www.versobooks.com/blogs/3428-against-exercise-by-…

Posted internally on July 23rd by a Club member.

An interesting if dry article about modern exercise (i.e. gyms).

"A simple negative test of whether an activity is modern exercise is to ask whether it could be done meaningfully without counting or...www.versobooks.com/blogs/3428-against-exercise-by-…

Posted internally on July 23rd by a Club member.

An interesting if dry article about modern exercise (i.e. gyms).

"A simple negative test of whether an activity is modern exercise is to ask whether it could be done meaningfully without counting or measuring it. (In sports, numbers are used differently; there, scores are a way of recording competition in a social encounter.) Forms of exercise that do away with mechanical equipment, as running does, cannot do away with this."

I've long favoured pools over gyms but that was London - down here the pool gets swapped out for the bay and the beach.

The wading and finning thing isn't about yesterday's numbers (I sometimes remember to start a stopwatch as I get in but I have yet to remember to stop it) so much as 'what do I feel like doing right now?'.

Sometimes if I'm off form (after the South Beach swim earlier this week for example.. too many boats without bogs all in close proximity.. not the best place to put your face) then my fins stay on my back the whole time - I listen to music and enjoy the sun and the tranquility. Other times I find I'm racing totally oblivious SUPs and canoes. They take those imaginary wins and losses with remarkable grace.

I'm always glad I went just as I'm sure gym goers are; the difference is that I'm always glad when I'm there too.

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