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Comment by soared | Hacker News Reader

I mean.. nobody smiles in the middle of exercise. I thoroughly enjoy working hard and pushing myself on my bike, but it definitely doesn't make me smile. I might smile 3 hours later when I see I broke a few personal records though.

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I do? I mean, I don't consider myself an unusual athlete or anything. But if I'm biking or lifting, I almost always have a smile on my face, even while pushing myself. So do other people I know, so I really don't think it's unusual.

Yes, you are basically an 'unusual athlete', at least in this regard. Going along at top speed or riding up a steep hill takes effort and the last thing on most people's minds is their facial expression - so they might assume an expression that allows easy breathing or possibly tense all their facial muscles.

I have to say, I'm kind of surprised at the negative reaction saying smiling while exercising has gotten in this subthread. It really is something a lot of folks do. It's even something that top-tier athletes do on purpose: https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/12/health/smile-running-energy-p...

Even if it isn't something one does without being prompted, frame of mind is such an important part of performance. Anything that can lower perceived effort is worth taking seriously.

I’d very much prefer grimaces to smiles with no warmth behind them.

? I have no idea what you mean by this.

He's talking about fake smiles. Something all too common.

"How are you?"

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