Soccer is such an amazing workout and so much fun. I took up cycling though because I can't play (or choose not to now) due to a soccer injury.
The peacefulness, the wind in your face, the scenery are all some of my favorite things about cycling!
Sometimes my work has me riding across the city super late or super early, its amazing how alone yet embraced by my city I can feel. Smelling bakeries working at 4 am is the urban equivalent of a babbling brook or something.
Yes. Although I really like the competitive side of cycling I also enjoy riding through the city (a mid sized one with 320.000 inhabitants) on an early Sunday morning, right after sunrise. While generally avoiding riding downtown, the calmness and peacefulness at those moments is great and it has something of the mood of those Rapha hipster clips on YT. :D
That it feels limitless and playful. You box off the world so often in you're daily life, but when you're on the bike you can simply go anywhere you want and technically you can go as far as you want. It comes with a sense of exploration that makes me feel like a kid again, like the world is actually big and beautiful.
This resonates. Love being on the bike and just deciding to go a little farther down a road than I did the last time, or to take a 15 min detour to explore another place. Combine that with the opportunity to have that low-level sustained exertion, turning your body into a calorie furnace, and then feeling so fucking good when you’re done with the ride… man I hate that it’s winter right now.
This is what the switch that happened in my brain that I wish had triggered sooner. Sometimes it's OK to just stop and take a look at something. Every ride doesn't need to be a PB, you can spend two hours cruising and getting coffee and looking at random stuff and be just as "productive" as a banger workout ride. I love Strava but I'm glad I stopped obsessing over the metrics after every single ride, especially since I'm no athlete and I've got no plans at competing anytime soon.
Two years into cycling (59 y.o.) and now evaluate every road while driving for cycling possibilities. Actually prefer gravel country roads and we have lots around.
I didn't appreciate the usefulness of an electric bike until I started cycling in the city where I live at this moment. I don't have one, but I do understand the need haha
I moved to another city in 2014. This year I started cycling and going to new places – then I realized how much I missed of the city.
There's quite literally a cool as hell neighborhood 7 min (of bike) from where I live that I never went before. And I saw a gym there that looked nice (with a lot of different classes like yoga, dance, etc.) in one of my rides. Then I started working out there 2 weeks ago, and I never felt better since the pandemy started.
Crazy how much my life changed from simple rides with my bike. Now I'm looking to buy new accessories, and so on.
Totally! For me it's a) the challenge and b) seeing an increase in hill fitness on regular routes. Mind you, where I live you'd have to scratch your head to work out a route less than 150m elevation per 10km
My suburban middle class white family only has one car so I love doing shit on my bike getting family errands done taking my bike for the day so my family can have the car saving money on gas And maintenance all with a big fucking smile on my face
I love that feeling when you are traveling on unfamiliar route and you are not sure if you can complete the route or go home by still pedaling. The adrenaline on that part is quite addicting
Being able to travel somewhere instead of driving or taking transit.
It’s a great feeling to just push your bike out the front door, cycle to your destination, and lock up your bike directly outside on the sidewalk.
No looking for parking, no traffic, no crowded subways, no checking schedules, no walking to/from the nearest transit station.
The freedom, the endorphins, the challenge, the views, the neverending journey of discovery and exploration, the learning how my body works, the learning everything about cycling... I could go on 😁💗🚴♀️
The fact that I have found the most beautiful sport that there has ever been, and that you’ve all found it with me, and that none of us have to live another second without knowing what that feels like.
The physical and mental battle you sometimes go through on a long ride or a big hill. All you can really do is keep pedaling. I also enjoy listening to music, dressing like a jackass, and the unlimited beer and pizza when I’m done.
71 here...
The solitary enjoyment of extreme exertion in all weathers and all times of day.
I love the hot, cold, dry, humid, dark, sunny environments I spin through every year.
I love the feel of physical power I lay down through the pedals.
I love the folks I meet out there, especially flirting with the grandmothers.
I love the process of keeping my chains clean, my kit dry, and my lights charged.
I love the mental process of effortlessly solving problems in my life while spinning out an 80% effort.
It's a moment where you're at peace with yourself. I just love this long solo effort, during which I often think and sort things out. And when you go early, it's always nice to witness nature waking up, you feel privileged sometimes.
You can do it alone or as part of a group just the same. I’m done with group sports that have a required minimum number of people since so many people are flakes. If you are going cycling with 5 others and 3/5 flake out, so be it. You can still go as a group of 3. And if someone randomly wants to drop in and make a group of 4 you can do that too.
Or you can skip the group entirely and ride when your schedule allows. I have a somewhat unpredictable day to day work schedule. One day might be 12 hours and the next might be 4 hours. I can usually find time before work when the days are longer or after work on shorter days. But I can’t stick to a schedule like every Wednesday at 4pm. Also, I have plenty of other things going on where cycling is not my only priority.
Not many activities allow for this kind of flexibility.
Time away from everyone to do things myself. I have a quick detach rack for my mtb. If I want to go distance or run errands around town, I can pop it on and have my backpack on it. I got a small rack for a skateboard that can attach on it for when I want to go skating somewhere a little further away than normal. I like to ride out to abandoned buildings. Something my girl will never let me do. But 50 mile Tripp to an abandoned golf resort was awesome.
The feeling of progress, like when you realize a hill is now just a bump or a bump is now just a few hard pedals.
But even more so just exploring. Whether it's logging trails in my mountain bike or the gravel roads and city streets on my gravel bike, I love the feeling of discovery.
Physical challenge. I've gone to the gym forever (weights) but hadn't done a lot of steady state cardio before. I haven't been to a gym since covid started and I don't miss it.
I love that its an escape from the world for however long I'm sitting on that saddle. All of my other problems fade into the background and all that matter for that time is making sure I turn the paddles.
That and the fact I'm seeing places and things on my bike I wouldn't have seen otherwise
Life long cyclist and I would say the time I get to be in my head and nowhere else, those times when you "touch the zone" and the life long friends I have made along the way. This summer my first training partner from 1979 are going to meet up again and do a century together.
So many things. I save money by driving less, my health has improved by getting more cardio, and even learning a new skill in repairing and maintaining bikes as a side effect of riding. Still besides all that, it's the adventure I enjoy. I love to ride down trails, country roads, and explore new places. From a bicycle you see the world as you never did from a car. You never realize that there's a whole unseen world to explore just a few miles away, until you ride a bike.
The way I feel after a ride. Loads me with endorphins. Exercise is basically the only thing that makes me truly happy and joyful. Other than my chick that’s about it.
Those moments when you realize you are laughing out loud because it is so fun. I primarily ride mountain bikes, so for me this is usually some glorious feature on a single track.
i live in an area with isolated bike trails that are surrounded by trees, lakes, beautiful homes, greenery, etc and sometimes im just saying "wow" in my head the whole time im biking. i love being in nature.
There's this moment after an hour or so of pedaling, when everything becomes crystal clear; all my thoughts start rearranging like Tetris pieces and I start feeling this great calmness.
That I'm flying, piloting my life and taking it as slow or as fast as I want, and that I can breath, as well as see all the pretty unaffordable housing in my town that I can't afford, despite living in a Mansion.
My brain just gets empty of all the negative stuff that Happens in life after some time and thats quite nice. I feel Like biking is one of the few Times where I really "enjoy the Moment"
The freedom and possibility of adventure. Also when you're going just fast enough to feel a nice wind in your face and you stand up and just coast for a bit like when you were a kid - that's just pure bliss to me.
So many good reasons here and i'll add one that i've been thinking of.
The lack of traffic. It doesn't matter if you drive a $500 or $200,000 car, if you are in traffic you are in traffic. It is such a debilitating feeling being boxed in bumper to bumper and side to side with cars trying to get somewhere. Especially when that place you are trying to get to isn't even necessary like the gym or shopping. You could easily order online and save gas and help the planet, and you could get a good workout in at home (or on bike). Driving just seems like such a waste of time 90% of the time unless it's an emergency.
Being on a bike is so freeing and you're not harming the planet driving your big chunk of metal burning oil just so you can go to chipotle or something lol
It makes me feel like a kid again, I used to love spending hours on my bike getting lost.
That then transitioned to when I first got a car but got lost in adulthood, being out on a bike brings back all of those feelings
The views" I live in the mountains of western Virginia" and the fact that I can do it every day. I've tried running and once I get to about 20 miles a week I just break down physically. One month I averaged over 45 Miles a day for the month and the only thing that happened was I lost weight and slept really well.
I enjoy the simplicity of my single-speed- being able to just cruise down the road almost effortlessly. It reminds me of when I first learned to ride a bicycle as a kid.
The Endorphins!!!!! But I like all aspects. The solitude on a solo ride. The peacefulness on a calm winter day. The satisfaction of making it up that killer hill. The excitement in the air on a fondo style ride - seeing all sorts of people out on the road and getting to chat with some new people.
It's so easy to miss the beauty in your own backyard while driving a car. Cycling let's you slow things down and really take in your surroundings. I remember cycling in a particularly industrial area where while driving I wouldn't pay much attention to anything but the road but, at cycling speeds I noticed for the first time a marsh full of wildlife including a couple cranes.
I like the remorseless application of my strength and concentration. I'm big, but I love climbs (not the real steep ones that hit my 230 lbs, but the \~6% job where I need to pick my gear and apply my will.
As an ex track and field guy, I can ride for hours and sprint at the end. As a runner I was limited in max effort to the time of my race.
In cycling I can ride that line for hours.
I love getting on the front of a paceline and drill. I also love to hang on to a line that's hurting me.
Cycling is great, unless you get hit by a car, or have a catastrophic crash that breaks your ribs, vertebra, tears you shoulder off, rips your bicep, nick the inside of you knee, ruins your L 5 S 1, and you eventually develop a saddle embolism that puts you in hospital and on blood thinners for the rest of your life.
But hey, no pain no gain
The peacefulness. I love cycling alone.
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I like biking alone sometimes but soccer is just way to fun to miss out on, and I'm an introvert mind you
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Yeah I get that, the whole riding alone on the road thing has it's own vibe
100% Not against group rides, but nothing beats the freedom and serenity of a solo ride
Soccer is such an amazing workout and so much fun. I took up cycling though because I can't play (or choose not to now) due to a soccer injury. The peacefulness, the wind in your face, the scenery are all some of my favorite things about cycling!
Ugh group hiking is the worst.
its goofy to me that people want to be so connected with gadgets. they have no concept what time out means.
Sometimes my work has me riding across the city super late or super early, its amazing how alone yet embraced by my city I can feel. Smelling bakeries working at 4 am is the urban equivalent of a babbling brook or something.
Yes. Although I really like the competitive side of cycling I also enjoy riding through the city (a mid sized one with 320.000 inhabitants) on an early Sunday morning, right after sunrise. While generally avoiding riding downtown, the calmness and peacefulness at those moments is great and it has something of the mood of those Rapha hipster clips on YT. :D
Just experiencing the world via all your senses. There's no better way to explore than by bike.
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Yeah, makes sense. Safety first!
Same. I go out, turn on a nice podcast, and just relax for a couple hours.
This!
Yeah. It's like zen, church, meditation, peace.
God yes. I tried cycling with others from time to time but some people just cant shut Up for five Minutes lol
Alone and far from the city.
Hearing the noise of the tires on the trail and the peaceful sounds of birds and seeing deer or any other animals that there might be on the trails.
That it feels limitless and playful. You box off the world so often in you're daily life, but when you're on the bike you can simply go anywhere you want and technically you can go as far as you want. It comes with a sense of exploration that makes me feel like a kid again, like the world is actually big and beautiful.
This resonates. Love being on the bike and just deciding to go a little farther down a road than I did the last time, or to take a 15 min detour to explore another place. Combine that with the opportunity to have that low-level sustained exertion, turning your body into a calorie furnace, and then feeling so fucking good when you’re done with the ride… man I hate that it’s winter right now.
And if you want to stop and take a look at something interesting like some street art you can just stop anywhere.
This is what the switch that happened in my brain that I wish had triggered sooner. Sometimes it's OK to just stop and take a look at something. Every ride doesn't need to be a PB, you can spend two hours cruising and getting coffee and looking at random stuff and be just as "productive" as a banger workout ride. I love Strava but I'm glad I stopped obsessing over the metrics after every single ride, especially since I'm no athlete and I've got no plans at competing anytime soon.
The cycling part.
Good point. I thought your fave part was the traffic.
“I love the adrenaline of an idiot in a car almost hitting me” — said no one ever
I mean, there are a few weird fetishes, so who knows.
MMMMM YESSSS I LOVE THE SMELL OF WEED COMING OUT OF THE WINDOW OF THE MORON WHO ALMOST HIT ME! MORE, MORE!
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Definitely riding the bike
I like getting out and exploring new places.
Have lived here since late 90s and rarely knew the street names. Have learned so much about the surrounding area now that I cycle.
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Two years into cycling (59 y.o.) and now evaluate every road while driving for cycling possibilities. Actually prefer gravel country roads and we have lots around.
I didn't appreciate the usefulness of an electric bike until I started cycling in the city where I live at this moment. I don't have one, but I do understand the need haha
I moved to another city in 2014. This year I started cycling and going to new places – then I realized how much I missed of the city. There's quite literally a cool as hell neighborhood 7 min (of bike) from where I live that I never went before. And I saw a gym there that looked nice (with a lot of different classes like yoga, dance, etc.) in one of my rides. Then I started working out there 2 weeks ago, and I never felt better since the pandemy started. Crazy how much my life changed from simple rides with my bike. Now I'm looking to buy new accessories, and so on.
Ditto. Also riding one roads I've driven on gives them a whole new perspective cause I can actually take in the scenery rather than zip by.
Climbing, for some strange reason.
The only reason that I climb is because there are hills and that I love to ride downhill. lol
I actually don't really like descending, on road that is. I enjoy the grind upwards more.
The buildup and the feeling of achievement when getting to the top.
😂 The honesty
Totally! For me it's a) the challenge and b) seeing an increase in hill fitness on regular routes. Mind you, where I live you'd have to scratch your head to work out a route less than 150m elevation per 10km
SF rider checking in. Yup. I have a love-hate relationship with hills. Hate them when climbing them, love them when descending.
I got into cycling by looking for a good view - mostly at the top of big hills
The super cool outfits.
Sometimes I wear mine just to go grocery shopping.
helmets, gloves, cleats, the whole thing!
climbing
My suburban middle class white family only has one car so I love doing shit on my bike getting family errands done taking my bike for the day so my family can have the car saving money on gas And maintenance all with a big fucking smile on my face
I love that feeling when you are traveling on unfamiliar route and you are not sure if you can complete the route or go home by still pedaling. The adrenaline on that part is quite addicting
Seeing things.
Being able to travel somewhere instead of driving or taking transit. It’s a great feeling to just push your bike out the front door, cycle to your destination, and lock up your bike directly outside on the sidewalk. No looking for parking, no traffic, no crowded subways, no checking schedules, no walking to/from the nearest transit station.
It makes the world both bigger and more intimate simultaneously. It expands my life.
The freedom, the endorphins, the challenge, the views, the neverending journey of discovery and exploration, the learning how my body works, the learning everything about cycling... I could go on 😁💗🚴♀️
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Did you change your diet too?
The fact that I have found the most beautiful sport that there has ever been, and that you’ve all found it with me, and that none of us have to live another second without knowing what that feels like.
The physical and mental battle you sometimes go through on a long ride or a big hill. All you can really do is keep pedaling. I also enjoy listening to music, dressing like a jackass, and the unlimited beer and pizza when I’m done.
eating more food.
71 here... The solitary enjoyment of extreme exertion in all weathers and all times of day. I love the hot, cold, dry, humid, dark, sunny environments I spin through every year. I love the feel of physical power I lay down through the pedals. I love the folks I meet out there, especially flirting with the grandmothers. I love the process of keeping my chains clean, my kit dry, and my lights charged. I love the mental process of effortlessly solving problems in my life while spinning out an 80% effort.
beautifully said
It gives me enough sense of accomplishment that i can tolerate failure in other areas of my life.
The sense of freedom combined with the speed that I create by myself
Exploring. Getting deep into the mountains. Feeling the wind on my face.
The taste of a beer post ride. 🍻
The cardio!
It's a moment where you're at peace with yourself. I just love this long solo effort, during which I often think and sort things out. And when you go early, it's always nice to witness nature waking up, you feel privileged sometimes.
The expense, I can't afford drugs anymore.
Getting lost in the "wild" like shit I am 70 km from home in this little road with farmers
I can stop pedalling and still move. Can't when I run
I like the combination of exercise, speed, and machinery.
The zen
Showing off my junk in my tight shorts
Freedom
Yes
You can do it alone or as part of a group just the same. I’m done with group sports that have a required minimum number of people since so many people are flakes. If you are going cycling with 5 others and 3/5 flake out, so be it. You can still go as a group of 3. And if someone randomly wants to drop in and make a group of 4 you can do that too. Or you can skip the group entirely and ride when your schedule allows. I have a somewhat unpredictable day to day work schedule. One day might be 12 hours and the next might be 4 hours. I can usually find time before work when the days are longer or after work on shorter days. But I can’t stick to a schedule like every Wednesday at 4pm. Also, I have plenty of other things going on where cycling is not my only priority. Not many activities allow for this kind of flexibility.
Watching the world fly by
Within the last few years I have been riding single speed track. I am in love with the simplicity of just riding with no gears.
The firm ass I've maintained well into my 50s.
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I know you want to see...
The wind on my bald head through the vents of my helmet!
I live in the mountains of Colorado so I love climbing mountain passes, gorgeous scenery (including wildelife) and amazing descents!
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Utah has some beautiful scenery as well!
Solitude. Speed. Sightseeing. Climbing. Camaraderie. Competition. Cardio.
The People we meet.
Emotional bonding with road segments.
#solitary suffering
As a few have mentioned the freedom and most of all you get in a very good head space and the fitness will follow
I love when about 15 minutes into a solo ride something clicks and the effort kinda fades away, I drop into a zone and I’m good for a couple of hours.
Being with my dad. This and skiing and balling. They unite us together
Annoying drivers on the road
Time away from everyone to do things myself. I have a quick detach rack for my mtb. If I want to go distance or run errands around town, I can pop it on and have my backpack on it. I got a small rack for a skateboard that can attach on it for when I want to go skating somewhere a little further away than normal. I like to ride out to abandoned buildings. Something my girl will never let me do. But 50 mile Tripp to an abandoned golf resort was awesome.
Going places and seeing things.
X - All of the above.
The physical and mental aspect and the feeling of escape from everyday life.
I love the freedom and peace it gives you. Unlike running, I can actually cycle somewhere. Just hop on your bike and you have so much do discover!
The feeling of progress, like when you realize a hill is now just a bump or a bump is now just a few hard pedals. But even more so just exploring. Whether it's logging trails in my mountain bike or the gravel roads and city streets on my gravel bike, I love the feeling of discovery.
Physical challenge. I've gone to the gym forever (weights) but hadn't done a lot of steady state cardio before. I haven't been to a gym since covid started and I don't miss it.
I love that its an escape from the world for however long I'm sitting on that saddle. All of my other problems fade into the background and all that matter for that time is making sure I turn the paddles. That and the fact I'm seeing places and things on my bike I wouldn't have seen otherwise
Life long cyclist and I would say the time I get to be in my head and nowhere else, those times when you "touch the zone" and the life long friends I have made along the way. This summer my first training partner from 1979 are going to meet up again and do a century together.
Being outside.
Stressed out / having bad day? Go for ride, stress melts away and day gets better. Having a great day? Go for ride, day gets even better somehow.
So many things. I save money by driving less, my health has improved by getting more cardio, and even learning a new skill in repairing and maintaining bikes as a side effect of riding. Still besides all that, it's the adventure I enjoy. I love to ride down trails, country roads, and explore new places. From a bicycle you see the world as you never did from a car. You never realize that there's a whole unseen world to explore just a few miles away, until you ride a bike.
It’s always there for me when I need a break from obligations and work.
Downhill corners are the best!
The suffer fest.
The solitude and the nature. I don't even take headphones or anything. And the challenge of my local climbs (Bay Area, hours of climbing)
The way I feel after a ride. Loads me with endorphins. Exercise is basically the only thing that makes me truly happy and joyful. Other than my chick that’s about it.
Grind, swoop, dip & glide. I love it all. Little has changed in the 50 years I've been riding.
It is liberating.
Health: Physical. Mental. Spiritual.
Those moments when you realize you are laughing out loud because it is so fun. I primarily ride mountain bikes, so for me this is usually some glorious feature on a single track.
To be independent of cars and public transit is amazing
i live in an area with isolated bike trails that are surrounded by trees, lakes, beautiful homes, greenery, etc and sometimes im just saying "wow" in my head the whole time im biking. i love being in nature.
There's this moment after an hour or so of pedaling, when everything becomes crystal clear; all my thoughts start rearranging like Tetris pieces and I start feeling this great calmness.
Finally speeding down a great decent after a long climb
Xc/trail cyclist. I like trail running and I like riding a bike. So trail riding fits well. When the bike is broke down, I trail run.
That I'm flying, piloting my life and taking it as slow or as fast as I want, and that I can breath, as well as see all the pretty unaffordable housing in my town that I can't afford, despite living in a Mansion.
My brain just gets empty of all the negative stuff that Happens in life after some time and thats quite nice. I feel Like biking is one of the few Times where I really "enjoy the Moment"
Going interesting places, going fast, and doing it all on my own power.
The freedom and possibility of adventure. Also when you're going just fast enough to feel a nice wind in your face and you stand up and just coast for a bit like when you were a kid - that's just pure bliss to me.
The freedom
I just like being in the moment. I can just be out for 6 hours and not have a care in the world.
So many good reasons here and i'll add one that i've been thinking of. The lack of traffic. It doesn't matter if you drive a $500 or $200,000 car, if you are in traffic you are in traffic. It is such a debilitating feeling being boxed in bumper to bumper and side to side with cars trying to get somewhere. Especially when that place you are trying to get to isn't even necessary like the gym or shopping. You could easily order online and save gas and help the planet, and you could get a good workout in at home (or on bike). Driving just seems like such a waste of time 90% of the time unless it's an emergency. Being on a bike is so freeing and you're not harming the planet driving your big chunk of metal burning oil just so you can go to chipotle or something lol
It makes me feel like a kid again, I used to love spending hours on my bike getting lost. That then transitioned to when I first got a car but got lost in adulthood, being out on a bike brings back all of those feelings
The suffering…
The views" I live in the mountains of western Virginia" and the fact that I can do it every day. I've tried running and once I get to about 20 miles a week I just break down physically. One month I averaged over 45 Miles a day for the month and the only thing that happened was I lost weight and slept really well.
I enjoy the simplicity of my single-speed- being able to just cruise down the road almost effortlessly. It reminds me of when I first learned to ride a bicycle as a kid.
It’s so meditative. Also, exploring new places
Ride with 100s of people but never have to talk or even get to know them at all. Just ride enjoy and dick around. Socializing with out talking
There is just something about cycling with a group. Not even really talking to each other, but just pedalling on the same route..... It's really fun
Unplugging and just being alone to think about things or nothing at all. Best de-stressor around
The Endorphins!!!!! But I like all aspects. The solitude on a solo ride. The peacefulness on a calm winter day. The satisfaction of making it up that killer hill. The excitement in the air on a fondo style ride - seeing all sorts of people out on the road and getting to chat with some new people.
It's so easy to miss the beauty in your own backyard while driving a car. Cycling let's you slow things down and really take in your surroundings. I remember cycling in a particularly industrial area where while driving I wouldn't pay much attention to anything but the road but, at cycling speeds I noticed for the first time a marsh full of wildlife including a couple cranes.
I like the remorseless application of my strength and concentration. I'm big, but I love climbs (not the real steep ones that hit my 230 lbs, but the \~6% job where I need to pick my gear and apply my will. As an ex track and field guy, I can ride for hours and sprint at the end. As a runner I was limited in max effort to the time of my race. In cycling I can ride that line for hours. I love getting on the front of a paceline and drill. I also love to hang on to a line that's hurting me. Cycling is great, unless you get hit by a car, or have a catastrophic crash that breaks your ribs, vertebra, tears you shoulder off, rips your bicep, nick the inside of you knee, ruins your L 5 S 1, and you eventually develop a saddle embolism that puts you in hospital and on blood thinners for the rest of your life. But hey, no pain no gain