What exercise(s) make you feel best?

[FlexpertHamilton]

Kind of curious to hear from everyone.

I can go into great detail on how each type of exercise typically makes me feel:

Hiking (especially long, difficult hikes in big national forests/parks) - almost always feel fantastic, relaxed yet energized and floods me with positive emotions. Being in nature definitely contributes.

Jogging - hit or miss, usually it just makes me feel bored and annoyed once it's more than a few miles, but nice sometimes especially if its outside on a sunny day. I typically just run 1 mile as a warm-up. With longer, outdoor runs, it tends to be a more mild feeling compared to hiking, at best.

Weightlifting - "meh". Squats and deadlifts make me feel better but pretty much any other type of weightlifting is generally a neutral feeling for me. Too much of it and I actually end up feeling kind of shvtty, even bitter. This includes calisthenics too.

Aerobic/fitness/yoga classes - ugh, I can't stand them. Probably at least in part because the instructors tend to be insufferable narcissists, and it generally seems pointless.

Sprints (HIIT at track fields or hills) - LOVE IT. It is the only reliable way to give me a solid mood and energy boost and it lasts for an entire day after if not longer. Only time it's not enjoyable is when if I do it too many times a week and get shin splints.


How about ya'll?

 

[Money & Muscle]

lifting makes me look good.

looking good makes me feel good.

lifting wins 10/10 times for me.

 

[Gamisch]

Boxing, soccer /REAL football (kick ball with feet only )and the gym. Oh and blowing hot women's backs out ofcourse..

As I am getting older the gym becomes more of a physical therapy thing than an ego thing. That mentality keeps me going. I am genetically blessed so just looking at a dumbbell pumps my arms up . On the other hand..just thinking bout McDonald's makes me fat lol.

I also noticed a HUGE difference between being fit or not when blowing backs out. I also like to swim .

 

[BackInTheGame78]

Hill climbs with my weighted vest or weighted sled pulls/pushes with my weighted vest on.

Something about functional training with added weight just does it...also is the single best thing you can do to supercharge your abilities in the bedroom...you will turn into an uncontrollable beast.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Outdoor cycling.

 

[Scaramouche]

Hi Flexpert,
Shin Splints is a bad sign...I had them too they develop into Arthritis...Gentle running on soft ground with top quality Shoes is good....I used to run half marathons every weekend,up and down hills mostly...At 66 I had both Hip joint replaced,the Surgeon opined that it was running DOWN hills that did it!

 

[Hamurabimbi]

hiking & climbing

 

[SargeMaximus]

Leg presses and squats

 

[Murk]

Incline bench, lateral raises and bicep curls.

I actually took a week off lifting (first of the year), kinda felt nice but guilty about it too. Thursday was legs, friday push Saturday pull. I went to bed super early and now I’m up 5am Sunday my whole body aches it feels amazing and I’m going to take a big coffee and go for a walk, it’s so quiet outside at this time.

 

[IKO69]

Primary forms of exercise are:

Strength training - I have a power rack in my home and some weights (dumbbells and barbells). I also like to do a lot of calisthenics.
Cardio - I like to go on the elliptical and also run around the neighborhood a few times a week. Every couple of weeks I also go down to the Everglades to do some bicycling.
Judo - There's a local club i've been attending for several years
Kick Boxing - I was part of a club for several years but now I just practice at home. I have one of those free standing bags that resemble a human.

I would like to do a lot more hiking

 

[Bible_Belt]

No one has said sex yet.

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

Hi Flexpert,
Shin Splints is a bad sign...I had them too they develop into Arthritis...Gentle running on soft ground with top quality Shoes is good....I used to run half marathons every weekend,up and down hills mostly...At 66 I had both Hip joint replaced,the Surgeon opined that it was running DOWN hills that did it!

I only get splints if I do sprint sessions within 2 days of each other. Even when I was 20 I'd get pretty bad splints if I didn't rest/stretch enough between sprint days.

 

[Pierce Manhammer]

Olympic squats, heavy, slow down, explosive up, ass to grass.

Trains more musculature than any other lift. If you’re time limited always do squats. Although I do sometimes do preachers instead - because I’m obsessed to make my bi/tris budge from 18”.

 

[BillyPilgrim]

The legendary 6 minute workout

OOh dats dice and-a ooh dats shweet and-a one-two-three and-a one-two-three...

 

[BackInTheGame78]

I only get splints if I do sprint sessions within 2 days of each other. Even when I was 20 I'd get pretty bad splints if I didn't rest/stretch enough between sprint days.

You need to do tibial raise exercises to strengthen your muscles around your shins...that will prevent those.

Easiest way is to stand against a wall with your feet out in front of you almost like you are leaning against it with your feet about a foot or foot and a half out in front of the wall, then flex your foot upwards. Start with 25 reps and then work your way up to more sets and added weight from there. Likely will have to rest after about 10-12 and then do the rest of the 25 in groups of 2-3 at a time, that is pretty tiring to those muscles, they don't get worked very often.

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

You need to do tibial raise exercises to strengthen your muscles around your shins...that will prevent those.

Easiest way is to stand against a wall with your feet out in front of you almost like you are leaning against it with your feet about a foot or foot and a half out in front of the wall, then flex your foot upwards. Start with 25 reps and then work your way up to more sets and added weight from there. Likely will have to rest after about 10-12 and then do the rest of the 25 in groups of 2-3 at a time, that is pretty tiring to those muscles, they don't get worked very often.

Are you able to do sprints more than 3x a week by doing these stretches?

 

[BackInTheGame78]

Are you able to do sprints more than 3x a week by doing these stretches?

No idea, I don't do sprints, but this will resolve shin split issues over time.

 

[TheEveningChronograph]

Got off my sorry ass seven days ago and went hiking in this brutal ass heat. I doused myself in bug spray before heading out, which was fine and dandy, but I had a freak black bear encounter of all things. It was a baby out foraging for food. I must've spooked the s*** out of it, it turned and ran back over the hill and spooked a deer. That deer ran over the hill and stopped dead when it spotted me.

This summer I discovered that box stepups with dumbbells or a weighted vest/backpack make me feel incredible immediately after.

 

[RazorRambo24]

Swimming honestly. and sex.

Weightlifting would be a close 3rd. When it comes to weightlifting, I love doing military presses, but the classics, bench, squat, deadlift, t bar rows, seated cable rows and lat pull downs.. and variety of leg presses.

If we consider basketball or football an exercise, those would be top 5 for sure.

 

[Reincarnated]

MURPH, with a weighted vest. It's the only crossfit exercise I do (once a week), the rest of my days are weightlifting. There's something about knocking one of these out in the morning that almost makes me feel high, and I can coast through most of the morning with that feeling.