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Southernroots
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
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 Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:11 am Post subject: Exercise in Korea |
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I am going to South Korea in late March. Is it going to be easy to join a gym? Should I bring my own exercise equipment? I have a Xiser (2sq. feet and 14 pounds) that is a really good work out as far as strength training and cardio. I could juse just this and be fine and don't need a gym, but I prefer to work out in a gym. Does anybody else have any experience?
Are people in Korea nicer skinny or thin women? |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:22 am Post subject: |
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Yes it is easy to join a gym, but the quality of the facility and the behavior of your fellow patrons are probably not going to be what you are used to in your home country. You will see what I mean.
Or read this thread or a number of others like it: http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=2490627
Being thin is definitely an advantage in Korea. They tend to make blunt comments about your physical appearance, and they have a strong preference for thinness. |
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Southernroots
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:52 am Post subject: What is Thin? |
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| I am 5'1" and 130. I am not thin, but I'm not fat either. However, I haven't been exercising lately and I've eating crap. My normal weight is around 125. Would that be considered thin or fat in South Korea? |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:42 am Post subject: Re: What is Thin? |
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| Southernroots wrote: |
| I am 5'1" and 130. I am not thin, but I'm not fat either. However, I haven't been exercising lately and I've eating crap. My normal weight is around 125. Would that be considered thin or fat in South Korea? |
I'm guessing most young Korean women who are 5'1" probably weigh less than 120 pounds, probably more like 110-115. I don't really know for sure.
But unless you are hoping to date Korean men, don't worry so much about Koreans thinking you're fat. There are a lot more important issues to living in Korea besides that.
And westerners' bodies are built differently than Koreans' so it's not necessarily realistic or healthy for you to try to weigh the same as they do.
But, if you haven't been exercising and have been eating crap, then you should probably start exercising and stop eating crap. You can do this whether you're at home or in Korea. |
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Southernroots
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:48 am Post subject: I know! |
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Thanks for the encouragement! I am really NOT thinking about dating Korean men (or any men for that matter!) I am truly, truly happy being single. When people ask me out, I tell them ,"I'm not in that place right now." Period.
I just don't want the general population in South Korea to think that I'm fat. I know that sounds horrible and vain, but I lived in China before and I was with this one girl who was fat and she got a lot of flack for it. I think the problem would be even more so in South Korea.
It is super easy for me to lose weight, and yes, like you said, I have to start at home and not in Korea. I am there, and now just waiting. Thanks for the insight though! I really don't want to weigh less than 120. I've been thinner than 120 before and my body gets angry with me. |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: I know! |
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| Southernroots wrote: |
I just don't want the general population in South Korea to think that I'm fat. I know that sounds horrible and vain, but I lived in China before and I was with this one girl who was fat and she got a lot of flack for it. I think the problem would be even more so in South Korea. |
It's probably going to be more or less the same as in China. Just work out as much as you can, eat clean, take good care of your health and it will be fine. There are plenty of legitimately "fat" people teaching English in Korea, and at 130 pounds they will not think you're fat for a westerner. You don't really have any need to worry.
Koreans are getting fatter and fatter these days too. Most middle-aged men and women are fat, and an alarming number of young Koreans are fat now, too. Most Korean women in their 20's and 30's are still very thin, but there's really no need to compare yourself to them, because you aren't trying to snag a Korean husband. |
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AsiaESLbound
Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Best way to get exercise is to walk. I live in a city of 150,000 and there isn't a good gym with ellipticals and full modern facilities with plenty of room. We have a smallish weight lifting room with 3 tread mills, but membership is too high with it being too crowded and everyone just standing around elbowing around waiting around. If you go to Seoul, then there are real gyms and other amenities for living. |
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methdxman
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: I know! |
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| Southernroots wrote: |
Thanks for the encouragement! I am really NOT thinking about dating Korean men (or any men for that matter!) I am truly, truly happy being single. When people ask me out, I tell them ,"I'm not in that place right now." Period.
I just don't want the general population in South Korea to think that I'm fat. I know that sounds horrible and vain, but I lived in China before and I was with this one girl who was fat and she got a lot of flack for it. I think the problem would be even more so in South Korea.
It is super easy for me to lose weight, and yes, like you said, I have to start at home and not in Korea. I am there, and now just waiting. Thanks for the insight though! I really don't want to weigh less than 120. I've been thinner than 120 before and my body gets angry with me. |
Let me do a little internet math here.... you say 5'1" and 130....
I'm getting.... 5'0" even... and...... 138. Just kidding.
Korea has a weird culture where physical attractiveness may be relatively more important than other things. It's hard to win over people with pure gray matter here. They want to see something tangible: job, money, status, looks, car, clothes, etc. But that's what you get when you have a pretty homogeneous culture that went from rags to riches in a relatively short period of time.
Anyway don't get too muscular here. Women here who are considered attractive don't necessarily have toned bodies. They're usually just skinny and soft, not hard. You probably will never reach that here, unless you starve yourself silly, but genes play a huge part in any case.
No offense, but it seems you have some self-image issues to be posting something like this. Koreans are super skinny. All of the girls here are really thin and so are the men. I don't think people will give you so much flack, but you might start giving yourself a lot of flack.
I haven't lived in a country that bombards its public with so much emphasis on beauty. It's outrageous.
Honestly, you will never live up to the standards of Korea. No one can, really. So just eat healthy and exercise and take it easy. You'll make more friends in the long-term by being able to understand Koreans and adapt. Everything else will only give you short-term gains. |
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Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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| redaxe wrote: |
| Yes it is easy to join a gym, but the quality of the facility and the behavior of your fellow patrons are probably not going to be what you are used to in your home country. |
Exactly.
I've basically given up on exercise in korea. I will go hiking on the weekends but thats it.
I used to jog along the riverside but there are too many complete fools out there who are not looking where they're going. People who will step out into your path at the very last second. teams of tandem cyclists cutting yu up. It becomes pointless.
Then there are the stupid gyms. Eiether they want to charge you loads for having fancy new machines and 'event days", or they are full of nosy and ignorant patrons, complete with a trainer who wants to control everything you do. |
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Kaypea
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, jogging here isn't terrible, but you really have to go bright and early, or you are dodging tons of people, and little kids who seem to go right in front of you for no reason. The gyms aren't necessarily terrible either, but the trainers do like to butt in and correct your form all the time. I know they're being nice, but it makes me a little self-consious. Acutally, I had to quit my gym because the cleaning products they used there gave me migraines. I don't know what it is, I've smelled it at my school as well, but thank heavens, it isn't used in my office or classrooms!
130 pounds and 5'1 will make you one of the thinner teachers here ^^ Don't ever expect to be "as thin as Koreans", because they're just smaller. That being said, not every Korean is thin... just the thin ones happen to be itsy-bitsy. You'll still be able to buy clothes at your size, and when you walk down the street, people won't point and laugh like the goodyear blimp sprouted legs... |
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fake_blood
Joined: 02 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: What is Thin? |
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| redaxe wrote: |
| Southernroots wrote: |
| I am 5'1" and 130. I am not thin, but I'm not fat either. However, I haven't been exercising lately and I've eating crap. My normal weight is around 125. Would that be considered thin or fat in South Korea? |
I'm guessing most young Korean women who are 5'1" probably weigh less than 120 pounds, probably more like 110-115. I don't really know for sure.
But unless you are hoping to date Korean men, don't worry so much about Koreans thinking you're fat. There are a lot more important issues to living in Korea besides that.
And westerners' bodies are built differently than Koreans' so it's not necessarily realistic or healthy for you to try to weigh the same as they do.
But, if you haven't been exercising and have been eating crap, then you should probably start exercising and stop eating crap. You can do this whether you're at home or in Korea. |
To be 5'1" and embody the thinness of 'average' korean girls, you're going to be anywhere from 90-105 lbs. Most of my asian girl friends that are around 5'2" - 5'4" are on average 105 lbs. |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: I know! |
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| methdxman wrote: |
Anyway don't get too muscular here. Women here who are considered attractive don't necessarily have toned bodies. They're usually just skinny and soft, not hard. You probably will never reach that here, unless you starve yourself silly, but genes play a huge part in any case. |
This attitude pisses me off more than anything else that anyone has ever said about physical fitness.
Women have to try VERY hard to get "too muscular." Women's muscles and their hormones are very different from those of men. Women do not just get a "ripped" appearance even if they lift weights once or twice a week.
The idea that women shouldn't exert themselves physically for fear of looking too muscular is flat-out idiotic.
Not calling you an idiot, just saying that people who actually believe that a little bit of resistance training will make a woman look all buff and masculine are idiots. |
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Vagabundo
Joined: 26 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:46 am Post subject: Re: I know! |
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| redaxe wrote: |
| methdxman wrote: |
Anyway don't get too muscular here. Women here who are considered attractive don't necessarily have toned bodies. They're usually just skinny and soft, not hard. You probably will never reach that here, unless you starve yourself silly, but genes play a huge part in any case. |
This attitude pisses me off more than anything else that anyone has ever said about physical fitness.
Women have to try VERY hard to get "too muscular." Women's muscles and their hormones are very different from those of men. Women do not just get a "ripped" appearance even if they lift weights once or twice a week.
The idea that women shouldn't exert themselves physically for fear of looking too muscular is flat-out idiotic.
Not calling you an idiot, just saying that people who actually believe that a little bit of resistance training will make a woman look all buff and masculine are idiots. |
and there are a LOT of people spouting such crap!
very difficult for women to get "muscular" since one needs testosterone, first and foremost, to achieve this, which means women by definition are basically SOL. |
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Landros
Joined: 19 Oct 2007
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methdxman
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:12 am Post subject: Re: I know! |
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| Vagabundo wrote: |
| redaxe wrote: |
| methdxman wrote: |
Anyway don't get too muscular here. Women here who are considered attractive don't necessarily have toned bodies. They're usually just skinny and soft, not hard. You probably will never reach that here, unless you starve yourself silly, but genes play a huge part in any case. |
This attitude pisses me off more than anything else that anyone has ever said about physical fitness.
Women have to try VERY hard to get "too muscular." Women's muscles and their hormones are very different from those of men. Women do not just get a "ripped" appearance even if they lift weights once or twice a week.
The idea that women shouldn't exert themselves physically for fear of looking too muscular is flat-out idiotic.
Not calling you an idiot, just saying that people who actually believe that a little bit of resistance training will make a woman look all buff and masculine are idiots. |
and there are a LOT of people spouting such crap!
very difficult for women to get "muscular" since one needs testosterone, first and foremost, to achieve this, which means women by definition are basically SOL. |
It's easy for a girl to get monster calves though. |
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