>> Try turning your desk into a standing desk - raise the monitors and get
>> some boxes for the keyboard/mouse.
>>
>> Guys at our office really like it.
>
> +5 insightful

Although, it probably isn't feasible. And I'm not sure /standing/ 
motionless uses any more energy than just sitting motionless...

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?

This, for example:

http://therunningbug.co.uk/articles/beginners/b/weblog/archive/2011/01/11/start-to-run-with-the-running-bug-beginner-s-
guide.aspx

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Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?

  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.

  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 recommend a 7-10 km route. Start walking it at a relatively fast pace.
If you are not very fit, don't even try to jog. Just walk. At first you
probably won't make it under 1 hour, but with time you will. Aim for that.

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

  No slacking off. It doesn't matter if it's raining (just take an umbrella)
or you are feeling lazy. No excuses. (Don't go if you have the flu, though.
That could be even deadly.)

  In about 3 to 5 months you could start trying to jog a bit. Perhaps you'll
find that you can jog all the way. Don't start too early, though. Walk for
the first 3 to 5 months.

  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.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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On 2/2/2012 9:12 AM, Invisible wrote:
>>> Try turning your desk into a standing desk - raise the monitors and get
>>> some boxes for the keyboard/mouse.
>>>
>>> Guys at our office really like it.
>>
>> +5 insightful
>
> Although, it probably isn't feasible. And I'm not sure /standing/
> motionless uses any more energy than just sitting motionless...

It is very feasable - I've done it my self.  Some boxes for the poor 
man's version - one guy here used an old computer case for a while.

Do a lookup on standing vs sitting at a desk job.  There are many 
benefits - like reducing the risk of heart attacks, etc...

If you try it, it may feel weird and unnatural at first - give it a 
little time - you are used to sitting.

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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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