Great article as always. I would never ever have put you down for a Cross Fitter. I'm not anti it because some of these people are unbelievable athletes - and the trainers are usually very knowledgeable and skilled - but it wouldn't be my recommendation for anyone new to training or slightly older. But, if you enjoy it - crack on - just be mindful you might end up out of the gym longer than in it - injured. If you don't injure your shoulder(s) within 12 months - I will never say a word against Cross Fit again. But gym and strength training - 100% - for sure.
Now what was the rest of the article about - lol - rawdogging? not sure what it is but can kind of guess. And have fun at the lake district. Sorry, the cross fit got me in a loop to absorb much more - lol
Don’t worry - you remain an excellent judge of character. Because you are entirely right not to put me down as a CrossFitter. I feel very often I am the only non-CrossFitter attending a CrossFit class. What was that line from Withnail & I? We have gone to the gym by mistake.
And thank you for your best wishes for me not getting injured. A couple of poeple have mentioned this, and I did note that the gym is adjoined to a physio.
I’m hoping the will he/won’t he survive CrossFit drama has a real potential to drive subs. Way more than talk about rawdogging :-)
you mentioned something that I think about a lot, that the idea of going to a gym is kind of absurd from the perspective of most of human history. Modern life has become so detached from meeting our actual human needs, it's no wonder we are having a mental health crisis. Anyways, I'm new to substack and I have been really enjoying your phone-free thoughts!
Thank you so much for saying so! I really appreciate the comment.
Yes it's an interesting thought experiment that one isn't it. Humans make massive shifts in thinking and it almost seems unimaginable looking back. I remember I studied history at university and like the expression goes, the past is a foreign country!
People clearly consider it really difficult to imagine deliberately doing nothing. Meditation is such an unpopular hobby (where I'm from at least). It’s hard sometimes to imagine that could ever change, but when you look at gyms you do glimpse the possibility.
I spent the weekend away with friends. On two occasions I simply stood up and went outside to sit by the water. I brought my book so I wasn't rawdogging it, but I did put the book down to just sit with myself for part of the time outside. Not sure I could do longer stints (or that I'd want to) without a book to read. Keep up the good work (and writing about it!)
Honestly I felt good. I was sitting by a lake, listening to the sound of water and birds. I did feel the pull of the phone in my pocket, but didn't look at it until I got a text from my brother asking "Are you good?" I actually found it hard to read, which is why I kept putting it down to just sit in silence.
That's really interesting it felt good. I definitely found it hard at first, both in terms of intrusive thoughts and in relentless calls to use the phone. It was only when I started to find both interesting that it began to be easier (that's a clumsy contraction of a very long story)!
Thanks for saying… I'm really interested in these experiences.
You are brave for doing CrossFit. I did CrossFit but I think the damage I did to my body was worse than what device overuse did to my brain. I go to a traditional gym, not one with ubiquitous blasting music. With earbuds, I i listen to podcasts, mostly In Our Time, Hidden Brain, or Norton Library, or medici.tv.
Thank you for saying that. I have to agree. They are excellent and I trust them. But I have noticed it seems to be adjoined to a physio. This is a little suspicious. Will report back.
Hello! Not that I am defensive or anything or have been thinking through this comment a lot or anything. Not that. But maybe you might enjoy a more cheery view on things...
Hahaha bless you i didn't mean it as there was anything wrong with your article i actually really enjoyed it if that helps lol but yes i will give the more cheery one a read now, thank you!
Hard to find time to exercise working in tv! I make up for it between jobs but not at the gym. Dog walks in Esher woods, the yoga hutch in Surbiton is brilliant. Leaving devices and getting out in the garden (but I love listening to podcasts which means more phone connection, argh).
"I’m heading off for a long weekend in the Lake District,"
And you won't find there gyms either.. but you still can go to outdoor street workout parks to do your exercises. So much better under the sky... You made the first step by joining a gym. It is GREAT! but now try something hardcore, do the next logical step. Gyms are not needed - exercise is.
And I hear you on gyms, and totally agree. But gyms can I think be beneficial as part of the complex mix of factors that actually get us to exercise. The regularity, the social side of it, the fact you have to book in... It's all very helpful to me in establishing the habit. I'll write more about this in future posts, but suffice to say I am not a great believer in willpower!
Great article as always. I would never ever have put you down for a Cross Fitter. I'm not anti it because some of these people are unbelievable athletes - and the trainers are usually very knowledgeable and skilled - but it wouldn't be my recommendation for anyone new to training or slightly older. But, if you enjoy it - crack on - just be mindful you might end up out of the gym longer than in it - injured. If you don't injure your shoulder(s) within 12 months - I will never say a word against Cross Fit again. But gym and strength training - 100% - for sure.
Now what was the rest of the article about - lol - rawdogging? not sure what it is but can kind of guess. And have fun at the lake district. Sorry, the cross fit got me in a loop to absorb much more - lol
Don’t worry - you remain an excellent judge of character. Because you are entirely right not to put me down as a CrossFitter. I feel very often I am the only non-CrossFitter attending a CrossFit class. What was that line from Withnail & I? We have gone to the gym by mistake.
And thank you for your best wishes for me not getting injured. A couple of poeple have mentioned this, and I did note that the gym is adjoined to a physio.
I’m hoping the will he/won’t he survive CrossFit drama has a real potential to drive subs. Way more than talk about rawdogging :-)
you mentioned something that I think about a lot, that the idea of going to a gym is kind of absurd from the perspective of most of human history. Modern life has become so detached from meeting our actual human needs, it's no wonder we are having a mental health crisis. Anyways, I'm new to substack and I have been really enjoying your phone-free thoughts!
Thank you so much for saying so! I really appreciate the comment.
Yes it's an interesting thought experiment that one isn't it. Humans make massive shifts in thinking and it almost seems unimaginable looking back. I remember I studied history at university and like the expression goes, the past is a foreign country!
People clearly consider it really difficult to imagine deliberately doing nothing. Meditation is such an unpopular hobby (where I'm from at least). It’s hard sometimes to imagine that could ever change, but when you look at gyms you do glimpse the possibility.
Right! And imagine what our society would look like if everyone was meditating...
I spent the weekend away with friends. On two occasions I simply stood up and went outside to sit by the water. I brought my book so I wasn't rawdogging it, but I did put the book down to just sit with myself for part of the time outside. Not sure I could do longer stints (or that I'd want to) without a book to read. Keep up the good work (and writing about it!)
And fair enough! I'm sure reading a book is a massive improvement on the phone.
Hope you don't mind me asking… do you remember what you felt when did sit with yourself?
Honestly I felt good. I was sitting by a lake, listening to the sound of water and birds. I did feel the pull of the phone in my pocket, but didn't look at it until I got a text from my brother asking "Are you good?" I actually found it hard to read, which is why I kept putting it down to just sit in silence.
That's really interesting it felt good. I definitely found it hard at first, both in terms of intrusive thoughts and in relentless calls to use the phone. It was only when I started to find both interesting that it began to be easier (that's a clumsy contraction of a very long story)!
Thanks for saying… I'm really interested in these experiences.
Of course. We’re on a pretty similar journey it seems (but I don’t have a high vis vest.) More details coming in my Friday post.
Ah great, will look out for it!
You are brave for doing CrossFit. I did CrossFit but I think the damage I did to my body was worse than what device overuse did to my brain. I go to a traditional gym, not one with ubiquitous blasting music. With earbuds, I i listen to podcasts, mostly In Our Time, Hidden Brain, or Norton Library, or medici.tv.
Thank you for saying that. I have to agree. They are excellent and I trust them. But I have noticed it seems to be adjoined to a physio. This is a little suspicious. Will report back.
I hope you don't report back from a wheelchair or carriage. The benefit is that your wife can push you around.
Me too. Went again tonight, and there’s a very real risk soon I’ll be reporting on how to do with compulsive phone use while temporarily immobilised.
I'll be waving to you. 👋
Gym has to be the best habit!
You know what, it probably is. One day I have a dream of putting them all in order. Would probably start with sleep if I'm honest.
Loving how this article and these comparisons are not instilling any motivation for me to start either of these things 😩🤣
Enjoy the lake district!
Hello! Not that I am defensive or anything or have been thinking through this comment a lot or anything. Not that. But maybe you might enjoy a more cheery view on things...
https://www.phonefreecommute.com/p/riding-the-choo-choo?r=712j8x
Hahaha bless you i didn't mean it as there was anything wrong with your article i actually really enjoyed it if that helps lol but yes i will give the more cheery one a read now, thank you!
:-D
Thank you - fully belly laughed reading this comment!
And thank you, I will!
Hard to find time to exercise working in tv! I make up for it between jobs but not at the gym. Dog walks in Esher woods, the yoga hutch in Surbiton is brilliant. Leaving devices and getting out in the garden (but I love listening to podcasts which means more phone connection, argh).
Me too! Find TV and exercise and terrible mix! It's getting easier in Development of course, which is a little more nine to five.
But the gym is just another chapter in a long, long battle to get enough exercise!
Interesting this process this year has been very motivating - the more clearly I've seen my mind through this, the more important exercise has seemed.
"I’m heading off for a long weekend in the Lake District,"
And you won't find there gyms either.. but you still can go to outdoor street workout parks to do your exercises. So much better under the sky... You made the first step by joining a gym. It is GREAT! but now try something hardcore, do the next logical step. Gyms are not needed - exercise is.
Really looking forward to it!
And I hear you on gyms, and totally agree. But gyms can I think be beneficial as part of the complex mix of factors that actually get us to exercise. The regularity, the social side of it, the fact you have to book in... It's all very helpful to me in establishing the habit. I'll write more about this in future posts, but suffice to say I am not a great believer in willpower!
You are perfectly right (at least for most people.. ) But I am a father first and foremost... Try to convince me why should I set foot to any gym:)))
https://substack.com/@applenotfar/note/c-254215972