Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kimiki]

Can't bring myself to go to the gym. For various reasons, I won't get into, but one big reason is I have always hated gyms. Feel like a hamster in a cage or something. Walking and hiking are my favorite forms of exercise. But when I power walk outside there are other obstacles. I feel like some kind of low-grade agoraphobia is setting in. Just can't deal with colliding with the swarms of ajummas who flock to the same mountains and the same walking paths here. And I wake up early. Even at 5 am there is no solitude.

Luckily I'm leaving soon (to a new town) and hopefully that will give me a fresh perspective, but in the meantime, the lack of exercise is catching up with me : (( Looking for ideas or advice. Home cardio routines anyone? Other motivators or suggestions? Thanks!!

[PeteJB]

Not to mention all the looks you get. I mean, a man just wants to take a hike, and it's like you are part of the wildlife.

But you gotta suck it up and get on with it if you want to exercise outside.

[creeper1]

Why do you want to exercise? Is it to lose weight, increase cardio or just general health?

GYm has got to be the best option TBH. Hiking is only going to be a weekend thing unless you live very close to a mountain.

Having said that Koreans love badminton. There is also swim clubs and martial arts clubs.

Plenty of options out there.

[Gamecock]

I also don't like gyms. I bought a spin bike online, a yoga mat, and some dumbbells. I can get a complete workout in the comfort of my home for less than the price of a yearly gym membership.

[Stout]

5 a.m. is prime ajumma time.

If u head up to the mountains in the late afternoon on a weekday u should be able to get in a couple of hours without being swamped.

[furtakk]

i hate gyms as well, but love to exercise.

my old apartment was 3 minutes from the han so i used to run/bike really often. at night it's not as busy (at least the stretch near my place), but during the day and weekend it can be a bit hectic. still not to the point that it's difficult though. if there's a school near your place, try using their track. it's completely kosher after school hours and lots of koreans use the facilities as well.

i live right in the middle of hongdae now, so it has kind of killed my routine. i like running at night and it's just awful here. no decent paths that i know of and way too many people on the street.

[PigeonFart]

You don't like gyms, fair enough. But exercise is important. Gyms are the easy option. I say join a gym and get into a routine (cycling, running on the machines). Get in there, do your stuff, and get out. You don't have to like it. Anyway, maybe you'll soon find it's not so bad.

[The Floating World]

I try to do a full body calesthenics workout in as few compound exercises as possible that also gives a great cardio workout at the same time.

Try this and tell me it didnt get your heart pumping and the sweat running.

*2 or 3 sets of bodyweight squats with calf raise on the way up (at top of squat), do 50 reps or to failiure

*same reps and sets as above for glute / hamstring raises straight after

*20 crunches holding each for 10 secs, 3 sets of 10

*3 sets of push ups until failiure

DO THE ABOVE AS A CIRCUIT, IE - ONE SET SQUATS, THEN ONE SET RAISES, THEN ONE SET ABS, THEN ONE SET PUSH UPS, THEN REPEAT TWICE MORE

*Then for your back finish with 2 wrestler's bridges holding for 30 secs each. (must start out v slowly with these, if not done before, google it and make sure you learn the form well.) Feel out if you're comfortable supported just on hands and feet (yoga style ) or feet and head (wrestler's style.)

Do every second day.

**** If you can't do the bridges (took me 3 sessions of trying to even be able to do one for 10 seconds, first 2 times I couldn't even get into the position) or if you are worried they're dangerous - do the flying locust for 30 seconds x 3 instead. Google it. I only do bridges myself once or twice a week and subsitute the flying locust exercise on a cpl of days as the bridges are very intense.

Full body workout plus cardio in only 5 exercises. In the comfort of your home and for FREE with zero equipment. Personally I like to do bicycle crunches until failiure x 3 instead of the slow crunches sometimes as they hit the obliques too.

I want to get a chinup bar too and add those to it as it doesn't touch the biceps at all. Ortherwise it hits everything, especially if you mix up the width of your hand placement on the push-ups.

You'll need to stretch out the lower back after the bridges. Again, look online.

PS - I hold on to a worktop lightly as I go down for the squats so I can get right down, ass to grass and keep my lower legs straight and my knees not pushing forwards past my ankles and my lower back straight - v important. Then I let go as I explode up into the calf raise.

[shifty]

[travel zen]

You can be any age to enjoy working out. But you have to enjoy it.

Motivation? How about not being a fat pork rind sitting around, watching yourself get Fatter and Fatter as the years go by.

How about not wondering if your cloths will hide the sheer fat that was your slim belly.

Find the motivation, and you can learn to enjoy being healthy and looking good (and feeling good).

[kimiki]

[kimiki]

[The Floating World]

Remember to breathe in on the way down and out on the effort part of each exercise. Breath builds energy

[fermentation]

[kimiki]