Looking For An Exercising Equipment

[Irene]

I have been unsuccessful to get my family members to do some meaningful exercise. Now we have one treadmill and one stationary bicycle which are hardly used by other members. (I used them daily). Despite cajoling, there has not been that much enthusiasm. So I am looking for something that is fun and inducive to work on. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

[desi]

I've found the Air Walker to be great fun. And of course, swimming is something the whole family can get involved with if you are around a pool.

[Jamie]

Elliptical machines are really nice. Better workout in a shorter time, easier on the knees than a treadmill too.

[Cuban]

You have found the problem, all well and good having the machine, no use if the TV and the PC win each time.

As above swimming is a good family activity, but this is more of an outing unless the pool is close by and empty.

Consider something like badminton or other "game" that gets people moving and is easy for your family's ages and abilities, frisbe, football, baseball?

Get another family to compete against, four-side?

[ProThaiExpat]

Cuban has nailed it!! There is just nothing fun about a chore unless you make a game of it. A lifetime of boring gym attendance to prove it.

When I played handball, racquetball and the like, time flew, I enjoyed it a lot and got the greatest exercise.

If you could make a game out of your fitness routine or the use of your exercise machines, it might help. Also, putting the T.V. where it can be watched while exercising might help.

[Sakeopete]

We just got a trampoline and let me say that is the most fun workout you didn't know you did. I have 3 boys 16 months - 12 years and we have a blast on it. The wife even enjoys it after I taught her to play the game broken eggs with the kids. Trampolines can be a bit dangerous like most sports so supervision is necessary but wow even after 5 minutes I know I've had a workout.

[wpcoe]

Any chance you can put the treadmill/bike in front of a TV? Exercise is more "tolerable" if distracted by watching televison.

I don't know if this is age-appropriate for your family, but you could stipulate "No TV watching unless you spend the first xx minutes exercising."

[Mighty Mouse]

If you are serious about losing weight through exercise then you have to be serious about the exercise routine.

30 minutes on a stationary exercise bike or 30 minutes on a treadmill won't do much for you.

You need determination and be able to exercise hard for at least two hours, three times per week. Four times would be better.

Look at a combination of power walking, swimming, cycling (not stationary) up hills etc. In between each different mode of exercise, stop and do some floor exercises, sit-ups, leg raises, step ups, side bends etc. etc.

The whole routine should be virtually non-stop for at least one hour....and that is just to start with. Extend the duration over a short period of time to at least two hours. If you are not sweating profusely you have not been working hard enough.

If you live near a beach, run on the hard sand (waters edge) for the first few weeks and then do the same distance run in the soft sand. (wear good quality running shoes to avoid treading on needles etc.)

In all exercise routines you need to monitor your progress. As it starts to get easy, increase the distances or add some resistance (weights.)

Nobody starts to lose any weight until at least 20 minutes into the routine.

[Cuban]

You need determination and be able to exercise hard for at least two hours, three times per week. Four times would be better....

....Nobody starts to lose any weight until at least 20 minutes into the routine.

With respect, anyone starting an exercise program from nothing will want to see results fast or feel that "this is another non-working scam" like those magnetic head bands and flashing Weight-loss yo-yo sticks.

Hard exercise is something that needs to be built up over time and not crashed into during the first week. If you can only run for 30 seconds before becoming breathless the first day your try, it is madness to even consider that you should be running for 20 minutes to get a good work out. Like compound interest on your regular savings account, doing exercise every other day will build up your body's ability to do exercise.

It will take time to build up to being able to do a two hour session, walking is a good starting point and is generally free. The streets of any Thai city offers a range of step heights at every kerb and pot hole to mimic a cheap Stairmaster. Walking on sand is also very good exercise but sand reflects plenty of sun back onto your legs etc. Suncreams can act with loose sand to make an effective skin sandpaper. So it might not be your daily exercise of choice.

Extend the duration over a short period of time to at least two hours. If you are not sweating profusely you have not been working hard enough.

"no pain - no gain" is a good way to get an injury, take it slow to start with and build up.

In all exercise routines you need to monitor your progress. As it starts to get easy, increase the distances or add some resistance (weights.)

Start doing something that is achievable for you, if you can walk to the 7-11 in ten minutes three days in a row try to do it in nine the fourth day, just don't reward yourself with a chocolate bar. Setting a target is a good policy, both in terms of a goal to reach and increasing your exercise. Walking or running over a known distance, 3.5 miles (5.6 Km) per hour is average walking speed, that you increase over a few weeks should be seen as a primer that gets your body ready for action. A car that has been sitting in the garage for years does not go out and win first place without a little servicing before the race. For the first two (?) months your targets could be measured by either time or distance walked rather than weight lost.

The first thing people notice when making progress on a program of exercise is that their clothes are a "better" fit than before, even though those scales that every Thai loves to use seem to indicate that there is no "weight loss". What is happening is that fat is being lost and muscle is being gained, muscle weighs more than fat but it (muscle) is in the right places on your body. Fat does not turn into muscle, they are different types of body tissue.

The problem with fixed weight machines is that they train a particular muscle, and they have their place in a planned exercise program. Working with free weights has a better impact on the body, but as a beginner in the gym picking up a 1 - 5kg weight among the muscle bound pitching 50kg weights in each hand is an image the unfit will scamper breathlessly from. Running alone or even in a small group on the streets is boring and can be a little dangerous in Thailand, those long distance runners I see on my local highway do not use sunblock and seldom carry water.

The practical starting point for the change of life a commitment to exercise gives is something that you will stick to doing. Gold plated free weights will only help if they are used, knowing some Thai women this might not be a bad idea?

Taking the family out on a bike safari somewhere away from traffic, and where it is not too hot, regularly is great for legs. Swimming is a good all rounder and great for people that are over weight, less stress on knee joints compared to running. It's my belief that everyone should be able to swim as a child and as a teenager learn something about lifesaving. Getting Thais to buy into this idea shouldn't be too hard, if I remember correctly there is an old story (true?) about a Thai royal that drown because no one was allow to touch the royal person, a little spin on the theme and I could see me using this story as the basis of getting kids into serious swimming.

With any exercise - it is better to do something than nothing.

[hotgeekus]

haha, two hours exercise 3-4 times a week? How do you propose to do that?

Take me for example. High School, I could run a mile in 5 1/2 minutes, could run all day, not a problem. Then I got a job and 15 years later, I am way out of shape.

Recently my girlfriend has been getting me to do exercise. I can't do more than 5 minutes straight jumping jacks, because my cardio has gone to crap.....

Of course, I am trying to improve and will take time. What is needed is the patience to change your lifestyle to become healthy and work out. Finishing a marathon won't work in a week.....

So, now I do twenty minutes 5-6 times a week. Cardio for 5 or 10 minutes, then finish with simple excercises. Yes I am huffing and puffing when finished, but be realistic, if you start excercing after 5 years, you can't do 2 hours of cardio, ain't gonna happen....

[backflip]

The best exercise is pushing yourself away from the table.

[kiakaha]

Aerobic exercise alone just wont cut it.

You also need to build muscle mass as muscle metabolises fat quicker, even when you are in rest.

When I workout I interleave my aerobic and weights routines for a 2 hr duration ie: run 2kms then do some weights, sprint 800 metres, do some weights, run 2kms, do some weights etc....

[stumonster]

maybe a nintendo Wii , it comes with Wii sports and it is not such a couch games console.