The Newest Rage in Working out

The Newest Rage in Working Out

The other day I was listening to some folks discussing their intention to join a fitness club. Of course all of you who regularly exercise deserve a hearty (pun intended) commendation for your efforts. But it occurred to me as I listened that they are gearing up to spend a hefty chunk of change in order to to go somewhere and lift heavy objects, run in circles (or on a belt like a hamster), ride a bike without really riding a bike, row a boat without really rowing a boat, and/or some rhythmic jumping up and down to loud disco music. But if you stop and think about this, they are doing all of this work without really accomplishing anything other than what the work does to their bodies, It's kinda like writing a novel using only three or four words for the sole benefit of having written a novel. By the way, why on earth is it called "working out"?

Anyway, the capitalist in me suddenly had a revelation today as I was doing this:

I would happily let anyone paying megabucks a month to workout, come a split this wood for the low low price of FREE! Yes, you hear right! You will work out every muscle in your body as you haul, split, and stack this firewood...PLUS...you get the added bonus one ought to normally get from "working": you actually accomplish something! I'll even be your personal trainer! I'll put a sweatsuit on, don a beer helmet, and tell you how wrong you are doing it. Again...for FREE!

Here at St.Brigid Farm we have TOP OF THE LINE equipment, like this:

Well, okay, maybe not top of the line...byt hey...it's FREE!

So, come on down and really make your workouts count for something! We'll be waiting to hear from you!


On a more serious note, it is odd to think about how much our world has changed in that exercise has become a HUGE industry. Could someone 100 years ago have even fathomed it? I also wonder if we could not funnel some of that energy we PAY to expend and actually ACCOMPLISH something with it? Maybe? I dunno...if nothing else couldn't we have 40 or so health conscious people running on a treadmill generator of sorts to power my laptop?

Comments

Meg said…
I have often thought all of these things, at one time or another -- that was before I had major surgery, with complications, and am now in such a debilitated state that the *only* kind of exercise I can take (besides housework) is at the gym. Not even walking is good; from being laid up for so long, I have lost too much tone in the leg muscles, and those need to be built up before beginning to walk or bicycle with any real health benefit. And no, walking by itself does not tone up legs; if it did, I'd have been fitter a long time ago.
5:30 AM
Unknown said…
You're preaching to the choir man! We've got 2 cords of maple of our own to split, but I agree with you. Sorry to say that since you are unlikely to get any takers, happy splitting!
1:07 PM
Mike said…
Free wood? What could be better. Good for you, James. I'm one of those weirdos who actually like splitting wood. Once you get going, there's a Zen aspect to it and unlike my work week job, there's actually some tangible results to my labor that I can see, touch, and burn. I am one of those people who enjoy working out during the week -- basketball at the YMCA -- but I am struck by the fact that there's probably never been a culture so obsessed with diet, and weight loss and physical looks and yet so obese.

Happy chopping.
Mike
1:33 PM
Mike said…
Free wood? What could be better. Good for you, James. I'm one of those weirdos who actually like splitting wood. Once you get going, there's a Zen aspect to it and unlike my work week job, there's actually some tangible results to my labor that I can see, touch, and burn. I am one of those people who enjoy working out during the week -- basketball at the YMCA -- but I am struck by the fact that there's probably never been a culture so obsessed with diet, and weight loss and physical looks and yet so obese.

Happy chopping.
Mike
1:34 PM
Steve Robinson said…
Great post. I just finished hanging 55 sheets of drywall on a ceiling on Friday. I'll gladly take 29.95 a month from people and have them military press drywall sheets over their heads for a few hours while I shout at them to "make it burn!"
3:07 PM
Hilarius said…
Having just split a fair amount of my own nicely seasoned maple, I can say it's truly satisfying to split wood that is ready to split. I'm not sure I'd trade that chore.

Sheet rock on the other hand . . . I'm with Steve on that one.

And wood that is not well-seasoned . . . that is another matter, entirely.

May you have joy of it!
5:46 PM
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