Korean Job Discussion Forums

[beekeeper3000]

So I was an avid bike rider until about, well, monday when it really got cold here. does anyone have any ideas for working out in seoul during the winter? there was an old post on here about korean gyms being pretty unforgiving in terms of foreigners joining (i'm talking about the local gyms, not the bally's, of which there are none).

also, anyone know any ways to work out at home WITHOUT weights? resistance exercises?

[uberscheisse]

in general koreans aren't 'unforgiving', they can be a little curious, perhaps stare a little too much or be too friendly when you're just trying to exercise.

or - they try to outdo you - you bench 170, they're going to have an aneurysm benching 180 to show you up... or run faster right next to you. or, they'll attempt to educate you on how to exercise properly, and perhaps try to talk you into walking backwards on a treadmill or using one of those 1950s muscle massagers.

if you're the kind who gets butthurt easily over self-consciousness, don't do it. if you have an mp3 player and find ignoring people easy, join a gym. it's mellow if you can shut people out with a little slayer.

[joe_doufu]

[SPINOZA]

Walk to school, take the stairs...it's dropped loads off me and my pulse at rest is a nice 70 per minute.

If you live nextdoor to school and you live on the ground/first floor...er, I dunno. Don't bother with weights - walk and swim and don't smoke/drink Soju during the week.

[tacon101]

try a site like efitness.com

there are tons of exercises you can do like lunges, squats, crunches, push ups (and many different versions of all of these)

you could also take up indoor walking...but with the crowds, it's pretty hard to maintain a proper heart rate...

some saunas/jim ji bangs have treadmills and cyclers

[Metsuke]

Start Judo... thats what I did... and its kicking my ass...

But I like it...

[rainyqueen]

I've had at least three or four different gym memberships, and loved every gym I went to. Everyone was great - super friendly!

If you get properly dressed, you can run outside too.

There's also quite a few squash places around. I'm from Pusan, but I'm sure there are plenty everywhere. That's a great one, since you don't even feel like you're exercising.

Heather

[jlb]

Running is definitely possible, despite bad weather. Just get some decent clothes: no cotton, dress in layers, etc.

[hypnotist]

Running when cold is no problem, but be damn careful running when icy.

I decided not to go running last weekend / this week, but it looks like it might be safe enough this weekend.

[deessell]

I bought one of those bi inflatable exercise balls yesterday. I didn't do much work with it as my arms were sore from pumping the bloody thing up.
It's kinda fun rolling around on the floor with it though.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Been to five gyms, had memberships at two, and never a problem. Except for Korean showerroom behaviour. They can be crowded 6-8pm but that's about the only real problem.

[Swiss James]

I've had no problems with gyms, note that the prices I've seen range from dirt cheap to the same as back home.
Anyway I just wanted to say that I know what you mean about getting too cold to ride a bike- plus I don't fancy trying to stop quickly on the ice

Gyms are fine and all but I generally go regularly until I decide I'm not really all that fat after all, so why not just watch a bit of TV tonight and chill out? Then it's all downhill from there.
What I really need is to start doing a martial art or something on the regular- doesn't look likely though...

[ddeubel]

Ride your Bike!!! Why stop? I have no problem, just dress up....also the same for running. And you burn a lot more calories...Beware of the ice though and also guys opening their doors. I knocked a door off last week and the guy was so stunned, he couldn't even get mad....

I also got a funky , hydraulic rowing machine, for at home. (name, IRONBODY) Not the greatest but for only 100,000 I'd recommend it. A great workout while watching the tube and you get buns of steel. But definitely not the same as a wind rowing machine.

Best exercise is the stairs, going to and from work on a bike/foot. Make it part of your lifestyle......

DD

[Swiss James]

[Snowmeow]

When I was teaching a 10th grade fitness class in April I often used this web site as a resource for bodyweight only exercises.

http://ronjones.org/Coach&Train/ExercisePhotos/index.html

The school was small and the weight room completely unable to host all of the students at once.