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'Gamercize' Cardio at Our Desk
Posted by
CmdrTaco
on Thu Nov 15, 2007 09:15 AM
from the fewer-leotards-tho dept.
from the fewer-leotards-tho dept.
Gustoman writes "A new device that hit the market this week may not be able to help you put in fewer hours in the office, but it can help you get a good cardio workout while you're troubleshooting that laptop or reviewing that spreadsheet.
Gamercize, a British company, this week launched the GZ PC-Sport & Power Steppe, which is designed to fit underneath a standard-sized desk so someone can sit at their computer or talk on the telephone while using the stepper.
Gamercize officials note that the machine is not just a small version of a StairMaster machine that you'd find at the gym. The machine can be hooked up to a keyboard or mouse through a USB port. The user can set it up so they can use the stepper whenever they want, or they can prevent their keyboard or mouse from working unless they're exercising.
There are five settings on the under-desk step machine. The lowest setting lets workers simply exercise their legs at an easy pace whenever they want. At the top level, the work out is much harder and the user must exercise to keep his or her keyboard or mouse working.
At the lowest setting, a user could burn 100 to 200 calories an hour. At the top level, it is possible to burn as many as 500 calories an hour. (That's like burning off the equivalent of an entire milk shake.)"
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Submission: Exercise machine targets desk jockeys by Anonymous Coward
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Ok, (Score:5, Insightful)
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I can't drive (vision), and ride my bike to work, and walk to the store all the time.
And I live in Ohio (we drive like New Yorkers, but without any good reason to do so)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Exactly, I submitted this as a slashdot story a while ago, but some random diatribe about the RIAA was more important I guess. But anyway, Americans are 8x as likely [vtpi.org](pdf warning and beefy academic paper warning, though there are graphs) to die per bicycle trip than their European counterparts.
First and foremost, Americans seem to have this opinion that if you aren't driving then you are defective and your life isn't wort
Re: (Score:2)
Honked at by cars for riding in the street
Yelled at by pedestrians for riding on the sidewalk
Cut off by cars not paying any attention (when I say cut off, I mean I stopped the bike two inches from this guy's car)
Had dogs jump in front of me
All in all, a hair-raising experience. I live in LA (riding down Wilshire Blvd), a
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Secondly is the SUV. It needs to be banned tomorrow. Those things pose more of a risk to the safety and well being of the United States than any terrorist has, ever.
Gee, and here I was, thinking stupid drivers that run over bicyclists were the real problem.
Remember, the size of the vehicle you use doesn't matter: right of way is 1/2m * v^2. You see, mass is only a first-order term, but velocity is a second order term. Notice how bicycles have neither mass nor velocity, but even a Toyota Rollerskate
Come on . . . (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Come on . . . (Score:5, Insightful)
I get up at 6:15, get myself ready for work, eat breakfast, get my kid ready for daycare, go to work, get home, make dinner or feed the kid, spend quality time with him, put him to bed, and by that time it's 9 PM or later. I have 2 hours left in the day to do anything else I need to do (pay bills, manage some household stuff, etc.) and then I'm back in bed.
I tried exercising after 9. It kept me up till 12:30 AM while my body spun down and I was useless the next day.
Parent
Re:Come on . . . (Score:4, Funny)
Speaking for a large portion of the slashdot population...
What's it like?
Seriously, though, I'm in the same boat. What I've discovered is that there is unused time to at least go for short walks (lunchtime, for example -- 10 mins (maximum) to eat, 20 minutes to walk around the parking lot/campus. I've also discovered that 4:30 AM is a great time to go for a walk -- I bring a bottle of water, and this wake-up ritual has replaced my early-morning coffee. It's amazing how much more energy I have throughout the day if I begin with some moderate exercise. I suppose an exercise bike would serve the same purpose, and give me a better workout while allowing me to still catch the news.
Parent
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Re:Come on . . . (Score:5, Funny)
Speaking for a large portion of the slashdot population...
What's it like?
Actually it just implies that his wife had sex.
Parent
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Sorry, that was just a funny image to me.
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I used to take the stairs, but they are sort of lethal.
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Instead of wasting time in the car/bus on the ride to/from work, you can get in a lot of your excercise.
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You miss the point entirely (Score:2)
Yes. YES. It's hard to get the TIME. Many people have so many demands on their time, both business and social, that taking an hour (or make it 1h30, what with changing, showering, warming up/down etc) is very difficult. If you can take that long for your lunch hour and go during the day, lucky you. I know I can't, and I would much rather use the time I am sitting at my desk letting my brain do the work, to exercise my body at the s
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Light cardio can be done for a long long time and burns off large amounts of calories with relat
Yes! (Score:2)
I have not done anything remotely related to execise after I crushed my stress-reliever ball last year.
Damn, and I liked that ball too. It laste me a whole month.
Alternatives (Score:3, Interesting)
If you prefer to just burn some energy, there's always the desk treadmill [computerworld.com.au].
Milkshake? (Score:4, Funny)
If you're drinking 500 calorie milkshakes then this is probably something you need. If you can fit it under the desk with your huge fat legs.
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If you make one yourself with good ingredients (low fat milk and icecream, artificial sweetener, fresh fruit), it'll be about 250 for the same size.
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If you make one yourself with good ingredients (low fat milk and icecream, artificial sweetener, fresh fruit), it'll be about 250 for the same size.
Hmm. Artificially filtered milk, artificially filtered and sweetened ice cream, artificial sweetener -- and fresh fruit. Yep, them's good ingredients! Just like Grandma used to make!
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Vanilla? (Score:2)
Well, there's your problem. A proper milkshake starts off with three scoops of Rocky Road or Heavenly Hash. Vanilla, Pfft. If I wanted water, I'd ask for water.
While on the Phone? (Score:2)
Good Morning, Unix Administration (Score:4, Funny)
Sorry, I forgot, we're never that helpful.
C'mon this is slashdot! (Score:2, Funny)
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/Table 19, your pizza's ready. Don't forget to tip your waitress.
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Excersise without going to the gym (Score:3, Insightful)
Simple steps to get some exercise without going to and paying for a gym.
- Leave you car at home, ride a bike to go to work, visit your friends
- Dont use escalators or elevators
- Run a few blocks in the morning or evening
- Get a hobby that does not involve sitting in front of a tv or monitor
Its just that easy and in the end might get you a few more years of healthy living.Re: (Score:2)
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If you're young, free, and have time to spare, then sure, desk-based cardio is a lazy choice. If, however, you have a life full to the brim with responsibilities, you can't just "Run a few blocks in the morning or evening".
Enjoy the luxury that is free time, and don't talk down to those of us who don't have it.
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But watching TV is not a hobby of mine. Though I did sit and play Assassin's Creed for four hours last night... So now I've had to resort to, you know, not eating everything in site. Which I'm usually pretty good at anyways.
Noise and Smell? (Score:2, Interesting)
That sounds great (Score:2)
This looks very familiar. (Score:2)
Hers hadn't been marketed as an under-the-desk exercise solution, but instead came with a handlebar support one gripped while standing on the pedals. In that capacity, I found it ridiculous. The piston mechanism under each pedal readily collapsed under my weight, though they might indee
Airline application (Score:2, Insightful)
It could stow away under the seat if you didn't want it... plus you wouldn't have to watch the silly 'inflight exercises' video.
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It could stow away under the seat if you didn't want it...
Haven't flown lately, have you? Airline cabins are so small and the seats so tightly packed that I highly doubt people are going to be willing to give up any of what little leg room is left (more leg room is actually sold as part of premium fare tickets on United, for example). Also, with fuel prices being what they are, the weight-conscious airlines aren't going to be willing to increase the weight of the plane with lots of these things withou
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The mouse won't work unless you keep working out.. (Score:2)
Noise? (Score:2)
Sure, most office environments are noisy, but it's office noise, not gym noise.
My suggestion is get a nice folding bike, like a Brompton for example, that you can keep in your cubicle and go for a relaxing ride during your lunch break.
As a bonus, it'll reduce your stress levels
Dumb machine needs a recharger (Score:2)
I have a cheap crank flashlight. Inside is a small generator with a stiff winder, a NiMH battery, and four high-intensity white LEDs. Cheap and effective. This kind of thing should be inside every exercise bicycle and piece of gym equipment, along with a device that converts bat
Weights (Score:2)
You really, really shouldn't be doing cardio at your desk though. You should become sweaty and stinky by the end of it (assuming you're actually getting a workout) which your coworkers probably won't appreciate. Just jog for 20 minutes after work.
eliminate middleman (Score:2)
Even as I'm going through a weight loss regiment.. (Score:2)
Cut calories, cut snacks, you'll drop weight. All this little device is going to do is build up muscles in your legs, and "500" calories an hour? Seriously? Just for moving your feet? I think not unless you're pushing the Rock of Gibraltar. Do you want giant calfs and muscles on top of them? I think not.
If you can't exercise cut your caloric intake, even on a week where I worked 70 hours I still dropped 3 pounds. The whole secret is watch what you eat. Exercise makes the body look
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No, that's called "advertising".
Re:News? (Score:5, Funny)
I lost a stone and a half using Gamercize
Uh oh, better run to the emergency room! I hear they can reattach those things (with minimal impact on your sex life!) if you get there quick enough and keep them in a cooler full of ice on the way . . .
Parent
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A stone is 14 pounds, or about 6.4 Kg