Do you think gym is "artificial"?

I totally understand where you friend is coming from. It sometimes seems like a silly concept when you look at it from that perspective, but when you look at basically everything humans do these days, it all seems pretty dam artificial. I mean, I thinks it's pretty artificial for people to be staring at their cell phones 24/7 but everyone is so desensitized to it that they never really stop to think about it.

 

Well, what does the gym being "artificial" mean exactly? How is it exactly any less "artificial" than a sport?

If you mean that with the gym, you're just sitting in one spot, working a muscle over and over while in sports, you're using your whole body, then I can understand that.

I'm still choosing the gym over playing a sport, though.

 

one's a team sport and other isn't. I love socializing while I'm lifting, it makes it a lot more fun and it passes the time between sets, but the people I'm engaging with have no influence on my progress. health should be a huge priority for everyone so it shouldn't matter if improvement in that domain is a little egocentric

 

You could always do something else like pushups and pullups at home or maybe outside do pullups in a tree or something you know. the gym is just easier because u have everything there for you + you can change the weights and get faster progress

 

One is playing for sport while the other is to gain muscle and/or improve overall health, so if I was to go to the gym (which I never will) I would be going there for my own health or personal goals and the other folks there would have nothing to do with it.

People probably seem robotic because they have a solid routine and they're not there to have a chin wag, really who knows. All I know is that exercise is exercise no matter how you do it and there's no right or wrong way to get it done.

 

Thats actually so true, mate, I used to practice mixed martial arts and it was way more enjoyable, challenging, even the pain fills you up, makes you wanna return every time there, even outside of the Hall, every bruise on your face gets you in the center of attention, missed it. Gym is kinda boring, you kinda just force yourself to go there, because you have to look good or to be healthy.

I totally agree with you, but lets not forget there are people who dont enjoy socializing and they simply hit the gym, or people like me, who got a sudden present from mother nature and an instruction from the doctors that dont allow me to engage in dangerous activities anymore.

Spoiler

But I will still jump with the parachute, nobody can stop me.

 

I get bored at the gym unless I have a training partner. Most of the gyms near me are cardio-focused with not much in the way of weight-lifting, so I might as well run outside for free! This topic reminds me of a scene from Peep Show:

Jeremy: "I don’t need to pay money to join a gym. The world is my gym. The hills, the trees, the rivers – they are my gym."
Mark: "Yeah, well, the world is my gym, too. It’s just the bit of it that’s actually a gym, that’s gonna be my gym."

 

I'm doing 3-5 minute rests between working sets so it works out fine

 

You could always try CrossFit. Just remember to tell everyone you’re doing it. That’s one of the rules of CrossFit.

 

I personally like sport better, although many sports require (or at least recommend) training, whether cardio or strength-building. Both are good to have.

 

It can be a bit of a superficial place with overly vain people.

I've started healthy living along with no PMO, I'm just biking and walking in my local park, it's a large nature reserve so it's really nice too.

Just cycle man, it's fun and great for you.

Regarding muscles you can just buy some weights yourself.

 

I would like to add that bodybuilding is a sport.

 

Agreed. Powerlifting and olympic weightlifting and strongman can be sports too. Some people don't like any of them because they are solitary and repetitive. I'd much rather do any of them though, team sports aren't any fun for me but I really like training with barbells and stuff. It all comes down personal preference, and I wouldn't take much notice of which one somebody else thinks is better or a "real sport".

 

More of a hobby/personal development thing isint it?

 

It can be those things for some and it can be a sport for others. Maybe you should research bodybuilding competitions.