Replace the Coffee Break!

Training Bodybuilding
1

If you own a business or are in a position of authority, how about instituting a ‘pushup’ break or a Hindu Squats break? I don’t mean to sound like Matt Furey, but its time to turn this nation around.

I teach high school and Tues/Fri are pushup days. Each class ends with pushups. The kids now look forward to this and even some of the girls are into it!

Now, we started out at a very low number (10) because many of the kids are in PATHETIC shape. But, I have guys who now keep going and some are beyond 50!

So, how about it? Instead of grabbing a cup of coffee or (God Forbid!) a smoke, have 'em hit the deck!

HH

2

I like the idea of encouraging more physical movement in the work place. I don’t know people will go for having to do pushups (and I realize you didn’t say they had to) but I think getting them into it, and starting some friendly competitions would be good.

I liked what we were able to do at one command in the Navy. We were allowed to come in 1 hour late, or leave 1 hour early, as long as that hour was spent at the gym.

There was a sign-in log at our gym just for our command, and as long as people signed it, they could come in late or leave early. Of course some people abused this by signing it, then leaving, but most didn’t get away with it because others would rat them out if they knew they weren’t working out.

3

I would like to institute a Tosin pit for people at work. You know, those dificult people you want to beat, but can’t for legal reasons.

Tosin was a very large, angry person i worked with. The Tosin pit is a room where I put bad employees in, and Tosin has his way with them with brass knuckles for a few minutes.

4

[quote]Headhunter wrote:
If you own a business or are in a position of authority, how about instituting a ‘pushup’ break or a Hindu Squats break? I don’t mean to sound like Matt Furey, but its time to turn this nation around.

I teach high school and Tues/Fri are pushup days. Each class ends with pushups. The kids now look forward to this and even some of the girls are into it!

Now, we started out at a very low number (10) because many of the kids are in PATHETIC shape. But, I have guys who now keep going and some are beyond 50!

So, how about it? Instead of grabbing a cup of coffee or (God Forbid!) a smoke, have 'em hit the deck!

HH[/quote]

I think excercise should be incentivized at places of employment. I am certain it would increase productivity in terms of health care costs alone, not to mention the behavior change related to the alertness that follows exercise.

5

[quote]SWR-1240 wrote:
I like the idea of encouraging more physical movement in the work place. I don’t know people will go for having to do pushups (and I realize you didn’t say they had to) but I think getting them into it, and starting some friendly competitions would be good.

I liked what we were able to do at one command in the Navy. We were allowed to come in 1 hour late, or leave 1 hour early, as long as that hour was spent at the gym.

There was a sign-in log at our gym just for our command, and as long as people signed it, they could come in late or leave early. Of course some people abused this by signing it, then leaving, but most didn’t get away with it because others would rat them out if they knew they weren’t working out.[/quote]

That sounds like a really good idea. I would really like to see some large companies do this. It would be really easy to implement at companies with onsite facilities. I would consider that a great benefit, turns a 40-hour work week into a 35, and will undoubtedly keep employees happier and healthier. If 5 hours off is too much, they could make it a max of 3 or 4, still a great idea.

6

[quote]SWR-1240 wrote:
I like the idea of encouraging more physical movement in the work place. I don’t know people will go for having to do pushups (and I realize you didn’t say they had to) but I think getting them into it, and starting some friendly competitions would be good.

I liked what we were able to do at one command in the Navy. We were allowed to come in 1 hour late, or leave 1 hour early, as long as that hour was spent at the gym.

There was a sign-in log at our gym just for our command, and as long as people signed it, they could come in late or leave early. Of course some people abused this by signing it, then leaving, but most didn’t get away with it because others would rat them out if they knew they weren’t working out.[/quote]

That is very cool that they did that. I often do a few push-ups and BW squats during the work day just to stay limber and move around for a bit. My place of employment has a gym we can use during lunch and what not, but it’s pretty crappy and consists of a treadmill, bike, lat pulldown machine, bench, and dumbells up to 45 pounds. Not exactly an environment I would chose to workout in.

7

Where I work is a Mecca for obscenely overweight middle-aged women. There are a number of fatass men too but there are only about 3 women in the whole company who are not a minimum of 25lbs overweight. Anyway, there is one woman in particular who at least once a month sends out a companywide e-mail to have a “food day” so everyone will bring in a bunch of unhealthy crap for the fatties to graze on all day and get even fatter. It fucking disgusts me to have to witness it. The last time she did this I had had enough and replied that maybe we should have an “exercise day” instead. This woman’s giant oversized panties were all in a wad over my reply but several people actually commented that it was a good idea including the CEO who also happens to be one of non-fatty women.

8

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
SWR-1240 wrote:
I like the idea of encouraging more physical movement in the work place. I don’t know people will go for having to do pushups (and I realize you didn’t say they had to) but I think getting them into it, and starting some friendly competitions would be good.

I liked what we were able to do at one command in the Navy. We were allowed to come in 1 hour late, or leave 1 hour early, as long as that hour was spent at the gym.

There was a sign-in log at our gym just for our command, and as long as people signed it, they could come in late or leave early. Of course some people abused this by signing it, then leaving, but most didn’t get away with it because others would rat them out if they knew they weren’t working out.

That is very cool that they did that. I often do a few push-ups and BW squats during the work day just to stay limber and move around for a bit. My place of employment has a gym we can use during lunch and what not, but it’s pretty crappy and consists of a treadmill, bike, lat pulldown machine, bench, and dumbells up to 45 pounds. Not exactly an environment I would chose to workout in.
[/quote]

You could get a good shoulder or arm workout with that equipment if you were creative.

That story about the Navy guys being able to work out during their work time is pretty cool.

I can work out during work time except for the odd day when I am super busy…lucky I guess.

A lot of Japanese companies have their workers do a kind of a synchronised warm-up and stretch in the mornings- some dynamic stretching and callisthenics, I guess you could call it. It helps build morale and a group ethos too.

9

The thought behind this is noble, but in the Ford design buildings I work in this would go over like underwater toilet paper.

10

We started doing something similar just within my work group at my company. One of my co-workers was wanting to lose some weight and stop smoking.

So instead of going out for a smoke we started walking around our office complex for 15 minutes. He lost some weight and stopped smoking. It also made us more productive as a group since we could discuss projects and plans for doing reporting.

11

The only problem I’d have with having a push-up break is, the fatties would stink after all the sweating they are going to do getting those 2 pushups.

I’d love if in my last hour of work I could use it to workout instead. Only thing is they’d have to really improve the building’s gym.

12

what about pullup breaks? we don’t want the fatties to get rotator cuff problems from their anterior delts being stronger than their posterior delts. I think the fatties should do a pullup break in the morning and a pushup break in the evening, and tape it just for fun.

13

Awesome idea (barring lawsuits due to injury).
Before ushering in a plan such as this I’d like to see management or HR make a little speech. Something to the effect of: "Let me be blunt. Most of you aren’t going to die due to terrorism. Most of you are going to die because you’re fat and pour shit (what you call ‘food’) into your bodies. You’re disgusting. This didn’t have to happen. It’s your fault. 100%. You don’t have a thyroid problem. You eat too much…and don’t exercise.

But you can change things. You can live longer and not always be tired. Your body can feel strong instead of like a dense, gelatinous blob attached to your necks (and multiple chins). I’ll pause here so you can bitch about how offensive this is…BUT…before I pause: Try to touch your toes. Can’t? Do 5 push-ups. Can’t? Hmmmm…are you really offended at what I’m saying or do you think there MIGHT just be a hint of truth in this? Now, here’s what we’re gonna do…"
Aaaah—that tirade felt goood!

Funny how basic things could make the world a much better place:
(1) Exercise instead of coffee
(2) Eat meat and vegetables.
(3) Don’t waste food. Eat it, save it or give it to someone else
(4) Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or lathering up in shower
(5) Carpool
(6) Walk (instead of drive) short distances
(7) Smile at people and be courteous
(8) Be responsible at your job
(9) Listen (even to people who have different opinions than you)
(10) Read books
(11) Sleep >=8 hours/day
(12) Take 25% of the time you spend doing dumbass stuff (playing video games/watching porno and/or saved by the bell) and do something ‘productive’

Sorry–went a little overboard in my response!

14

[quote]lesotho72 wrote:
Funny how basic things could make the world a much better place:
(1) Exercise instead of coffee
[/quote]
But then what am I going to use to wash down my donut? Gatorade?

But I read in prevention magazine that red meat is bad for you. All that fat causes heart attacks and now they’re saying it can cause cancer and alzheimers. I think I’ll stick to my processed and packaged foodstuffs that I know are safe because the government tells me they are.

My food has a shelf life of over 300 years, not that it ever lasts more than 30 seconds with my appetite. But if it does get pushed to the back of the shelf it won’t go bad and I’ll just find it the next time I go on a late night binge.

You’ll have to talk to the people at the elephant enclosure at the zoo. I roll myself in there once a week for my bath, they have those nice high power hoses than can force the old food out from between my sexy rolls of flab.

But then I’d have to let other people in my gigantic SUV! They might get it dirty.

pshaw, why do you think I got this scooter from the scooter store.

fuck them, they’re just jealous of me because I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m beautiful on the inside and that’s what matters.

Then I wouldn’t have time to troll on the T-Nation forums.

but I already know they’re wrong, why should I bother listening? What a waste of time.

I just finished one actually, it was the instruction manual for setting up my Xbox 360. I also read the Atkins book and the zone diet book a few years ago.

This one seems to be in direct conflict with number eight.

Where the hell do you get off (pun completely intended) telling me that watching porno isn’t productive.

Sincerely,
America

[quote]
Sorry–went a little overboard in my response![/quote]

I believe I may have just taken overboard to a new level.

15

I’d expect such a response from a Rhode Islander.
Hmmm…Cranston? Warwick? Or one of those snobs from South County? I’m guessing Coventry.
Damn Dells-drinking, quahog eating bastards!

Disclaimer: Originally from Cranston. Not Italian.

16

[quote]Headhunter wrote:
I teach high school and Tues/Fri are pushup days. Each class ends with pushups. The kids now look forward to this and even some of the girls are into it!
[/quote]

HH, what do you teach? Meaning, do these pushups come at the end of a math class or a phys ed class?

I teach high school and middle school (6, 7, 10, 11, 12) and in my classroom students can eat fruit, vegetables and water. No soda, candy, etc.

I also bring a giant lunchbox (a small cooler, really) to work with me, put it in full view by my desk and make it known that it contains 2nd breakfast, 1st lunch and 2nd lunch. There was and is some good natured kidding from my colleagues about the lunchbox but I don’t mind.

Today (a first!) one of my juniors actually walked into my classroom and asked if I had an apple he could have. I always have extra fruit & veg with me, just in case. Better that than have them going to the vending machine.

I’m not sure about asking my students to do pushups, but maybe if I started doing them between classes they’d join in…

17

i own my own business and have a skipping rope, frisbee, soccer balls and footballs on hand for the employees.
we go out at lunchtime and generally play some sort of ball and run around…gets their energy up to tackle the rest of the afternoon.

18

[quote]lesotho72 wrote:
I’d expect such a response from a Rhode Islander.
Hmmm…Cranston? Warwick? Or one of those snobs from South County? I’m guessing Coventry.
Damn Dells-drinking, quahog eating bastards!

Disclaimer: Originally from Cranston. Not Italian. [/quote]

LOL. Close, East Greenwich, although originally North Providence, also not Italian. And I much prefer coffee milk to dells. And you forgot hot wieners.

19

I saw this being done at Newport News Shipyard when it was owned by Tenneco, about eight years ago.

They would exchange comp time for lunch breaks spent walking.

I have heard of other companies doing this too, citing better performance and reduced rates of illness. Some one discovered that they have more productive workers, and the savings on insurance make it very beneficial to companies that do this.

It doesn’t seem to have caught on very well though.

20

i wouldnt be doing it, i hit the gym before to go to work every day, and am already sore enough, without having to do pushups for 30 mins. as it is i dont do pushups in my program so that would fuck me up :stuck_out_tongue: