Keeping fit in Isaan?

[chuck holmes]

11 hours ago, Tagged said:

Find the closest Muay Thai gym, best way to keep fit. If not,

built a home gym with your needs. With a bit creativity and a rack you can do quite a bit.

 

Not so expensive

http://www.gymware.com/strength_home_power_rack.html

Running in your village or walking is the best not stuck inside somewhere. I have several outside workout centers and a huge walk path next to the river. But walking or running is the best you can meet people and practice your Thai.

[Khon Kaen Jeff]

So you have no gyms (and presumably nothing else civilised) it's too hot to go out, and if you do you get hassled, yet you are forever on here telling us all you are living the dream? sounds like a nightmare to me.

[SteveK]

I spent around 15 years hitting the free weights 3-4 times a week and was lifting some pretty heavy weights before my gym started to continually ramp up the rates so I quit completely. I reckon I could get back into it if I bought some weights but I will be looking at burning fat rather than gaining strength this time. Next time I'm in Ubon I will see if I can find somewhere that sells second hand bicycles.

[GreasyFingers]

Cycling, gyms, weights, you guys need to get a life. Go rent a couple of rai, clean it up by hand , dig ditches so it drains during the rainy season, dig out the weeds and then mow the grass every week. Just had the Tourist Police today doing an inspection on behalf of Immigration and they reckon I look 10 years younger than I am.

Unfortunately the body does not agree with them.

[ancharee]

Battle ropes, walking, and light weights.

[Alex2554]

Kali Muscle spent seven years in San Quentin prison. He would train daily to build himself up more. One day the prison guards came and took away the weights. Later as a result of weights being confiscated, he taught himself how to work out in his cell without weights. 

[Tagged]

3 hours ago, chuck holmes said:

Running in your village or walking is the best not stuck inside somewhere. I have several outside workout centers and a huge walk path next to the river. But walking or running is the best you can meet people and practice your Thai.

Walking, running and cycling in Isan? Good luck.

 

For men passed 45, waight training and serious muai thai is the key!

[Hanuman2547]

6 hours ago, SteveK said:

Finding a half decent bike will be the next issue - they're all generic type Chinese garbage here. I want something reasonably good quality and lightweight. I used to have a BMC bike back in the UK and it was excellent.

Perhaps a trip to Bangkok is in order to find the bike that you need.  They carry all the big name brands there, Specialized, Giant, Trek, etc.  There are a number of good bike shops there as well.  There is also a facebook group for buying and selling used bikes and bike parts in Thailand.

[55Jay]

You could knock out a series of calisthenics at home on the patio as well as the walking and dumb bells.  My little program takes about 1.5-2hrs.  But yeah, running/walking here can be a pain due to dogs and vehicle traffic.  I used a treadmill when we lived out in the village.  Not as enjoyable but better than potential rabies shots.

[TroyC]

I normally cycle around 10 hours a week when im in the UK and maintain very high fitness with it. When im in Thailand i have a fairly decent spin bike which i bought in Udon Thani for about 12,000thb and use this in the air con spare room in our house. Using this with a heart rate monitor and following some good interval based workouts on youtube will keep your cardio tip top. I have now bought some powermeter based pedals which i use on the spinbike, so i can now use full interactive cycling apps like Zwift, which not only allows me to do more structured training, but even ride with my mates back in the UK. This combined with plenty of early morning walks, and just buying a cheap pull up bar from Lazada and doing reps everyday keeps me in optimum fitness. 

[swissie]

Brings back memories of my "early days" in the sticks. All Thai-Neighbors doing back-breaking work daily and now there comes a Farang, walking around early in the morning without need (having a motorbike).
It got amusing when I hit a well travelled road: Thai's stopping, wanting to give me a ride (vehicule must have broken down). Upon telling them, that I do this because for me it's "Sabai and Sanuk", definitely confirmd to them that Farangs are fundamentally strange people.

Stopping at the local Store/Restaurant/Gambling Establishement for breakfast, making the mistake of feeding scraps/leftovers to the village dogs. Soon I was as popular among the village-dogs as any rock-star in the "west". Eventually, my "Fan-Club" had to be dispursed by the owner of the store with the help of a water hose and a heavy broom.
All of this only because a Farang wanted to stay "fit".

As said, this all dates back to my "early days" in the sticks. A time when in certain remote corners of Thailand a Farang and his ways were still an exotic rarity.
Tempi Passati, regrettably.

[shy coconut]

21 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Perhaps just ignore the old ladies, or tell them you're exercising by walking - that should confuse them as it's the last thing Thais do!

 

The cycling's a good idea.

Yeah, just get up early if you don't like the heat. I go out perhaps five times a week and cycle 35km per time, the heat doesn't bother me at all, I love it! 
It's my wife who tells me to go cycling early to avoid the heat, I tell her I'm not scared of the sun like she is.

I stayed in a hotel in Lat Krabang for a few nights as it was handy for the airport regarding

International and domestic transfer....

 

Anyway, the hotel backed into a park with a big lake, surrounding this lake was a jogging, walking

and cycle track. Early morning and after nightfall there were hundreds of Thais using the 

facilities, I must admit to being surprised as I had a preconception that it wasn't something

that the locals partook in.

 

There's a park in Naklua near where the baht busses turn around where there are mass

aerobic sessions held. Young and old all joining in enthusiastically.

 

I guess the whole point of this ramble is that you are incorrect to say that walking,

is exercise in general is the last thing that Thais do.

[Tomahawk21]

i live in pattaya thinking of buying a mountain bike just for a bit of fun/ exercise, anyone have any ideas as to what sort of bike i should buy ? dont want a cheap peace of <deleted> but on the other hand dont want to spend a fortune. i have no idea as to frame or wheel size or weight of bike i should get.

thx

[Tomahawk21]

7 hours ago, Tagged said:

Walking, running and cycling in Isan? Good luck.

 

For men passed 45, waight training and serious muai thai is the key!

yes muay thai is great been doing it for about 5 years now but at 63 my ankles have started to play up and cant walk for 2 or 3 days after so had to give that up.  

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, shy coconut said:

I stayed in a hotel in Lat Krabang for a few nights as it was handy for the airport regarding

International and domestic transfer....

 

Anyway, the hotel backed into a park with a big lake, surrounding this lake was a jogging, walking

and cycle track. Early morning and after nightfall there were hundreds of Thais using the 

facilities, I must admit to being surprised as I had a preconception that it wasn't something

that the locals partook in.

 

There's a park in Naklua near where the baht busses turn around where there are mass

aerobic sessions held. Young and old all joining in enthusiastically.

 

I guess the whole point of this ramble is that you are incorrect to say that walking,

is exercise in general is the last thing that Thais do.

Perhaps 'being seen' doing this is in a group more important than getting on and doing it by yourself - walking locally to go somewhere for instance?

 

[Andycoops]

I walk around 4 to 5 kms everyday and sometimes cycle 1st thing around 6am.

Then I do some gardening.

You'll be surprised at how fit it keeps you.

I used to get the same reaction from the locals but after several years no one takes any notice of me now.

I am in a small Isaan village too.

[thequietman]

On 10/1/2019 at 7:14 AM, colinneil said:

Exercising in Issan easy, i go jogging cycling, weight lifting, plus several other activities.????

Yes i wish.

Everywhere i go, people around the village call after me where you go?

Me having a twisted sense of humour call back, i am going to see my Mia Noi.

Why don't you just buy a rowing machine .......... and then just, drift. ????

[thaiguzzi]

On 10/1/2019 at 6:43 AM, SteveK said:

Cycling seems like a good idea but unless you go first thing in the morning it's just too hot.

You have your answer.

Living in the countryside here, there is no excuse NOT to get up early.

Best part of the day.

Do like the Thais, early to rise, early to bed.

I like to get up around 6-6.15 because i'm lazy (5.30-5.45 would be better), and try and get everything done work or exercise wise done by 11.30, before it gets too hot.

I ride my trials bikes for exercise, 45-60 minute session, 2-3 times a week, want to be finished by 8.30. Latest.

Walking thru my rubber plantations can be later because there is good shade.

 

 

[bluesofa]

12 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Why don't you just buy a rowing machine .......... and then just, drift. ????

I always thought from his posts, Colin was a one-man 'rowing' machine - using the other pronunciation of the word.

[gearbox]

20 hours ago, SteveK said:

Finding a half decent bike will be the next issue - they're all generic type Chinese garbage here. I want something reasonably good quality and lightweight. I used to have a BMC bike back in the UK and it was excellent.

You can buy a bike online from the Bangkok shops, they'll ship it to you for around 500 baht. Let's Bike shop was sending me 50% offers on LINE for a few Cannondale bikes in the last few days - e.g Quick 4 Hybrid for 12500 baht.

[DJ54]

Go to nearest small city. They had two hear one burned

down when most block was on fire..take a look around maybe tucked away

[Nemises]

Treadmill inside your house in air conditioned comfort is the answer...whilst watching your favourite TV show/movie/sporting event or listening to your favorite music. No more dangerous soi dog issues, no more unbearable heat and humidity, no more villagers laughing/talking about you and no risk of being hit on your bicycle by some drunk/drugged/distracted/unlicensed car driver or some reckless 10 year old village kid on a motorbike.

[johnmell]

I bought an exercise bike for 2,700 baht from Lazada.Do 75 minutes on it early morning most days. In a year went from 95 kilos to 81, and no change in diet or beer consumption. Need use of a fan though.Good for mental health too.