Get Buff While Geeking Out

Two different devices intended to slow the nerd obesity epidemic just came to our attention. PoconoPCDoctor writes about the Geek-A-Cycle, which is a workstation with built-on exercise bike that you have to pedal to run the computer. And several readers pointed out the FP Gamerunner (mirror), reviewed here: think treadmill meets Quake 4. Again, you have to keep moving to stay in the game.

Comments

Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[eldavojohn]

These devices are a great step forward and I challenge criticisms of them. These are things in their infancy but with our economy as it is, I'll bet there's a few early adopters out there for this technology.

The only valid criticisms might be cost & intrusion. They are both fairly large devices from what I can tell. In order for them to last a while, I would assume they are made out of solid steel that would be ever present in a living room. Frankly, I'm surprised that they went the bike/running route when it would have been easier to set up a rowing or "hand cycling" device instead. I don't think this device is for the gamer who is looking to tone his already rock hard body so I wouldn't be so concerned which muscles the device works out, only that they achieve a cardiovascular exercise when they use the device. I can think of a contraption for rowing that is quite small (hooks to your feet and has a t-bar for your hands to pull) or a hand peddle device with little more than a base to stabilize it.

I like the FP GameRunner much more than the Geek-A-Cycle which simply powers the computer ... after all, it's competition that drives the gamer. Hell, if you can make these cheap and very competitive in nature, I'm sure many schools will be interested in using them for gym class. The only requirement is that you have a healthy mix of strength versus strategy, I doubt that simply pumping your legs for five minutes and the fastest wins will draw many people. Provide a live course that adjusts for the path you take on the trail and penalizes you for falling and I think you're definitely headed in the right direction.

These are good starts at addressing a growing problem, but I'm hoping innovation kicks in as this market grows. In college, my roommate would watch TV and fix an device to his arm that sent electric shocks to his muscles. He would sit there and twitch and twitch and I just could not stomach that. These are, in my opinion, better that the over medication and electrocution I've witnessed some people put themselves through.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[eln]

Personally, my major problem with these (other than ergonomics on the cycle) is the fact that you HAVE to use them to keep going. A geek just starting out with this thing would get winded in 10 minutes and quickly give up, and probably throw the thing out the window because he wants to stay on his computer for more than 10 minutes at a time. Allowing me to, say, cycle for 10 or 15 minutes at a time and then take a break *while still being able to use my computer* would be a lot more helpful.

Having something like this that allows me to exercise while using my computer is good enough, don't force me to use it by powering off my computer if I stop for a breather.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[Qzukk]

it would have been easier to set up a rowing or "hand cycling" device instead.

It probably would have been easier to do it that way, but much harder to use the computer.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[0xdeadbeef]

What the hell do you think about? Long distance running is the most mind-numbingly boring activity imaginable. Once you get past the conditioning and the masochistic endorphin high of doing something painfully hard, it becomes a tedious grind that takes hours out of your day. I would kill for a direct neural interface just so I could do something useful while running or hiking.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[voidptr]

We need to keep gym class in the schools so kids get and learn the value of regular exercise.

I don't know about where you went to school, but gym class in grade school doesn't teach the value of squat. In every school I went to, gym was extra practice for the jocks, except they got to use everyone who wasn't as fast or skilled as them as target practice. You want to turn someone off from physical activity, there's no quicker way to do it than making them play football against the varsity team, or run laps with the track team.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[aztec rain god]

Doesn't anyone just take their dog for a walk anymore? Its free, and you might meet a girl.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[Manchot]

While I realize that this device provides very healthy aerobic exercise, the title is just wrong. You can't get "buff" with this machine, because cardiovascular work alone simply cannot increase your muscle size. To do this, you need to have some form of resistance training (e.g., lifting weights), as well as a caloric surplus. As a matter of fact, if you were trying to get "buff," this device would be working against you by burning calories that might otherwise be spent building muscle.

Re:Expense, Intrusion & Innovation

[DuckDodgers]

If the kid is going to cry about people running faster then him, or playing flag football better then him, and not try to get in better shape, let them be a fat slob for life, I could care less. Your same argument could get swapped around for science class, when those poor jocks get turned off because nerds answer all the questions, yada yada yada, a very lame argument.

You're missing a big part of the problem. If a jock can't answer a question in science class, and a nerd mocks him, said nerd will probably find himself stuffed into a locker after class. If a nerd, or anyone else, does poorly in gym class, the bullies among the athletes can have a field day making fun of him (or her) and there ain't a damn thing the victim can do about it.

I've belonged to three gyms since graduating from college. In each one, every single person there, no matter how fit or musclebound, was at least neutral towards the sedentary and obese people who joined the gym. A surprising amount of people were openly friendly and helpful. I've seen a guy with six pack abs who could bench press 350 pounds strike up a friendly conversation with a 350 pound, 45 year old woman. He appreciated that she was trying to do something about her poor health.

That's the exact opposite of most people's high school experiences. Many high school athletes are neutral or even friendly to their less athletic peers. But most schools have gangs of bullying and very vocal athletes that enjoy humiliating everyone weaker than they are. They turn exercise into a negative experience for the non athletes, and many people never even try to attend a commercial gym because they figure the experience there will be just as bad as high school.

You may not be sympathetic to that, but I am.

Peddle .. on eBay?

[DudeTheMath]

I'd hate to have my workstation power dependent on my sales ability. Does the bidding have to keep going up a certain percentage per hour to keep the lights on?

Ooh, perhaps the editor meant "pedal". Yeah, that makes more sense.

Peddle vs pedal

[CameronGary]

The person selling this is peddling something; if you got on it, you would be pedaling it. Geez ...

Cycle?

[ackthpt]

Must be a pretty light work-out, or you have a fan blowing on you. I've worked out on exercise bikes and the one thing you get lots of is sweat. Not perspiration, but highly corrosive sweat. Doesn't seem a good mating of things.

Re:I Ride A Bicycle 20 Miles Each Way To/From Work

[Propagandhi]

In the morings it's generally cool here on planet Earth, so sweat can be controlled merely by not overdressing or overexerting yourself. Also, many employers provide places for employees to shower before work. If your employer does not, ask them about supplying such facilities. If they are smart they'll realize that a healthy (read: lower health insurance premiums) and happy (read: not smelly) work force is worth the minimal utlity costs.

As for rain, I use a protective rubber suit, consisting of both a "rain coat" and "rain pants" to keep me from getting wet. I live in Vancouver, and bike through the winter, so don't give me any shit about how that simply wouldn't work where you live (unless you've got an actual monsoon season, in which case you can take the bus :) ).

Biking to work is the best thing an 8-5er can do, IMHO, it knocks out the morning groggies and sets your metabolism into motion...

The economy under Bush is just fine.

[ccmay]

But here in the US the economy sucks.

No it doesn't. Most of what you think you know about the economy from listening to the mainstream media is a crock of shit. It's a manifestation of Easterbrook's Law: All economic news is bad.

We are at 4.6% unemployment, which is pretty close to what economists consider full employment, and better than most other developed countries. 5.7 million new jobs have been created since 2003.

The stock market is at all time highs. We've had 57 straight months of economic growth since the Clinton/dot-com mini-recession of 2000-01.

It's true that wage growth is flat since 1999, but if you include benefits, there has been steady growth. Taxes are falling, so after-tax disposable income is higher than it's ever been.

The top five percent of taxpayers pay 57.1% of all taxes under Bush, up from 56.5% under Clinton. At the same time, the share of national income earned by the top 1% has fallen from 21% under Clinton to 19% under Bush. Most families earning less than $40,000 are paying no Federal taxes. The rich are paying their fair share, and then some, and then some more.

The deficit has been cut in half, three years ahead of schedule, and a surplus is in sight if corporate profits continue to grow at current rates.

Inflation is miniscule. Gas prices are down to near their normal inflation-adjusted levels. Food has never been cheaper.

Housing prices are high, but taking a breather while incomes catch up. Mortgage rates are low by historic standards, and headed downwards again.

I lived through the Carter years, sonny. You don't have jack-shit to teach me about an economy that sucks. But if you want to find out, go ahead and vote for the Democrats.

-ccm

Re:The economy under Bush is just fine.

[shaitand]

"The rich are paying their fair share, and then some, and then some more."

You reveal your income bracket here. The rest of your post is either condescension (you aren't entitled to any sonny) or meaningless statistics taken out of context and used for propaganda.

"Gas prices are down to near their normal inflation-adjusted levels."

Compared to when? The gas crunch? 5 years ago gas was about $1.50/gallon. Now gas is about $3/gallon. Your math seems a bit skewed to me. If you are claiming that inflation rates are so high that the dollar is worth half what it was 5 years ago then our economy is in a very sad state indeed.

"We are at 4.6% unemployment, which is pretty close to what economists consider full employment"

Sounds great. Of course it is meaningless. The biggest single glaring fact that makes your unemployment statistic worthless is that it only considers people who are actually drawing unemployment benefits. That is a small fraction of the unemployed. It also considers part-time and minimum wage (or near minimum) workers employed.

"At the same time, the share of national income earned by the top 1% has fallen from 21% under Clinton to 19% under Bush."

How about the top 5%? How about the top 10%? This is why statistics are useless for anything but propaganda. No matter what your viewpoint you can pick the numbers that suit your position.

"Most of what you think you know about the economy from listening to the mainstream media is a crock of shit."

The media? Who needs to look to the media to find out about the economy? Look to the people. Your average citizen is now making $25,000 or less and has no benefits. The reason they have no benefits is that almost all corporations have eliminated full-time positions among non-management workers. If you look at the workers filling positions typically held by teens you will now find adults working those jobs. A single adult in this position is forced to live with family or a roommate. In a marriage both the husband and wife must work just to keep up and they are building a landlord equity instead of themselves. Remember when the economy was healthy and one individual could work hard and support a house and car, plus put away something to take care of their family? Now both a husband and wife must work and they must save to be able to afford insurance, forget building to the future.

There is nothing fine about the economy if you are looking at it from the position of most of the working citizens instead of the position of the most successful citizens.