# What is the point of exercise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453 "2013-06-08T04:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/41 "2013-06-09T05:21:24Z")
And THAT is really my question i guess, is it worth it? It is worth it if it makes you happy. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/42 "2013-06-09T06:12:16Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > As others have said, i guess my main question is, why go to the gym to increase the amount you can bench, or increase the amount you can dead lift, or decrease the time it takes to run a mile? Are there any studies that say “If you can bench-press your weight, you live longer”? or “if you can bench-press twice your weight, you can live even longer!”? > > Also, i’m not sure who said it, but i’ve know people (single of course) that spend 2-3-4 hours in the gym, or exercising or running every single day. And THAT is really my question i guess, is it worth it? > > Thanks again for all the replies! “Is it worth it” totally depends on the person. You can get an endorphin hit from exercise [http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/exercise-happiness2.htm](http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/exercise-happiness2.htm) so some people become “Gym Junkies” or really enjoy the long runs or the 2 hours in the gym. I don’t. If you don’t enjoy it or you aren’t trying to get the chiseled abs to attract a partner, then don’t. Just do enough to keep healthy. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/43 "2013-06-09T06:36:34Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > As others have said, i guess my main question is, why go to the gym to increase the amount you can bench, or increase the amount you can dead lift, or decrease the time it takes to run a mile? Are there any studies that say “If you can bench-press your weight, you live longer”? or “if you can bench-press twice your weight, you can live even longer!”? > > Also, i’m not sure who said it, but i’ve know people (single of course) that spend 2-3-4 hours in the gym, or exercising or running every single day. And THAT is really my question i guess, is it worthit? From my own observation, they just want to for their own satisfaction. Personal motivation is different for all of them, I suppose. I know some of my coworkers think I’m a bit nutty riding my bike to work and occasionally the grocery store despite having a serviceable automobile. Riding the bike just happens to be more fun and satisfying. Going ten miles on my exercise bike during my half-hour workout is just my personal goal. Pushing towards being able to do fifty reps with a fifty pound weight during my workout isn’t necessary for my health, I just want to look better and be able to lift heavy stuff. I guess it’s just fun. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/44 "2013-06-09T07:05:02Z")
> [@stui\_magpie](#): > > “Is it worth it” totally depends on the person. > > You can get an endorphin hit from exercise [http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/exercise-happiness2.htm](http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/exercise-happiness2.htm) > so some people become “Gym Junkies” or really enjoy the long runs or the 2 hours in the gym. I don’t. > > If you don’t enjoy it or you aren’t trying to get the chiseled abs to attract a partner, then don’t. Just do enough to keep healthy. you know, at least I can understand this, chiseled abs, attractive to other people. And riding bikes to work, that i can understand too, it’s some exercise, and it gets you places, no big deal. but most people don’t equate riding a bike or playing racquetball with “working out”. I’ve seen people working out, the grimaces of pain really aren’t conducive to me doing that. I mean, i can do 30 push ups at a time, but any more than that, my arms start to hurt, should I push past the hurt? I’ve seen people lifting weights before, they really don’t look like it is a fun time, but just something to brag about after. i really don’t care what people think about what exercises i do, i am really just curious if lifting more and more weights or running faster and faster is healthier than just playing racquetball or other forms of physical activity. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/45 "2013-06-09T11:40:35Z")
I am sorry to be contributing such a weasly response, but it really does depend on what you mean by “healthier.” If by that you are meaning decreasing your risk of various degenerative diseases, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and such, then no, you do not need to work on consistently increasing your cardiorespiratory fitness or strength. IOW general health goals can be well served without constantly pushing yourself very hard. That said someone who does even moderate exercise activity for 30 to 60 minutes a day will increase their fitness and probably be running a bit faster (or whatever) at the same level of effort, so there is that … not as a goal but as an almost unavoidable effect. The official health guidelines are simple. Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes per week of at least moderately intense aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week or vigorously intense aerobic activity per week, and two days per week of muscle strengthening exercise (which does not require grimaces or grunts). See details [here](http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter2.aspx) and [here](http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter4.aspx). More time and more intensity does result in greater benefits but it is a dramatic example of diminishing returns. The difference between unfitness (less than half an hour of modertate activity or greater a week) and that level is huge; the difference between that level and really pushing yourself for many hours a week, not so huge. Functional whole body activities, that include balance, are strongly encouraged. It does not need to be “working out” to count. Again, the big deal is to avoid inactivity and unfitness. ---
**Author:** ![RememberMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@RememberMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RememberMe)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/46 "2013-06-09T12:31:28Z")
Yes it is healthier. The farther/faster you can run indicates a certian level of cardiorespatory fitness and muscular endurance. Basically the bodies efficiency. The more efficient you are, the lower your resting heart rate is. A lower heart rate is good. The amount of weight you can lift is usually associated with lean muscle mass. Muscles burn calories when you are resting. This is good/healthy. Also, strength training can improve bone density. This is also good. You mentioned that you hurt after your Air Force exercises. Are you hurt or sore? A little soreness is expected when starting an exercise program. If you are hurt, it is more than likely because of a lack of meaningful exercise, not from the exercise. People who exercise properly would not be sore after Air Force PT. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/47 "2013-06-09T12:41:23Z")
After a good exercise routine you will feel better and that’s good enough. Your mind is sharper, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/48 "2013-06-09T13:04:54Z")
> [@FuzzyOgre](#): > > If you hit the right zone for activity, you will feel tremendously great a little while after exercising, and your mood will be elevated for the rest of the day. Even if you are naturally cheerful and happy. I see a lot of responses in this thread that resemble this. “If you exercise it makes you feel better!” This is not true for all people. A lot of exercise people say this because they tend to become a self-selecting group. Those that don’t enjoy it or don’t feel tremendously better don’t keep doing it. I have done exercise regimens for up to several months at a time. Never did I feel better or “have more energy” or any of that stuff. Mostly I just felt tired. If the OP doesn’t feel all these good things about PT, no amount of trying to convince him will make him feel that way. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/49 "2013-06-09T13:12:21Z")
it’s not psychological though is it? are some people less susceptible to endorphins or something? maybe it is, if gym is as boring as it looks, i can’t imagine feeling better being stuck doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Tioga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tioga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tioga)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/50 "2013-06-09T16:52:33Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > To stay healthy. Your body really is a use-it-or-lose-it sort of thing. > > That said, you don’t need to run 5 miles a day. What you need to do is keeping moving, and moving your various parts, so you remain healthy into old age. Stretching and flexibility is just as important as overall strength. > > Take my dad, for instance: 84 and with minimal problems. After his stint in the National Guard (Korean War era) he never “exercised” but he kept moving. He didn’t hesitated to park his car away from an entrance and walk. He used stairs. He worked in the garden (still does, but has me and his son in law do the heavy work now). He didn’t JUST sit on the couch all day. So he’s in his mid-80’s and while he has aches and pains and some circulatory problems he _doesn’t_ have diabetes, he’s not overweight, he can manage steps if he has to, and the doctors say he has a good chance of making 100 still walking on his own two feet and with his mind sharp. > > You don’t need to exercise as much as the military wants you to, but you do need to do something. Fortunately, you can even incorporate a lot of this into your daily routine by, for instance, taking stairs instead of escalators and parking not so close to the door and other little “tricks” so you’re constantly engaged in low-level exercise rather than subjecting yourself to boring, concentrated workouts. This is great advice for those who need to incorporate exercise into their lives, but hate to exercise. I also want to point out the irony of those who pay to go to the gym, but otherwise fight tooth-and-nail for the closest parking spot. > [@Slash1972](#): > > thanks for all the replies everyone, especially the ones regarding my somewhat changed OP. > > Again, i don’t know how to do the quote thing, but I have a few follow up answers and questions: > > I’m not 33, I’m 40, and will be retiring from the AF next year at 41. As many of you might know, physical fitness is not (or was not) high on the AF list of quality traits for a long time, so it didn’t really apply to a majority of AF members. > > As far as eating, i only eat until I’m not hungry, not out of some great enjoyment of food. this may be due to the fact that I’m divorced and by myself, and the buying, preparing, cooking, eating, clean-up cycle is too much. I do enjoy a nice steak or seafood. But, i use how tight my uniform belt is to determine if i’m eating too much or not, and if so, i switch to 6" sandwiches at subway or something 🙂 > > As I stated before, i enjoy playing racquetball, or volleyball, or other fun things like that, mostly sports that don’t require brute strength or superfast speed to be good at. I never meant I didn’t do any physical exercise, and I’m not overweight or anything. > > As others have said, i guess my main question is, why go to the gym to increase the amount you can bench, or increase the amount you can dead lift, or decrease the time it takes to run a mile? Are there any studies that say “If you can bench-press your weight, you live longer”? or “if you can bench-press twice your weight, you can live even longer!”? > > Also, i’m not sure who said it, but i’ve know people (single of course) that spend 2-3-4 hours in the gym, or exercising or running every single day. And THAT is really my question i guess, is it worth it? > > Thanks again for all the replies! The belt method is the simplest way for a man to know if he is gaining or losing fat. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/51 "2013-06-09T17:31:17Z")
First: **Blake** #11. What he said. Also, what many have said: exercise what you want, and eventually like. Gym rats, young muscle-y people, runners/bikers for 100s of miles or hours on cardio machines: they have their thing. You make yours. > [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > … > their short version of the answer to why exercise is > > _you do cardio to stay alive_ > > _you do resistance exercise to make staying alive worth while…_ After going to a gym on and off for decades, I just rejoined specifically for resistance muscle/anaerobic exercise. I resist cardio more because it seems harder for me. Of course, cardio is where it’s at for your cardio (duh) and _feeling_ all-around alive. Amazing stuff. But my Type II diabetes took such an amazing turn for the worse, I have to work my muscles so they can take up sugar better, so I will stay alive to do the cardio. Plus my wife will have a rippling muscled Adonis to adore. Gravy. This is not the thread for aerobic and anaerobic benefits–there is a huge amount of reliable info on the net. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/52 "2013-06-09T17:35:24Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I’m not 33, I’m 40 … Another comment specific to your age. You are young yet but still it creeps up fast. Without an active effort to prevent it you will start to lose muscle mass and strength as you age. The best protection from being a feeble frail man at 70 is to enter your 50’s and beyond with some muscle mass and to maintain it with that twice a week strength training (and quality nutrition). Again, no grunting required. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453/53 "2013-06-10T01:07:19Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > but most people don’t equate riding a bike or playing racquetball with “working out”. Yes, actually, most people do consider that “working out” in my experience. It’s clearly exercise. > [@](#): > > I’ve seen people working out, the grimaces of pain really aren’t conducive to me doing that. I mean, i can do 30 push ups at a time, but any more than that, my arms start to hurt, should I push past the hurt? I’ve seen people lifting weights before, they really don’t look like it is a fun time, but just something to brag about after. There are benefits of pushing yourself harder that you have gone in the past. Improvement is a great motivator. It helps you become mentally tough, gain self-confidence, and improve other areas of your life. It’s a gauge of fitness in some ways. But it’s true, it may not give you specific long term health benefits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-exercise/660453.md?page=2)