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

[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

[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: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.