Hacker News Reader

Comment by pqs | Hacker News Reader

This is precisely what you shouldn't do. This is what the "system" wants you to do, to work while you exercise, to work while you're with your family, ... What you should do is work the hours you have to and not one more, then you get up, take your bike and enjoy nature.

View on HN

Is it ok to do work while you're exercising? Is it ok to exercise while you're doing work?

Student of the Talmud asks the rebbe: "Rebbe, am I allowed to smoke cigarettes while I study the Talmud ?" The Rebbe categorically says "no, it would be highly offensive to smoke while studying the Talmud". Student then asked: "Am I allowed to study the Talmud while I am smoking a cigarette?" Rebbe: "Well.."

This isn't working cutting into exercise time. It's getting more out of your working time. If I'm competitively training could be looking at 2 hours of aerobic base exercise a day. If I can do this whilst working - allows me to enjoy my evenings with my partner

The negative effects of being sedentary are known, and it requires extra effort in exercise to just offset the health risks of being sedentary during a full workday. It seems obvious and logical to me that if we can be less sedentary while working, it would be meaningfully beneficial to us mentally and physically. The system wants us to work. It's up to us to design how we work in a way that isn't as destructive to us.

It's zone 2. In the depths of winter base phase, I (not OP) can be doing 3 hours of relatively continuous power on the trainer, up to 5 times a week. It's mind numbing. I would be watching TV otherwise.

I'd be outside if I could. I live somewhere where weather happens, and I'm not biking 3 hours a day in -10C and nasty salt muck.

What if you like your work and you want to exercise/boost your VO2/stay healthy?

What if it's dark and rainy outside where you live for quite a few months per year?

What if you want to write a book while biking?

Work at a desk, then take time to go ride a bike, it may super charge your work.

Going for a ride is a great way to get into a flow state and really think.

I don't think you understand what training to be a competitive cyclist looks like. 15 ish hours of relatively constant power per week sounds about right for base phase, which tends to coincide with winter. This is different from rec riding.

I used to commute 1.5-2 hours each way to and from work, 5 days a week. Sometimes I’d go for a ride at lunch too.

In Calgary where the weather sucks.

Think I was doing about 1200km per month.

Just a filthy casual cyclist tho.

Doesn't work well when you have a busy family life. I would argue that anyone doing 1200km a month is not a casual cyclist, and if you have a partner, they need to be fully onboard with your "hobby" time commitment for something like this to work.

Christ almighty, we've found a hardman. Point taken.

Did you actually read the article? Nothing in it indicates that the author is working more hours. Spending time with your family and "working while riding an exercise bike" are not MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

If you have to "be at work" (such as in a remote job) why not get some free exercise at the same time?

!!!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com