A language learners’ forum

Iceberg wrote:

What do you do to stay in shape? Do you study your languages while working out? Do you integrate language into working out in other ways? Does language studying get in the way of your fitness? Or vice-versa?

I used to work out regularly for 12 years. I used to train for 3-5 times a week, depending on my time schedule, overtime etc. I also used to walk (never in the gym) around 10 km/day on average, 6 times per week, regardless of the rain, snow, typhoon, earthquakes etc. I was in shape for all my entire life, especially during the past 12 years, until I suffered an accident.

This is a special message for Iceberg. Perhaps, it should have been sent to his personal mail, I'm not sure about that but here I am.

This early morning, as I was reading your post and taking my breakfast, I need to recognise that my mind was back to a terrible accident I suffered in the past July 7th whereas I was travelling around The Alps by motorbike. Fortunately, Im alive. But I spent the whole summer in a wheelchair, 2 months with crutches and one more month with one only crutch, not taking into account the hundreds of hours spent in rehabilitation at hospital.

The rehab has been very painful and it has been taken long hours every day during three months. Now, I’m already working but I still need to keep going with my daily basis exercise in the evening for at least one and a half hour or so. Currently, I am able to walk so slowly and I am also able to go up stairs but I am still trying to learn to go down stairs, so that you can imagine the hard work that is still lying ahead.

The improvements happen but not day by day, sometimes nor even week by week but if I look one or two months back I can see that incredible advances have been done indeed. So, all I can say to you is Go for It, and never give up of working hard.

Fitness anyone?? Of course, before the accident my main hobby was doing sport, running, cycling in the mountain, doing ski in winter, these kind of things. However, for me, doing sport and train languages is not compatible at all. It is impossible for me to focus in understanding a podcast in english if I am running or cycling.

I found out these last months that learning english was a good way to take advantage of the free time I had owing the accident. I spent a lot of hours listening news and podcast in english and studying the C1 study book. It really relaxed me at made me spent easier the long days.

Nowadays I am completely into following studying languages, and of course, I hope to take up my favourite hobby, doing exercise. as soon it would be possible.

Hello there,

Major thing is that anyone routinely does this. if do this every morning definitely consequences would be positive always. Me too use headphones and listen to something peaceful at the time of morning walk which keeps me full day activities. if someone is easer to reading blogs related to fitness and nutrition then mind modes provide its readers with practical aspects of fitness.

I'm practising "bi-directional translation", normally with little linear stories, mostly commentaries from Tripadvisor.
Then I extract single words from the texts and write them in a list. While exercising I have the list in front of me and try to recreate the story, also saying it loud.
I'm standing on a swing stepper in the staircase and while stepping I'm pulling at expandable ropes that hang down from the first floor.
When I have to concentrate on recreating the stories in my mind, exercising becomes mechanical and secondary.

What a nice coincidence to stumble upon this thread today !

I'm about to start a move-and-learn challenge for myself. Having been naturally active for so long, and then suddenly becoming so sedentary, my body has suffered (what I consider to be) quite a bit of change in a short period of time - in terms of fitness, stamina, weight, muscles, and the kind of spinal aches which come with sitting all day every day. I want to curb this stagnation before I become resigned to it.

I don't have a lot of time, so I want to combine fitness + learning. The plan is to start the day with a Spanish lesson, followed by yoga while listening to LT's Greek course until I start teaching, then incorporate three one-hour breaks into my schedule, during each of which I'll eat something, do my TEFL course, and do squats while doing some more listening - either Spanish or French short podcasts/YouTube videos. Eventually, I'd love to use that gym membership I've been paying for...

Brun Ugle wrote:I’m a member of a Facebook group for this actually. It’s called “Polyglot physical fitness challenge.” It’s not terribly active at the moment, but it goes up and down.

This was actually my introduction to the world of online polyglots/language learning! And to Ellen Jovin and her Pimsleur-power-walking adventures!

Glad this was refreshed today. I've had some luck lately in terms of my squat: I spent 6-7 sessions (2+ weeks) trying to complete 3x5 at 210lbs, only to fail over and over again. Finally, on session 6 or 7 (can't remember which), I managed all three sets. Since then, I've succeeded on the first go each time (212.5 and 215). Unsure if I've gotten over a hump of some kind or what, but I'm so happy.

Continuing my reading during the rests. I find it funny when other people look at me, sitting on the guards in the squat rack reading, wondering (I'm guessing) "when the heck is that guy gonna be done," and maybe even be angry about me taking up the squat rack. I find it funny because these very same people are on their phone between sets. How is my reading any different? Frankly, if any of them would ask to work in with me I'd happily oblige. But no one has yet.

To bring this back to language, I sometimes bring my Italian text with me to do some studying between sets, especially on Mondays as I workout right before class. I've gotten through a few lessons in Living Italian that way. And I continue to do Pimsleur while walking to/from the train.

I now primarily row. Unless I'm on a rowing machine inside (when I can listen to music or podcasts), it's not something that is compatible with doing anything other than paying attention to the cox, the people in the boat with me, and my technique.

Brun Ugle wrote:I’m a member of a Facebook group for this actually. It’s called “Polyglot physical fitness challenge.” It’s not terribly active at the moment, but it goes up and down.

I will see you there!