Has anyone figured out how to game and exercise at the same time?
I gave it a heckuva a try, with mediocre results!
I have an elliptical at home and have assembled some shelving in front of it and to one side of it, so I could put a computer in front of me and a mousepad on my right. I have a wireless keyboard I can set on the elliptical's control panel.
The problem is that I have a bad back, and trying to type or use the mouse too much while on the elliptical leads to poor posture and an aching back.
So I haven't quested/hunted much with this setup, although it works OK for some light harvesting/crafting.
I still like the setup, but it turns out it's much better for reading blogs/news or watching shows on Hulu while I exercise, due to requiring less mouse activity.
My back has been killing me of late, so I haven't been exercising at all the last several months. But I finally caved in and started seeing a chiropracter. If he can get me on my feet, I will be hitting the elliptical again soon and may do some SWTOR harvesting/crafting while exercising next month.
There's a few motion gaming options out there, but most require a hardware investment (unless you have the stuff already).
Wii with the Wii Fit balance board (I've used this)
Playstation 3 has motion gaming stuff, but a bit more cost for some of the specialized controllers.
Xbox 360 with a Kinect thingy. (I have this and prefer it to the Wii)
All the games I've tried do get my heart rate up and get me sweaty. So its good exercise. The dance game is fun if you like dancing, plus its a hoot to see your 75 year old mother dancing to Lady Gaga (my niece made her do it).
Other than that, I've pondered the idea of a recumbent stationary bicycle with a monitor mount and keyboard/mouse tray attached.
I keep my chips and salsa on opposite sides of the room, so I have to go back and forth while I game.
Might try that.
When I'm not at work in the studio, I keep my 'gaming' station in the same place as my home gym. As a general rule, for every hour I'm sitting at my computer (whether gaming, working, FaceBooking, foruming, etc) I do 15 minutes of cardio. That's IN ADDITION to my hour-long morning workouts. I also have a laptop holder for my eliptical machine... It gets tricky to type, so I stick to tradeskilling when working out! (How else would I have so many lvl 90 crafters in eq2!!)
I have the SurfShelf one. I've broken it before, but this last one I got has lasted me almost two years now, so I think they're making them sturdier now.
I usually just jump on my treadmill or stationary bike and play Call of Duty, not too hard with a 360 Controller... almost impossible with a mouse and keyboard :(
My computer has no power source and I need to run it off a flywheel positioned below my desk. And my keyboard requires five pounds of pressure to depress any key. I have thighs that can crush solid steel and my forearms are so developed I need to have all my shirts custom tailored.
Okay, not really. But it's one plan that might work.
QuoteMy computer has no power source and I need to run it off a flywheel positioned below my desk. And my keyboard requires five pounds of pressure to depress any key. I have thighs that can crush solid steel and my forearms are so developed I need to have all my shirts custom tailored.
QuoteI keep my chips and salsa on opposite sides of the room, so I have to go back and forth while I game.
Might try that.
--laughs out loud--
Honestly, I had no expectation of serious responses, but now I'm intrigued! Is THAT how all of you got your high level tradeskillers!
iiiiiiiiiiiinteresting.
Sadly I cannot.
When I get really engrossed in something, I lose track of everything else.
Im forbidden from walking and reading now. Ive said hello to way to many trees.
Quote from: Rumze on December 08, 2011, 07:33:43 PM
Sadly I cannot.
When I get really engrossed in something, I lose track of everything else.
Im forbidden from walking and reading now. Ive said hello to way to many trees.
Not to laugh at your misfortune, but I did giggle at this because I do walk and read at the same time. Back when I worked in an office, I could regularly be seen reading a paperback (or later, a kindle) as I walked to or from my car. People always asked why I didn't run into things ... truth is that I learned to use my peripheral vision to navigate familiar areas when I was a kid, reading while walking home from school.
Quote from: Lyrima on December 08, 2011, 07:22:55 PM
Honestly, I had no expectation of serious responses, but now I'm intrigued! Is THAT how all of you got your high level tradeskillers!
iiiiiiiiiiiinteresting.
Yep, pretty much for me. It's about the only thing I can do that doesn't require typing or mouse usage as I can just use my touchpad to click, and just press the six macros I need for the tradeskill stuff... I would /never/ tradeskill otherwise. It's like "Oh, need to hit the elliptical machine for an hour, and lvl the guild with tradeskill writs!"
:bdg
Quote from: Anaris on December 08, 2011, 06:28:15 PM
(How else would I have so many lvl 90 crafters in eq2!!)
Who are you, and what have you done with the real Anaris!?
Every time there is a load screen or I put my character on auto-run I do air punches. I take breaks for pushups if I get tired. I do flex routines while sitting like flexing abdominals while sitting up straight then switching to back. Do air curls focusing on flexing not lifting a weight. I do tons of stuff actually and it is second nature to me now so I do not even think about it. I find the moving around prevents me from getting sore if I sit at the computer for too long [which will definitely be happening once TOR comes out].
Quote from: Jasyn on December 08, 2011, 09:08:26 PM
Quote from: Anaris on December 08, 2011, 06:28:15 PM
(How else would I have so many lvl 90 crafters in eq2!!)
Who are you, and what have you done with the real Anaris!?
LOL! My first thought was, "Bou has hacked Anaris' account!"
Quote from: Val Gith on December 08, 2011, 09:19:46 PM
Every time there is a load screen or I put my character on auto-run I do air punches. I take breaks for pushups if I get tired. I do flex routines while sitting like flexing abdominals while sitting up straight then switching to back. Do air curls focusing on flexing not lifting a weight. I do tons of stuff actually and it is second nature to me now so I do not even think about it. I find the moving around prevents me from getting sore if I sit at the computer for too long [which will definitely be happening once TOR comes out].
Awesome.
I have to pick up Kegs of Beer all night at work. That is how i exercise. So, game time is down time.
I have been contemplating buying a statinary bike and constructing a laptop shelf for it. I am envisioning a set of 2x4's and a wooden plank, honestly. It definitely needs to be a separate structure from the bike itself, otherwise I think there would be too much rattling.
Unfortunately, I can't do that. To me, exercise is something that requires discipline and a bit of stress to get any results. Gaming is an activity to stimulate enjoyment, fun, and relaxation which means I try to stay away from stressful situations when doing so. But as part of a balanced lifestyle, I eat as healthily as possible and schedule exercise sessions twice a week to start. And I try to stay away from snacking while gaming.
QuoteAnd I try to stay away from snacking while gaming.
amen.
Being a multi-tasker (not by choice) I think I've tried everything on this list. Then I realized that exercise, if done outside, is multi-tasking. Not only do you get exercise, but you get fresh air and sunlight, things that most people can use more of. And really, it only takes half an hour or so.
Take a walk or jog. Then play, feeling satisfied that you are prioritizing and taking care of yourself! :smitten:
Adopt a good sized dog. They'll be sure to drag you away 2-4 times a day for at fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. Not that I'm biased or anything. ;D
Outside is Bad. Sun cooks Raven. :buck2:
Quote from: RavenMiles on December 14, 2011, 02:05:45 AM
Outside is Bad. Sun cooks Raven. :buck2:
You mean sun turns Raven into Sith
Quote from: RavenMiles on December 14, 2011, 02:05:45 AM
Outside is Bad. Sun cooks Raven. :buck2:
Sun turns me into cake. (Half-baked, btw.)