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?

Post a reply to this message

On 02/02/2012 11:14 AM, Invisible wrote:

> So my question is: How do I increase my stamina?

Hmm, actually... I seem to recall I got some spam about this the other 
day... Something about driving female people insane when they're asleep, 
or something like that... Maybe I should check it out.

Post a reply to this message

> 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?
>

Bike to work?
Can you park at the far end of the parking lot and walk to the door?
Take the stairs instead of the elevator?
Go for a walk after dinner?
Go on romantic strolls in the park on the week-end?


> 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?

Light exercice for long periods of time.  Walking, running, biking, etc...

>
> 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.
>

Never a good idea, unless you are being chased by a pack of wolves or 
training for a ironman triathlon.

> - Go gently, but for as long as possible.
>

Yes, or

> - Go until you're tired. Stop. Rest until you're not tired. Go again.
> Repeat.
>

This.

> - Go as hard as you can without needing to actually stop.
>

Eventually, you'll be able to judge what pace you can keep for an 
extended period of time.  For example, I can walk all day, it's the feet 
that tell me I need to stop and take the shoes off.


-- 
/*Francois Labreque*/#local a=x+y;#local b=x+a;#local c=a+b;#macro P(F//
/*    flabreque    */L)polygon{5,F,F+z,L+z,L,F pigment{rgb 9}}#end union
/*        @        */{P(0,a)P(a,b)P(b,c)P(2*a,2*b)P(2*b,b+c)P(b+c,<2,3>)
/*   gmail.com     */}camera{orthographic location<6,1.25,-6>look_at a }

Post a reply to this message

>> 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?
>
> Bike to work?

1. I spent 2 years cycling to college every day. First time I did the 
trip, I was exhausted. The final time I did the trip... I was still 
exhausted. And it still took the same amount of time. So, no measurable 
increase in fitness.

2. The trip to college was just under 5 miles, and took 1 hour. The trip 
to work is 50 miles, and so would theoretically take 10 hours. As such, 
it would be impossible to make a round trip in a single 24-hour period 
and actually get any work done in between.

3. There are no cycle paths. I would have to cycle along roads. Unlit, 
winding country roads with no curb. Some of which haven't been 
resurfaced in the last 10 years.

> Can you park at the far end of the parking lot and walk to the door?

Oh, I already do that. A lot of people arrive at work for 8am rather than 9.

> Take the stairs instead of the elevator?

I work on the ground floor?

> Go for a walk after dinner?

I often do that too. Not that I imagine it makes any difference.

> Go on romantic strolls in the park on the week-end?

Not sure what would be "romantic" about being hassled by a bunch of 
bored skinheads... The terrified running might boost my fitness perhaps 
though.

>> I'm interested
>> in /stamina/. So, what kind of exercise am I looking for?
>
> Light exercice for long periods of time. Walking, running, biking, etc...

Right, OK.

>> - Go flat out until you collapse. Rest until tomorrow.
>
> Never a good idea, unless you are being chased by a pack of wolves or
> training for a ironman triathlon.

Interesting. Everybody else seems to think this is exactly the way to 
go, and the only way to improve. "No pain, no gain" and all that.

>> - Go gently, but for as long as possible.
>
> Yes, or
>
>> - Go until you're tired. Stop. Rest until you're not tired. Go again.
>> Repeat.
>
> This.

Right, OK.

>> - Go as hard as you can without needing to actually stop.
>
> Eventually, you'll be able to judge what pace you can keep for an
> extended period of time. For example, I can walk all day, it's the feet
> that tell me I need to stop and take the shoes off.

My question was really whether you want to go as hard as possible and 
then rest until you're ready again, or whether you should just back off 
enough to keep going.

Post a reply to this message

On 2/2/2012 6:14 AM, Invisible wrote:
> 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?

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.

Post a reply to this message

On 02/02/2012 02:00 PM, Tom Austin 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

Post a reply to this message

>> 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...

Post a reply to this message

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

Post a reply to this message

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

Post a reply to this message

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.

Post a reply to this message