On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:14:02 +0000, Invisible wrote:

> Given that my job necessarily involves remaining absolutely motionless
> for hours on end, and that I only have an hour or two of spare time per
> day, is there *anything* I can do with that time which will make the
> slightest shred of difference? Or is the situation just hopeless?

Are you going to be willing to listen to the answers, or are you just 
going to assert "no, that can't possibly be true" because you don't 
believe it could possibly be true?

Jim

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On 2/2/2012 3:14, Invisible wrote:
> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?

1) Don't sit motionless all day. Get up, move around, go outside to walk 
around the building every hour.

2) Get something like a stairmaster. Set it up in front of the TV. Play 
exciting video games while climbing to keep from going crazy with boredom. 
You'll go from doing 10 minutes without being tired to doing an hour without 
being tired.

3) Go swimming. Buy a book on "Total Immersion" swimming, and learn to swim 
properly. Then swim several times a week until you can do 30 laps without 
stopping.


-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   People tell me I am the counter-example.

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> OK, so I have a problem. The obvious way to solve this problem is to ask
> the Internet, and then act on whatever advice the random strangers there
> offer me. :-)
>
> My problem is simple: I spend almost every waking hour sitting perfectly
> motionless in front of a computer screen. Except that once a week, I
> spend a hour leaping around a dance floor like a crazy thing. And you
> know what? It turns out that I do not have the necessary stamina.
> Socking, I know.
>
> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?
>
> Let's leave aside the obvious answer of "quit my job and spend every
> waking hour running around a race track until my legs drop off". Clearly
> that isn't happening.
>
> Given that my job necessarily involves remaining absolutely motionless
> for hours on end, and that I only have an hour or two of spare time per
> day, is there *anything* I can do with that time which will make the
> slightest shred of difference? Or is the situation just hopeless?
>
> People say to me "oh, with all that dancing, you must be really fit". I
> cannot help but think that a piffling one hour out of every 168 isn't
> going to make any difference at all. It's like pouring a litre of fresh
> water into the ocean and expecting it to be less salty afterwards. How
> many hours a day do you need to work to actually achieve something?
>
> Now, "fitness" can mean many things. So let us be clear here. It's not
> that I don't have enough /strength/ and I need to grow bigger muscles.
> (As an aside, it seems I have some pretty damned impressive shoulder
> muscles now... Well, for a skinny computer nerd, anyway.) I'm interested
> in /stamina/. So, what kind of exercise am I looking for?
>
> The answer, presumably, is "anything that makes you feel tired". So how
> do I approach this?
>
> - Go flat out until you collapse. Rest until tomorrow.
>
> - Go gently, but for as long as possible.
>
> - Go until you're tired. Stop. Rest until you're not tired. Go again.
> Repeat.
>
> - Go as hard as you can without needing to actually stop.
>
> - Something else?
>
> Any other suggestions?

A dayly 1/2 hour of jogging will greatly help.
Usualy, about 20 to 30 minutes per day of moderate effort will improve 
your stamina.
When going to work, take the stairs and, whenever possible, don't use 
the escalators. Also, refrain from using the elevators when possible, 
like going up or down up to 3 or 4 stories.
Take any occasion to take a walk.
If at all possible, use a bike instead of your car. It's often faster 
using a bike than a car for short intra-city travels, like up to 30 
minutes worth.


Alain

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>> Any other suggestions?
>
> Usualy, about 20 to 30 minutes per day of moderate effort will improve
> your stamina.

Right. So moderate exercise for longish duration then?

> When going to work, take the stairs and, whenever possible, don't use
> the escalators. Also, refrain from using the elevators when possible,
> like going up or down up to 3 or 4 stories.

I work on the ground floor anyway. ;-)

> Take any occasion to take a walk.

I do sometimes go for a walk around the site during my lunch break. But 


> If at all possible, use a bike instead of your car. It's often faster
> using a bike than a car for short intra-city travels, like up to 30
> minutes worth.

I would need to *own* a bike for that. ;-) And usually I don't *go* 
anywhere anyway.

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On 03/02/2012 03:01 AM, Darren New wrote:
> On 2/2/2012 3:14, Invisible wrote:
>> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?
>
> 1) Don't sit motionless all day. Get up, move around, go outside to walk
> around the building every hour.

Yeah, I've been trying to do that lately - if only because my legs keep 
going numb.

> 2) Get something like a stairmaster. Set it up in front of the TV. Play
> exciting video games while climbing to keep from going crazy with
> boredom. You'll go from doing 10 minutes without being tired to doing an
> hour without being tired.

I'm not overly keen on spending lots of money unless I really have no 
choice.

What I did do last night was to put some music on and dance on the spot 
while I was waiting for the stuff in the oven to finish cooking. I think 
I'd probably need to sort out a CD containing only music of a suitable 
tempo though, if I'm going for a long continuous workout rather than a 
brief frenzy followed by exhaustion.

> 3) Go swimming. Buy a book on "Total Immersion" swimming, and learn to
> swim properly. Then swim several times a week until you can do 30 laps
> without stopping.

I can't swim.

Or rather, I can't swim more than about 6 feet or so without stopping 
due to exhaustion.

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On 02/02/2012 10:14 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:14:02 +0000, Invisible wrote:
>
>> Given that my job necessarily involves remaining absolutely motionless
>> for hours on end, and that I only have an hour or two of spare time per
>> day, is there *anything* I can do with that time which will make the
>> slightest shred of difference? Or is the situation just hopeless?
>
> Are you going to be willing to listen to the answers, or are you just
> going to assert "no, that can't possibly be true" because you don't
> believe it could possibly be true?

I'm no fitness expert. I'm just asking whether a few hours a week is 
enough to make a difference or not.

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On 02/02/2012 04:46 PM, Warp wrote:

>    1 hour of cardio each day, 6 days a week.
>
>    "Cardio" means that your heart rate raises, you sweat and you have to
> breath slightly more heavily than normally.

Right. So if I break out my heart monitor again, measure my resting 
rate, and then find a suitable level of intensity to raise it a little, 
then I just need to figure out how to work an hour into my schedule.

>    It doesn't really matter how you achieve this, but walking/jogging is
> a good way. (The advantage in your case is that it makes your leg muscles
> fitter at the same time, which should be a bonus.)

I find it interesting that all this dancing has had no noticeable effect 
on my legs, but my shoulders and arms are now significantly more muscular...

>    I recommend a 7-10 km route.

At school one time, they took us on a 5 mile walk. It took us over 8 
hours to complete that. (5 miles is, what, 8 km?) I think this might be 
a bit extreme.

I do sometimes take a walk around the site at work in my lunch break. 
One lap, maybe two. That's probably about a quarter of a mile, maybe. 
Then again, I'm not going to do that on a day like today.

> Start walking it at a relatively fast pace.

I always find that makes my shins hurt. (Which is odd, considering that 
there's no muscle there...) Perhaps I'm doing it wrong. Or maybe my 
office shoes just aren't very good for walking in.

>    Not on asphalt! Find a nature trail or similar softer route.

That's /definitely/ not going to walk in my office shoes. ;-)

>    No slacking off. It doesn't matter if it's raining (just take an umbrella)
> or you are feeling lazy. No excuses.

More importantly, I need to work it into my schedule such that 
scheduling issues don't constantly prevent me from doing it.

>    I can assure you that if you follow this for at least 6 months, you'll
> be fitter than you have ever been in your life.

In fairness, me being "fitter than I've ever been in my life" wouldn't 
mean that I'm particularly fit. :-S

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> > 3) Go swimming. Buy a book on "Total Immersion" swimming, and learn to
> > swim properly. Then swim several times a week until you can do 30 laps
> > without stopping.
>
> I can't swim.
>
> Or rather, I can't swim more than about 6 feet or so without stopping
> due to exhaustion.

Assuming that you *can* swim, but you're just unused to it: do a length, rest.
Do another, rest. Do that for 30-45mins each time you go. Go at least twice a
week. You'll be surprised how quickly you become able to do many lengths without
having to stop. Doesn't matter what stroke you do, or even if you're doing it
efficiently or not.

Of course, swimming is not necessarily convenient if your time is short, and
hardly ever free.

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>> I can't swim.
>>
>> Or rather, I can't swim more than about 6 feet or so without stopping
>> due to exhaustion.
>
> Assuming that you *can* swim, but you're just unused to it: do a length, rest.
> Do another, rest. Do that for 30-45mins each time you go. Go at least twice a
> week. You'll be surprised how quickly you become able to do many lengths without
> having to stop. Doesn't matter what stroke you do, or even if you're doing it
> efficiently or not.

Erm... if I can't swim more than a few feet, how am I supposed to do an 
entire length?

> Of course, swimming is not necessarily convenient if your time is short, and
> hardly ever free.

Too true.

(I hear it's quite good non-impact exercise though...)

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> Erm... if I can't swim more than a few feet, how am I supposed to do an
> entire length?

I assumed you were exaggerating. You'd go further than six feet just by kicking
off from the side!

> (I hear it's quite good non-impact exercise though...)

It's very good. Good cardio, and works many muscle groups at once. Aside from
drowning or being kicked by fellow swimmers, it's also very difficult to injure
oneself :)

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