The future of fitness is together but alone: Article about Peleton etc

AnnPT77

jjpptt2 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Is that OK? Sure, especially at an individual level. If these virtual group-activity things become the future of exercise, I think we collectively give up something, in a way that makes me sad.

Is it worth separating out the future of exercise from the future of activity?

con

I'm not sure. I think there are issues in common. But there are also differences (in what is lost vs. gained) for every different possible specific exercise or activity, I would think, so it gets complicated. For exercise, the "richness gap" (for lack of a better term) seems greater between outdoor activities and similar activities done in a RL group indoors, vs. the indoor RL group as compared with virtual. Without thinking too deeply ( ), it seems like mostly social factors change between the latter pair, but more than that between the former pair.

I'm not trying to be a luddite here, truly. Progress is good, at some level of abstract generality. But not all progress is all good in all ways. I'm happy with the idea of virtual group exercise as an option in a wide spectrum of options. Choices are good. I'm more skeptical about the effects if it were to drive out other forms (or dramatically reduce participation in them).

Heck, there are potentially even both pros and cons on both sides of virtual group exercise vs. solo grinding it out in one's basement. I differently get different benefits (or miss out on different benefits) from group real-life rowing machine workouts, vs. solo work on my own.

Changing topics, quoting myself:

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Even now, fewer people (percent of regular folks) seem to play a musical instrument, or go out https://examine.com/nutrition/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people/, or that sort of thing, compared to my youth. More people watch experts do those things on TV, or play video games that simulate them, and whatnot: More virtualized.

Jeez. I have no idea how that Examine.com link, which I pasted into another thread (where it was relevant, I swear) got in there before I hit "post" on this. It was supposed to be the word "dancing". Didn't see it until too late to edit. SMH!

MikePfirrman

You always bring up good points Ann. In my case, and it might be a rare one, the metrics and analytics created by the Virtual rower will one day get me out on the water. Something I probably would never have tried had it not been for a machine, used in isolation for sheer efficiency, introducing rowing to me.

I have my eye out on some Introduction to Rowing next year up in Tempe. I won't be able to regularly partake, but they offer four classes over two weeks on Sat and Sun mornings. I only live 90 minutes from Tempe.

sgt1372

No Peloton or anything like it for me because: 1) it's too expensive, 2) I don't need external motivation to exercise and 3) I don't like group activities whether real or virtual

Theoldguy1

Azdak wrote: »

This kind of stuff always brings out the Fitness Curmudgeon™️ in me With their upcoming IPO, Peloton is pumping this stuff big time. All these things sound exciting when they first come out. However, time has shown that no matter how supposedly “new and unique” the new type of exercise, the percentage of people who will actually use it consistently remains stubbornly consistent. (20-25%)

So IMO, while this may represent *a* future of exercise, it does not represent *the* future of exercise.

(And get off my lawn... yarr) 😂

Yep believe this was marketed as the future of fitness also:

aokoye

Theoldguy1 wrote: »

Azdak wrote: »

This kind of stuff always brings out the Fitness Curmudgeon™️ in me With their upcoming IPO, Peloton is pumping this stuff big time. All these things sound exciting when they first come out. However, time has shown that no matter how supposedly “new and unique” the new type of exercise, the percentage of people who will actually use it consistently remains stubbornly consistent. (20-25%)

So IMO, while this may represent *a* future of exercise, it does not represent *the* future of exercise.

(And get off my lawn... yarr) 😂

Yep believe this was marketed as the future of fitness also:

Meanwhile, this very niche item from 1901:


Has been "upgraded" into this still very niche item:


And can be used with Zwift:
https://youtu.be/E2S_IQaYnJ0?t=240
Mind you if you use an unsupported trainer and no power meter, the estimated power is less than accurate, but now there are rollers that are fully supported by Zwift. And this is a piece of equipment that is actually really flipping hard to use.

NorthCascades

I thought about getting those exact rollers. The Tacx, the either ones are fantastic!

aokoye

NorthCascades wrote: »

I thought about getting those exact rollers. The Tacx, the either ones are fantastic!

Yeah I've heard great things about the Tacx. They're third on my list of bike related things to buy when I eventually move for grad school. In order it's new bike, (probably) an Elite Suito, then rollers. My Wahoo Kickr is pretty old and given how heavy it is and that any move will likely be via plane, shipping it seems like an...interesting idea. That said given the price difference, the rollers might come before the Elite or I might end up finding a used trainer online.

jjpptt2

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I'm not trying to be a luddite here, truly. Progress is good, at some level of abstract generality. But not all progress is all good in all ways. I'm happy with the idea of virtual group exercise as an option in a wide spectrum of options. Choices are good. I'm more skeptical about the effects if it were to drive out other forms (or dramatically reduce participation in them).

Agreed. Especially the bolded part.

I think it's harder for me to think about the possible rammifications at the extremes because I can't see things getting to the point where virtual group activities become the norm for the masses. I can see there being 2 strong niches... (1) people who want an interactive experience from the comfort of their home (very much what Peloton has been pushing, at least from the ads I've seen), and (2) people who want an indoor, training-specific, focused workout option to supplement their time on the road/bike/boat/whatever. I just can't imagine virtual group classes becoming the primary exercise/activity option for the majority of people.