 days a week. Work on abs 5 - 7 days a week. You do not need an
electronic machine. Watch your diet and smile.
I hope this helped.
Natasha Vita-More
http://www.natasha.cc
----------
President, Extropy Institute
http://www.extropy.org
Founder, Transhumanist Arts & Culture
http://www.transhuman.org
http://www.extropic-art.com
http://www.transhumanist.biz
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue Apr 01 2003 - 09:00:42 MST