I just bought this (w/ tax == CAD$1017).
Now make me feel stupid for this purchase. 
Can you shoot yourself into orbit with that thing? Hope it comes with a space suit. 
I would probably give you a representation of what the first photo looks like, but children visit this forum. 
How much RAM does it have?
I don't think it'll be able to run LFD2
It is now assembled. 
Took my brother and I about 2 hours.
Now make me feel stupid for this purchase.
Put a mirror in front of you when you use it.
Looks like some sort of space-age bagpipe.
I can do most of the exercises that thing does with less than 100 bucks in free-weights and such, but hey, whatever works for you. I have a hard time faulting someone who's legitimately getting in better shape.
My name is Hans.
Und I am Franz.
(both)We're here to pump you up!
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I have a hard time faulting someone who's legitimately getting in better shape.
You can't credit me with that until I actually use it. At this point all I've done is bought the thing.
You assembled it. That's farther than some people get.
All I have to ask is why? Srsly. I bet you'll use it a couple times and then not bother.
You did know that the hot chicks you saw on the TV-Shop commercial are not included? And you know you knew it on a sub-concious level, too? And you did know Chuck Norris got his muscles using other methods?
Chuck Noris got his muscles from kicking people who buy the bowflex.
I bet you'll use it a couple times and then not bother.
Yeah, like the piano he bought. 
Seriously though, how's the mattress?
I'd be scared to use that thing. Every spring operated exercise gadget I've ever had has broke one way or another, and I'd be worried they'd find my body with a shattered bow sticking out of my neck.
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He did it for the LuLzz 
Brilliant 'shop sir, I salute you.
Also, you've just spent a month's total salary for food and services for a family of 5.[1]
References
- Mine
Johan Halmén officially wins this thread.
All I have to ask is why? Srsly. I bet you'll use it a couple times and then not bother.
No, I plan to use it every 2 days for 20 or 30 minutes (I'll have to read the owners manual for recommendations). I really want to build some muscle and now I have no excuses.
Yeah, like the piano he bought.
I was using the piano just a couple of days ago! I was sitting in the dark looking straight ahead at the wall trying to play this piece that I've been practicing. It's really hard, but fun. I mentioned in IRC that it would help a lot if I could use it as input for the computer since I spend so much more time using that. The only problem then would be mapping keyboard inputs (i.e., W, A, S, D, Enter, Left Shift, ESC, etc.) to musical notes (A, E, G#, etc.).
Seriously though, how's the mattress?
The mattress seems great. It's a softer model though, and I'm a light person , so it's hard to say how comfortable it would be for somebody that weighs significantly more (though I never intend for anybody that weighs more to ever get in it[1] ).
That. Is. Awesome. Nice work!
References
- Well, except for me, in a few months with this BowFlex, but hopefully no more than 50 lbs.
No, I plan to use it every 2 days for 20 or 30 minutes
Yes and I plan to get outside, go to the gym and eat properly every day.
I plan to start learning regularly instead of doing all nighters before exams.
Yes and I plan to get outside, go to the gym and eat properly every day.
There's a difference. I can do this right from the comfort of home and it's relatively easy to do. I'm not out of shape as it is so it's a lot easier for me than for somebody that has a lot of weight to lose first.
The only thing keeping me from eating properly is food preparation and washing dishes. I hate both and it seems a healthier diets requires more of that. As it is, I'm basically only just really cooking for the first second today in the 1.5 months that I've lived here: spaghetti and meatballs. It's already going slightly badly. I left the meatballs (which were raw and frozen) in the fridge all day yesterday to defrost. When that didn't work I left them out all last night. My brother thinks they'll be no good any more, but they still look and smell normal for raw beef. I'm trying to cook them now (something he also says is really hard with that type of meatball). Meh.
Until now, I've eaten mostly microwavable pastas, hot dogs, soup, and alphaghetti. The only exception has been baking fish strips and fries, and the only other "real" cooking that I did, which was pan frying real fish.
This is what I'm saying. You plan to, but it ain't going to happen. You might play with it for a little while, but in the long run, its going to be a complete waste.
At least somebody is staying on topic.
You might play with it for a little while, but in the long run, its going to be a complete waste.
You never know... my dad bought one of these: img src="https://www.buyfitnessonline.com/osc/images/NordicTrack_Pro_Skier.jpg" /> and used it every day for 15 years. Then he replaced it with a treadmill which he also uses ever day.
He usually runs 10km a day.
So if bamccaig gets the right mindset I wouldn't be surprised if he actually uses it
Exercise
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Why? Do you have any idea how long of a gym membership you could have bought for that money? And the gym membership gets you in an environment of exercising, with a hell of a lot more equipment to boot.
That kind of money would buy you 25 months of gym membership here, for every second day, unlimited time. So you come in every 2nd day and can be there as long as you want.
Plus, as BAF pointed out, you get the environment/atmosphere and of course a professional telling you how you have to do exercises.
a professional telling you how you have to do exercises.
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Actually, see Edgar Reynaldo's post for a more accurate visual aide ...
Why? Do you have any idea how long of a gym membership you could have bought for that money?
I know I won't go to a gym regularly. I don't like people, and I'm self-conscious, so I would talk myself out of it any time that I didn't want to go (always). Relatively often I don't even want to go to the store or something like that. With a home gym, I can exercise in the comfort of my own home without having to travel and without fearing other people watching me.
That kind of money would buy you 25 months of gym membership here, for every second day, unlimited time. So you come in every 2nd day and can be there as long as you want.
I can use this machine for as long as it lasts. The only limit is its own structural integrity and ability to age. In theory, it could last considerably longer than 2 years.
Plus, as BAF pointed out, you get the environment/atmosphere and of course a professional telling you how you have to do exercises.
Don't be fooled: just because somebody works at a gym or calls themselves a physical trainer doesn't mean they're really a professional. They're sure as fuck not a doctor or any form of scientist.
Don't be fooled: just because somebody works at a gym or calls themselves a physical trainer doesn't mean they're really a professional.
Yes it does. They are getting paid for what they do, so by definition, they are a professional.
They are getting paid for what they do, so by definition, they are a professional.
Don't be fooled: just because somebody works at a gym or calls themselves a physical trainer doesn't mean they're getting paid for it.
If buying exercise equipment, I'd rather spend the money on dumbbells and a treadmill.
Until now, I've eaten mostly microwavable pastas, hot dogs, soup, and alphaghetti. The only exception has been baking fish strips and fries, and the only other "real" cooking that I did, which was pan frying real fish.
Dude, the veges escaped.
As others have pointed out, the money spent is equivalent to a couple of years of gym membership. Plus you'd exercising in an environment with gym bunnies, and the views are sometimes well worth the membership fee 
.
However, the pros of your own equipment is that you get to exercise when it suits you. There is no limit on open hours (unless you have a gym that's open 24/7). After 2 years you won't have to fork out more cash to maintain membership. And the view can be modified with a few posters (paper wallhanging things, not people on the 'net giving opinions).
Here's my best attempt at making you feel stupid:
You could probably build muscles with a drum set for about the same price. And it's way more fun, too.
Good luck with your endeavor though. It might help to get a friend to exercise with you, I always found that to be helpful -- you can keep each other accountable for actually getting it done.
The only thing keeping me from eating properly is food preparation and washing dishes.
Sounds like you need a wife.
Sounds like you need a wife.
Definitely.
Until now, I've eaten mostly microwavable pastas, hot dogs, soup, and alphaghetti. The only exception has been baking fish strips and fries, and the only other "real" cooking that I did, which was pan frying real fish.
With that kind of diet, doing exercise is pointless. The first think you need is a good diet.
Don't be fooled: just because somebody works at a gym or calls themselves a physical trainer doesn't mean they're getting paid for it.
Don't make escuses by fooling yourself. Of course they're trained and in order to do their work they need the required diploma. You don't want to go, that's fine, but don't disqualify other people.
It might help to get a friend to exercise with you, I always found that to be helpful -- you can keep each other accountable for actually getting it done.
This. The only time I've actually stuck with regular exercise is when I had a friend going with me.
Sounds like you need a wife.
Until she gets out of shape. 
With that kind of diet, doing exercise is pointless. The first think you need is a good diet.
I'll second this. With a good diet, the exercise is almost optional. Without a good diet, the exercise won't help.
I'll second this. With a good diet, the exercise is almost optional. Without a good diet, the exercise won't help.
I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to build muscle. I'm 5'9" and I weight 135 lbs. I don't really need to lose weight. My only interest in exercise is to improve my cardiovascular performance (lungs/heart) and muscular strength and endurance. Obviously, my results would be better with an optimal diet, but it isn't like my current diet will result in no change at all. 
I'm not a scientist, but I will be extremely surprised if it does.
I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to build muscle.
Fair enough, but I see no protien in that diet (aside from the fish). So you still need a diet overhaul.
When I was on a high-protien diet as part of my exercise regime, a good breakfast for me was a spinach/feta cheese/tomato omelet, some turkey bacon, and a banana/berries smoothie (and a whole-wheat bagel for some carbs). When you're taking in protien on that level, you've have something to build muscle with. So again: without a good diet, the exercise won't help.
I'm not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to build muscle. I'm 5'9" and I weight 135 lbs. I don't really need to lose weight.
With that diet, you may need to lose fat. Not the external layer of make-you-cuddly fat, but the klingon fat that hangs round your organs and will cause health issues further down the line.
You're not going to build any serious muscle on that. To build muscle you need to lift heavy (easy bit) and eat a lot of protein (hard bit). The machines at our gym cost about £4000 ($6000), and I still prefer to do the majority of my exercise with free weights. That rickety gimmick of a machine is probably fine to warm up on, but you're not going to make any real gains on it.
I recommend you spend about £200 on a decent flat-blench. Nothing fancy, it should look something like:
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...and a few hundred on some good quality dumbbells which can easily have weight added to:
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Also, your diet is a disaster. If you want to build serious muscle you should be eating about 2 grams per kg of bodyweight. You need to eat a lot of tuna, chicken breast and protein shakes every day to get this level of protein without all the fat and crap that comes with the majority of high-protein foods.
Neato!
Let me/us know how your new equipment works out. I need to get back in the habit of working out, and it'd be encouraging to see other Allegroites making progress.
klingon fat
PtaQ!
Sounds like you need a wife.
Mine must be broken then... It seems like she wants fast food more than I do (and no, she is not fat!)
I know I won't go to a gym regularly. I don't like people, and I'm self-conscious, so I would talk myself out of it any time that I didn't want to go (always). Relatively often I don't even want to go to the store or something like that. With a home gym, I can exercise in the comfort of my own home without having to travel and without fearing other people watching me.
You're so self conscious that you can't go excercise at a gym where everyone else is exercising? What is the concern over someone else watching you at the gym? I guess I just don't understand...
I can use this machine for as long as it lasts. The only limit is its own structural integrity and ability to age. In theory, it could last considerably longer than 2 years.
Yeah, one machine. Gyms have multiple machines, different types of machines, etc.
My only interest in exercise is to improve my cardiovascular performance (lungs/heart) and muscular strength and endurance. Obviously, my results would be better with an optimal diet, but it isn't like my current diet will result in no change at all.
Congrats! You've just bought a 2 year membership to a gym that has no cardio equipment!
I plan on joining a gym very soon. I plan on mostly concentrating on cardio though.
Congrats! You've just bought a 2 year membership to a gym that has no cardio equipment!
Well, I only have so much space and I'm more interested in muscle than cardio. I was considering squeezing an inexpensive exercise bike in here too though.
I plan on joining a gym very soon.
Ah, yes, the ol' I'll do it later.
Sadly, the BowFlex doesn't seem to be working out though. 
It just seems so flimsy. The pulleys aren't kept tight and so just about every exercise seems to have you dropping the pulleys as the cables go slack. The pulleys are all just hooked into the machine so they move freely, meaning they fall down and then when you pull again and the cable goes taut you pick up the pulleys again... It's not smooth AT ALL.
On top of that, the resistance doesn't feel anywhere near rated. I figured that having not lifted weights or anything it would be smart to start really low and slowly upgrade (I think that's what they taught us in Phs. Ed.). So I started with 5 lbs on either side. You can't even feel them there. As I said, the pulleys aren't pulled taut by the weights alone, and with 5 lb rods you only get a really short distance of resistance. So I upped it to 10 lbs on each side to see if that would help. It helped a little bit, but it's still basically the same problem. So I increased the resistance to 20 lbs on each side. It still suffers from this slack in the cables, and worse than that, it doesn't even feel like 20 lbs! I can pull on those all day long and my arms don't even seem to get tired. I know that a case of 28 beers weights almost 40 lbs (it's very exhausting so I weighed one once). Carrying a 40 lb case of beer across a parking lot is exhausting. Carrying one across a parking lot and up 4 flights of stairs, I learned, nearly kills me. I think that if I was pulling a combined "resistance" of 40 lbs that it should be a lot more difficult and a lot more exhausting. Clearly the resistance is nowhere near what it's rated for... I don't know if my machine is defective or if the BowFlex brand is just a gimmick. I'm going to try contacting BowFlex for some information/advice. I'm also going to contact Sears about returning it, but it's going to be a nightmare to disassemble and package all up again...
At least I tried... 
Are you sure you set it up correctly? 
The whole cable tautness thing sounds fishy. If you're not bending the resistance thingies all the way, the force needed would be far less (I guess it would follow Hooke's Law more or less. Unlike regular weight-based systems, which have a constant force regardless of where in the movement you are)
Ah, yes, the ol' I'll do it later.
Very soon, as in I'm shopping around right now and weighing my options. So it's not being put off.
Are you sure you set it up correctly? The whole cable tautness thing sounds fishy. If you're not bending the resistance thingies all the way, the force needed would be far less (I guess it would follow Hooke's Law more or less. Unlike regular weight-based systems, which have a constant force regardless of where in the movement you are)
Fairly certain. My brother was double-checking my work and we compared to the diagrams afterward, etc. It's hard to be 100% sure, but then it also looks pretty hard to fuck up. They don't really provide a simple reference document to check your work. I'm 99.9% sure that it's set up correctly, but for all I know there is something wrong. That 0.1% is only because of the lack of tautness. It would be nice to have somebody from BowFlex look at it, but that's obviously going to cost me and it probably isn't worth it.
That's part of why I intend to contact them. I'm hoping they'll say it shouldn't be like that and offer to repair/replace it for free... I doubt that will happen though, so I'm still leaning towards returning it. That's going to be a bitch though. IF Sears will even take it back.
Assuming it's set up correctly, my second guess would be that you're using it wrong These machines can be crap (I.e. harmful), but they usually work.
Have you set up the chair for your body? I assume you set it up for your height or something. If the chair is too close to the machine, the cables would go slack (I'm just looking at the pictures here and guessing).
You should have went with dumbbells and P90X! Of course you will have to follow the high protein diet that it comes with and do the higher weight 6-8 rep exercises rather than the lower weight 12-15 rep exercises. It will build muscle and get you in the best shape of your life.
I didn't follow the protein diet plan very well as I didn't want to gain too much muscle. I only wanted to get into better shape.
You should of went with dumbbells and P90X!
Have you set up the chair for your body? I assume you set it up for your height or something. If the chair is too close to the machine, the cables would go slack (I'm just looking at the pictures here and guessing).
Well, their really weren't any useful instructions for where exactly to place the chair/seat, but there's only like 4 levels that it can be (I imagine all of them valid). There's no forward/backward adjustment; only height (albeit, it's on an angled beam). The z-distance between the bottom and top position looks to be about 4 or 5 inches, but there's a lot more slack than that.
Even ignoring the chair/seat, there are many standing exercises where you're supposed to stand on a 2' x 1' "standing platform". You experience the same thing with those exercises and there's really no adjusting that.
Like I said, real gym equipment costs ~ $5000 per machine, and these are single-use machines. Paying that price for a multi-use machine and expecting it to work is a bit like paying $10 for a new PC and expecting it to play top-end games.
I know I won't go to a gym regularly. I don't like people, and I'm self-conscious, so I would talk myself out of it any time that I didn't want to go (always).
Grow some balls: you need reasonable testosterone levels if you're hoping for muscle growth.
Like I said, real gym equipment costs ~ $5000 per machine, and these are single-use machines. Paying that price for a multi-use machine and expecting it to work is a bit like paying £10 for a new PC and expecting it to play top-end games.
Those "magic exercise machines" are the equivalent of a Make Game button. Get a set of barbells, dumbbell handles and a weight bench with squat racks (or build your own with $20 worth of lumber) and exercise all those stabilizing muscles along with the big ones.
Get a set of barbells, dumbbell handles and a weight bench with squat racks (or build your own with $20 worth of lumber) and exercise all those stabilizing muscles along with the big ones.
This. Those machines are actually bad for you compared to el-cheapo free weights.
Well, the weights can't happen unless I can return the BowFlex and get my $1000 back. So save it until I know where I'm at.
Hey, don't get me wrong; the machine works. It was only relatively recently that I learned myself that free weights work better.
Aaaaaaaaargh!
Fixed, sorry. It's a bad habit. Back in grade school I could not have cared less about writing and grammar. Who would have thought that an on-line programming forum could teach better grammar? This site has contributed greatly toward my grammar in the years I've been a member. I'm trying!
well i don't think BowFlex is a gimmick because its been around for YEARS.
I think your doing or have done something wrong.
you should just do Piccolo Push-ups they very effective and a lot cheaper.
I do 3 a day before i take a bath.
you should just do Piccolo Push-ups they very effective and a lot cheaper.
I do 3 a day before i take a bath.
I laughed after reading this. I then realized I didn't know what a "Piccolo Push-up" was. Doing three "Piccolo Push-ups" could be quite strenuous.
3 Piccolo Push-Ups are easy; just make 3 of yourself and do 1 each.
You need a dinosaur on your back when you do them, though.
you should just do Piccolo Push-ups they very effective and a lot cheaper.
I do 3 a day before i take a bath
I misread that as Pinocchio push ups. All it takes are 3 lies
Ok instead of telling you how you wasted a lot of money I'll try to help you where you currently are.
How about sell it on ebay for like 75% of the price. You'll still have enough
money to buy a cheaper workout system and have cash left over.
You'll probably have to dis assemble it though if you plan on shipping.
Thats my advice
*I'm big into working out and I know lots about lifting*
Pushups are good and all but depending on your goal.
If your goal is strength training you should
use high weights/resistance to allow strength to develop.
Using your body weight is good but to take it to the next level
get weights. For example if you want to increase your bench press by 100 lbs
or bench more than your body weight doing pushups wont cut it. A good workout bench is only like $250 USD.
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Hypertrophy is muscle size.
Difference between strength and power is power has the speed component.
Example:
John has the strength to lift 200 lbs.
Susan has the power to lift 200 lbs 3ft in the air in 2seconds.
If your goal is strength training...
Nope.
I really want to build some muscle and now I have no excuses.
Follow the workouts in owners manual for starters, and build a base fitness before you get too carried away.
Sadly the owners manual doesn't seem to have advice about how much resistance to use. I think I'm going to increase it a bit more so that ~10 reps actually causes my muscles to fail (most of the exercises they describe seem to be intended to cause your muscles to fail after a set of reps) and then I'll try to work with that... That is, unless I decide to return it, but it isn't looking like I will be.
You're so self conscious that you can't go excercise at a gym where everyone else is exercising?.
I know you weren't talking to me, but... yup. It can also be intimidating, and discouraging.
It can also be intimidating, and discouraging.
Use the cheap-o barbells until you're no longer pathetically weak, then sign up for a gym membership.
You're so self conscious that you can't go excercise at a gym where everyone else is exercising?
It makes me uncomfortable, too. Although it doesn't bother me if I have someone else exercising with me.
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@23yrold3yrold:
It's a little uncomfortable because you don't know what you're doing, and you're going to be doing it wrong, and people are going to be judging you every which way. It's a gym. The whole point is vanity and health. So if you aren't in good shape/health then you're pretty much judged already.
Nevermind the exercising though. The worst part of the gym experience is the men's locker room.
Anyway, I decided to just skip past the smaller rods and jump up really high. I put the 50 lb rod on both sides of the BowFlex and did some "bench press" exercises. That worked well. I would barely do 10 reps and my arms felt tired after. I did 4 sets of those nonchalantly today and think that it's probably close to the right resistance level for me to see results. I hope. I had to reduce it to 30 lbs on each side to do crunches (I only weight 120 lbs, so pulling "100 lbs" with my abs is pretty unrealistic ). The "60 lbs" was not bad, but perhaps a little too easy. Maybe I'll try "80 lbs" next time. I also did some "leg extension" exercises with the "60 lbs" on there. It was pretty easy, but my legs aren't very flexible and I can feel pulling in my muscles, which makes me nervous. I'm somebody that used to wake up 3 times a week in the middle of the night with charley horses in high school. If you know what that feels like, and have had it happen enough, then feeling a pulling sensation in your muscle (which is what it feels like) should probably make you nervous too. The worst thing about a charley horse is that it has to get worse before it gets better. You basically have to hop up on it and try to walk around... Ugh. I was apparently pretty good at it though not waking anybody up. Hopefully with some regular stretching and exercising that feeling will go away.
Try watching some videos on youtube to get tips on correct form. You might feel utterly gay watching topless monsters, but it's necessary. If you're not willing to put aside stupid feelings such as self-consciousness / fear of locker rooms for the sake of getting in shape then you may as well give up now because you're going to fail.
[edit]
Oh, and you won't be judged for being out of shape or lifting small weights, but you will be judged for bad form.
bamccaig: you mean to tell us you are having muscle aches? Don't worry, there will be a lot more of those in your future.
Stop caring what people you don't even know think about you then?
So what if you're doing it wrong. If they say something to you, then ask them to show you the proper way. I just can't imagine why you would get intimidated over going to the gym.
Stop caring what people you don't even know think about you then?
Would you say that to a person with Arachnophobia or Agoraphobia? It is not that easy.
Would you say that to a person with Arachnophobia or Agoraphobia?
I would, but this isn't on that level anyway. "Self-consciousness" isn't a phobia, it's a "you need to get over yourself; people can tell you're a skinny stick man even when you're not at the gym so deal."
I would, but this isn't on that level anyway. "Self-consciousness" isn't a phobia, it's a "you need to get over yourself; people can tell you're a skinny stick man even when you're not at the gym so deal."
You don't know that. And I find it very insensitive when people tell me to "buck up" and shit like that.
People like that can suck it.
The way I see it, you can either get over it and live life, or stay home and be scared of everything all the time. You'll never get over it if you don't confront it.
You don't know that.
I don't know what? That people can tell he's skinny anyway? He's 120 lbs; he probably carries FFVII strategy guides in his backpack just so a stiff wind doesn't blow him to Oz. Or that self-consciousness isn't a phobia, considering everyone's self-centered to at least some degree?
bamccaig: you mean to tell us you are having muscle aches? Don't worry, there will be a lot more of those in your future.
I never said anything about having muscle aches... That doesn't bother me. I consider that normal. What feels abnormal is my leg muscles pulling tightly when I'm doing leg extensions. Which is probably also normal, but my muscles aren't used to it. It also greatly resembles the feel of a charley horse, and I'm afraid to get one while doing the exercise because it hurts like a bastard and there isn't much you can do about it once it happens.
...it's a "you need to get over yourself; people can tell you're a skinny stick man even when you're not at the gym so deal."
I don't mind people calling me skinny. That's hardly an insult. Though I wear such baggy clothes that people probably can't tell that I'm skinny normally (except people say that I have an abnormally small head ). I'm not very comfortable around people in general, and it's even worse when I'm doing something that I'm new to and not very good at. And as I said, locker rooms can be incredibly uncomfortable places too for many reasons. People are fucked. It isn't so much the exercising as the locker room that I would find uncomfortable. And just the need to find extra time to travel to and from the gym. I don't have that time. A 30 minute workout would turn into a 90 minute allotment between traveling, changing, showering, ... showering, changing, traveling. It's a lot easier to find 30 minutes of free time in your schedule than it is to find 90.
I don't know what?
That its not a phobia? An actual disability? Don't tell me, you tell people with horrible disabilities to "suck it up" all the time right?
Seems baf does.
The way I see it, you can either get over it and live life, or stay home and be scared of everything all the time. You'll never get over it if you don't confront it.
Indeed. But that does not make it EASY. As you seem to think. "oh just do it, I don't see how it can be so hard". Bite me.
People with physical disabilities can't "suck it up." But when the limitation is all in your head, you can get over it. I didn't say it wouldn't be hard for you to do, I just said that the only way to do it is to... actually do it.
People who don't have these kind of psicological problems tend to not understand them (that's ok, what pisses me is the ones that try to judge you too). If it were that easy psycologists woudl be unemployed Even with the help of a psicologyst it can take a lot of time.
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But when the limitation is all in your head, you can get over it
And the head is also psychical. Lot's of chemist reactions and stuff. A lot of psiquick disabilities come from a physical malfunction in your brain (lack or excess of a certain substance for example).
But when the limitation is all in your head, you can get over it.
Fuck you. Seriously.
And I find it very insensitive when people tell me to "buck up" and shit like that.
People like that can suck it.
I tend to appreciate that sort of advice (when delivered tactfully), and then promptly ignore it in the face of my insecurity.
But then, I don't get all that worried over stuff like going to the gym. I really do just need to "buck up" and do it.
I'm not judging. Physical ailments can be gotten over too, but it aught to be less painful to overcome a mental limitation.
Physical ailments can be gotten over too, but it aught to be less painful to overcome a mental limitation.
When was the last time you were truly terrified? Quaking in your boots, unable to move, or only able to run, as fast as you could?
Probably never I would guess.
I'm not judging.
Except thats what you just did.
I've been terrified plenty of times, and run away from plenty of situations. But I've also been terrified and conquered the situation. It's a choice you make while you're in that situation.
I've been terrified plenty of times, and run away from plenty of situations. But I've also been terrified and conquered the situation.
Now imagine having to do that every single time you need to make a phone call, or even think about going places with people? Every time. Not just once in a while, but every single day, your entire life?
If you force yourself to proceed, after doing it several times, you'll realize it's not as bad as you're thinking it will be, and eventually you feel more at ease doing it. You just have to condition yourself to do it.
If you force yourself to proceed, after doing it several times, you'll realize it's not as bad as you're thinking it will be, and eventually you feel more at ease doing it. You just have to condition yourself to do it.
Bullshit. If it were that easy, no one would have this problem. I'd have had it licked years ago. Sadly I don't, and I still can't reach for the phone without getting extremely nervous. Actual physical symptoms I can't control no matter how hard I try.
And I've been trying for years to conquer them.
Tell me how easy this should be oh great master of the mind
Well, the first step is to identify why a phone call makes you nervous.
Well, the first step is to identify why a phone call makes you nervous.
I already know why Look I'm not a n00b. I've been working on the problem for a decade now. Still not gone. Go figure. Many of the active mental limitations are gone, those are somewhat easy to work through, only took a few years. The physical symptoms that were created by the mental blockages early on however are not easy to condition away. And from what I hear, never fully go away.
Have you consulted with a doctor? If your problems are indeed that bad, perhaps therapy or something would help.
Have you consulted with a doctor?
Closest I've gotten to a "Dr" and regular therepy is a BiPolar clinic, where we got 15 minute appointments with Trainees, which changed every few months.
I've been meaning to call "Alberta Mental Health" for quite a while now, but the last time I was there it seemed rather pointless. We'll see.
Yeah, its not just social phobia that I have to deal with, I've also been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and BiPolar Disorder. Fun shit.
The fun thing is how they all play off one another. Stress can cause a BiPolar event (mood flip/change), and the other disorders can cause a lot of stress. I don't even have an even playing field to launch an attack from, one day I can be energetic and in a decent mood, the next I could be nothing but a seething ball of angry, and the next after that, I could be depressed, or even "meh" (worse than depressed I find). And when my mood flips severely enough, it tends to reset my brain in some form so I have to re learn and recondition a bunch of necessary habits, like eating properly, general hygiene, etc.
So no matter how easy you think something might be, you just don't know, and thus should not make stupid assumptions.
It was pretty easy, but my legs aren't very flexible and I can feel pulling in my muscles, which makes me nervous. I'm somebody that used to wake up 3 times a week in the middle of the night with charley horses [en.wikipedia.org] in high school.
This sort of thing is what muscles do when they're called on to do what they're not used to doing. Lighten up to maybe 60% of what you're doing now and maybe go up a small increment every couple of weeks. You probably won't notice any "charley horse" feelings after a month, replaced by the pleasant glow of "the pump". After a couple of years the improvement will be amazing. If two years seems like too long a time, consider that if you stop, the two years will pass by anyway, and you'll still be a skinny little guy with cramping legs. OTOH, stuff that happened two years in the past doesn't seem so bad, does it?
About being scared of stuff, all I can say about that is to go out and do stuff, whatever you can, sitting at home to avoid specific situations doesn't help at all.
it aught to be less painful to overcome a mental limitation.
Learn how to spell ought.
People who are self conscious should just suck it up and deal with it. After they get used to doing whatever they were scared of, then they will realize it wasn't so scary after all. I believe most people fit into that category.
If one seriously tries (thinking about it doesn't count) and then has some mental breakdown, then he probably does have mental issues. But skip the "woe is me" attitude. Just because you're crazy doesn't mean you have to be unhappy.
Personally, I dislike smaller social events because I never fit in. I hate trying to pretend to be interested in other people's boring blah blah blah talk, and I hate trying to pretend to care about other people in general. (There's people I knew at university for several years and had many conversations with, but I never even learned their names despite being told what they were.) But walking amongst a crowd of strangers is nothing because I know they are ignoring me as much as I am ignoring them.
I guess this isn't the pet peeve thread, but I hate when cashiers try to talk to me. Scan my item in silence, please.
So yes, I'm a loner, and would be branded with some sort of label if I talked to enough head doctors, but I thoroughly enjoy my solitude. 
This I think would apply to you Matthew: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/03/caring-for-your-introvert/2696/
I also really enjoy solitude. People tire me out.
There is a definite difference between a true introvert and someone with social phobia. One is a mental state, the other is an actual disorder.
If one seriously tries (thinking about it doesn't count) and then has some mental breakdown, then he probably does have mental issues. But skip the "woe is me" attitude. Just because you're crazy doesn't mean you have to be unhappy.
Indeed. But It'd also be nice if other people could skip the "Suck it up!" and "Its nothing!" attitude.
I dislike smaller social events because I never fit in.
You may find the more you drink, the more sociable you get and the topics become more palatable
You may find the more you drink, the more sociable you get and the topics become more palatable
I find the more people drink the bigger of a Fool they become. Some people say "who cares?".. I do
I find the more people drink the bigger of a Fool they become.
Only to those not yet drunk. You need to drink more and go with the flow.
Only to those not yet drunk. You need to drink more and go with the flow.
The drunks are the largest Fools
Only at Allegro.cc can a thread about exercise equipment quickly change into a thread about social phobias and mental health.
I'm quite sure I'd be diagnosed with being SAD, having Social Anxiety Disorder. When I'm in public doing something like bagging my groceries, I feel like I'm outside of my body looking in and observing my actions rather than making them. It use to cause mild panic attacks at times, I'd get beat red and sweaty, almost paralyzed by anxiety. I was avoiding social situations down to even the most basic interactions like calling people or answering the door.
Therapy is the answer, even for other DSM IV disorders. Therapy consists of "sucking it up", but in baby steps if need be.
Now imagine having to do that every single time you need to make a phone call, or even think about going places with people? Every time. Not just once in a while, but every single day, your entire life?
Well we're not talking about a garden variety anxiety then, are we? But that's still something that can be dealt with (best with hypnotherapy) so w/e.
Well we're not talking about a garden variety anxiety then, are we?
No, and we never were. Least I'm pretty sure bamccaig wasn't. Maybe people making stupid assumptions were. But thats about it.
But that's still something that can be dealt with (best with hypnotherapy) so w/e.
Yuh. I can see how seriously you take mental health. Just like Baf I see.
I don't like people
If I were you, I would not worry about that too much as I have a feeling that notion might be mutual with many of the individuals who have to interact with you.
That being said, I don't believe that it is actually true that you don't like people, because if you seriously did not like anyone else, you would certainly not keep posting long walls of attention, sympathy and argumentative-discussion seeking texts on this forum.
So obviously, you do in fact enjoy interacting with other people very much even if just in written conversations.
Drunk people commonly make fools of themselves by putting on airs when their Dutch Courage tells them they're much more charming when drunk.
Doesn't matter if you're drunk and making a fool of yourself, as long as other people are just (or more) drunk as you. And anyway, even if not, why care? The people that know you wont think you are a fool and the people that don't know you... Well, does it really matter what strangers think
Let me answer that last one for you. No.
And yet people get fired from jobs and partners split up with them for doing foolish stuff when drunk. Go figure.
No, and we never were. Least I'm pretty sure bamccaig wasn't. Maybe people making stupid assumptions were. But thats about it.
/double checks bam's posts
No, his reactions are pretty normal. I can even relate; I'm not that comfortable in a gym either (though I still go). So who's assuming here?
I can see how seriously you take mental health.
Seriously enough that I study it, yes.
Seriously enough that I study it, yes.
Then you must not take your studies very seriously. so w/e.
No, his reactions are pretty normal.
Its the same excuses I gave people before I really knew how serious my problems were. And I'm not sure you've noticed, but bamccaig is doing some pretty heavy self medicating. Other hints lead me to believe its quite a bit more serious than he lets on. Sure I'm assuming, but I actually have some hands on experience with this sort of thing.
@Trezker: Pretty much...
(This post is a WIP... )
One problem with bullshit is that it sometimes contains nuggets of information that you need. And it's impossible to get an extrovert to give you information in pure form.
If you ask them to just repeat the important stuff, they think you want them to explain more thoroughly meaning wrap even more bullshit around all that bullshit they told you before...
Efficiency doesn't exist in an extroverts world of concepts, I really don't understand how they ever get anything done.
(Sorry for editing... I have a hard time explaining this sort of thing in a satisfactory way...)
Efficiency doesn't exist in an extroverts world of concepts, I really don't understand how they ever get anything done.
Wikipedia holds the key.
Politics, teaching, sales, managing and brokering are fields that favor extroversion.
In other words, bullshit fields. They don't have to get anything done. Their sole purpose in life is spewing bullshit. I guess that leaves the introverts to do all of the real work?
Bullshit people also tend to rise to the top and become the boss. I see managing in your list. Why do we let them control us? We should fire them!
I suppose that's because extroverts are in majority.
You're thinking of sociopaths, not extroverts per se.
I agree with Trezker. Bullshit people tend to make a lot of money (personal experience talking). My goal in life is to be the best bullshitter I can be.
(I'm already practicing)