# Drills/exercise/training (fitness) vs pure enjoyment



## ninjichor (Jul 12, 2018)

Fitness threads seem to be hot these days. I question the need for them, both the threads and the structured perception of fitness. It reminds me of the shitty way that math was taught in school, regarding recital from memorization (formulas, multiplication table), speed drills (flash cards), and timed testing.

I'm sure people will think that such things are normal, and are inclined to judge that if anyone criticizes or struggles at such, they must not be up to par as they had no problem with it. It's more like since I believe that true knowledge comes from understanding the fundamentals, and because I wasn't really taught in a way that revealed the fundamentals, I tried to do what the great mathematicians like Euclid did, creating the formulas from scratch. Good grades or not, I didn't really start to truly get it until I did geometry class, and then it all clicked, when they showed me stuff like Cavalieri's principle, which I truly enjoyed learning about, giving me massive respect for the discipline.

I'd argue that enjoyment is a key element to get people to be engaged into something. Is it foolish to believe that if someone enjoys their job/work, they'll be more engaged in it? That's how I feel about bikes. If the work feels like drudgery, I won't be inclined to continue riding. I'm fortunate to have fitness to pedal a bike, but it wasn't always like that. In being considerate to all the people who don't have such fitness, I find great potential in the ebike. I also find trails to be more enjoyable than pavement, especially pavement that's wide, level, and straight.

It's a simple concept, but one I'm willing to run with. Make the world enjoyable again! Vote accordingly!


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## ninjichor (Jul 12, 2018)

I understand fundamentals such as the human body being more efficient at what you repeat. Pick a riding style that you want to become efficient at and keep at it. If you want to ride a lightweight HT at redline longer, keep practicing that. I'd applaud how you have the mental fortitude and will to do such grueling training drills, as it shows that such mental barriers can be overcome and how people have countless excuses to avoid it. If you consider it enjoyable, then I'd consider that a talent and I'd recommend you for a racing team. What I don't accept is judgment to keep people who do not have such mental fortitude from "upward mobility", essentially keeping such people down.

I vote for ebikes. Though, I really really wish they came with basic training, like a manual or collection of useful guidelines, on how to responsibly use them. I recall getting an IMBA pamphlet with the "rules of the trail" with my first mtb purchase, and I credit that with my habits of respecting the trail and other trail users.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

I dont need a motor to get fitness or enjoyment from pedaling a bike.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

ninjichor said:


> Fitness threads seem to be hot these days. I question the need for them, both the threads and the structured perception of fitness.


I agree. Nothing wring with starting a thread about fitness, or how electric bikes can make you fit but forgive me for saying that the ones I've seen around here lately seem to be less about the thread title and more about why e-bikes belong.

Whether one rides for fun, fitness, suffering, adrenaline rush, whatever is totally up to the individual and for no one else to judge. None of it has anything to do with how electric bikes should be classified and whether or not they belong on non-motorized trails, bike paths, etc.


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

Those threads weren't about fitness. You can get fit doing all kinds of stuff, including basically all motorsports if you're taking them seriously (go do an hour of hot laps in a shifter cart and tell me how your body feels afterwards and how high your heart rate got...) 

Those threads were more "here's something positive about e-bikes that I am presenting to try to get a reaction from anti-e-bike people". They were basically troll on troll action at it's finest. 

Then again, this is *meta* troll-on-troll action, and I'm even contributing, so there you go.

-Walt


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