Harvard professor debunks the ‘10,000 steps per day’ myth | Daniel Lieberman
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- Did you know treadmills were invented as prison torture machines? Modern exercise is confusing. Harvard professor Dan Lieberman sets it straight.
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Today, most of us tend to medicalize exercise, turning it into something that we “have” to do. Case in point: the treadmill. If our main goal was enjoyment, there’s no way we’d regularly spend 45 minutes walking in place on these expensive machines.
But our relationship with exercise - or, more generally, physical activity - was not always so discrete and joyless. For much of human history, people got plenty of physical activity by not only walking long distances, but also by doing activities that were both necessary and socially rewarding, like hunting, dancing, and sports.
Harvard biologist Daniel Lieberman argues it’s time to rethink our relationship with exercise, and to understand physical activity as a complex and integral part of human evolution. After all, while walking thousands of steps through the environment to find our next meal was a major part of our evolution, walking on the treadmill was not.
Read the video transcript ► bigthink.com/series/the-big-t...
0:00 Treadmill torture (really)
1:54 Exercise vs physical activity
2:40 Why exercise stresses us out
3:12 “Medicalizing” exercise
3:48 The 10,000 steps myth
5:02 Warrior origins of exercise
6:12 Aggression: Proactive vs. reactive
7:15 The anthropological view
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About Daniel Lieberman:
Daniel Lieberman is Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor of the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He received degrees from Harvard and Cambridge, and taught at Rutgers University and George Washington University before joining Harvard University as a Professor in 2001. He is a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Lieberman loves teaching and has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers, many in journals such as Nature, Science, and PNAS, as well as three popular books, The Evolution of the Human Head (2011), The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health and Disease (2013), and Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding (2020).
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I wouldn't say he debunked it. He explained and deconstructed it, but it was still relatively true in his own words.
yeah what a clickbaity title
i particularly bump this
You're exactly right. Total clickbait title and I think it's a dangerous thing to say. I just watched another video by an MD on youtube that corroborated the science based studies that 10k is in fact a good goal and not just an arbitrary number.
I'm wondering if "Big Think" did the title w/any imput from the Harvard guy. ie, they buy up a lot of educational vlogs, put a male torso in the clip for sexiness and use a click bait title and voila! they get hits. The guy by the way is an evoluttionary biologist and apparently has a nobel prize. I would think all biology is evolutionary but that's just me so his real discourse wasn't really from the point of view of whether doing 10k steps a day is a great way of trying to get in shape, it was from some more obscure argument he was making about why humans are shaped the way wer are. That's why it doesn't make sense. Maybe even Big Think gussied up his talk with all the clips of Hitler and other stuff too, Second BT vlog I've seen, going to avoid them from now on.
@@1122redbird I've re-watched it and realize now he's flogging a book, so that makes sense, that's why he's making the rounds of podcasts. So he does his thing, BT does their thing, everyone's happy. Either way, this just seems like a ramble about obvious things.
Totally deceiving title, absolute clickbait
Right. And there’s already a video from this guy with same information on this channel.
How so? He said that 10k steps is a myth, the important part is having some activity at all, but 10k steps a day is not the be all and end all.
@@TheMetalfreak360 About 30 seconds of this 8:13 video focused on that.
its like they didn't even have a point
Came here to say this. Haven't seen a more click bait title since buzzfeed
"I don't know anybody who really enjoys being on a treadmill."
But... I actually enjoy being on a treadmill... I get to listen to and organize my Spotify playlist while exercising. It's very therapeutic to me.
I am the opposite. I need to run in the woods or in out foothills. I need to get away from civilization. To each his own.
@@ben5073 both are good for me. Both have their own value, the treadmill especially in bad weather.
Isn't that his point though? You found something to occupy your mind that you actually enjoy while you're on the treadmill
I enjoy it too. I do walks while I watch movies, super cool. My ultimate goal is to ditch the sofa completely. LOL. That being said, there are days when I take walks outside. Thats also nice.
I wish I could enjoy the treadmill. I hate all those machines. I'd rather run in cold, snowy weather than get on the treadmill.
Do something is better than do nothing. Everything starts with the first step
Period!!! So many nerd to at least understand we are supposed to walk. Not die in a car
@@helpme100 Nerd stuff is fun though
True!
Yes, including the conquest of reichstag.
Unless you practise daoism in which case doing "nothing" is the highest state of existence. It's also the best way to combat the climate emergency.
"debunks" is basically the exact opposite of what he does in this video but ok
maybe for those few people who actually believed that it has to be 10k and fewer steps are far less beneficial
baha, exactly
Exactly. The whole point of the video seemed utterly useless. Is anyone limiting themselves to 10k?
He is basically just saying nothing.
lol yeah, just read the description, tells you everything you need to know.
Exercise equipment like treadmills are fine if you live in an environment where you can't go outside for certain periods of time.
or if you have prior injuries that mean that running on uneven or hard surfaces over extended periods of time can be dangerous. I find the treadmill with a bit of spring is wonderful for my cardio whilst kind on my knees.
@@robertwilliamross1389 Or if you live where I do: when it's summer they are great.
@@robertwilliamross1389 or summer, if you live in a very hot & humid place
Yup, watched this while running on the treadmill haha
He was talking for 8 minutes but didn't really say anything.
He hasn't debunked anything.
A professional bullshitter.
Noting substantive, to be sure, but in the interest of fairness, he said 'exercise is not fun' roughly 15 times in the first 5 min
I found much of what was said fascinating :/
There was plenty of information there.
I was told at a young age "Use or Lose It" or "Always keep moving" which both grandma's would say. The one who kept to these lived almost to 100 while the other was shy by 20 years. This rule seems to be true for my parents as well.
I believe Harvard just released finding that cancer patients on chemotherapy that exercised / forced themselves to move had a 63% survival over those who did not move.
Yep it's quite obvious. My mom is the most sedentary person of my extended family, she has several auto immune diseases and has had cancer twice at the age of 60, meanwhile her older siblings are much more active then her, still going on multiple day hikes, jogging or cycling almost everyday, they look vibrant and have no major chronic illness or cancer. With that said, my grandma has lived to 90 despite being obese and never doing any kind of exercise at all.
I remember Banana George from when I was a kid. Guy was a barefoot water skier at Epcot or some other place in Florida. He was in his 80s I think and was still out there barefoot water skiing on a daily basis putting on shows. The only reason he was able to get out there every single day and do that was because he got out there every single day and did it. I think the guy lived to like 100 before he kicked it. Probably enjoyed those final years a lot more than most would have because he was still fit enough to move around and actually live.
While an active lifestyle is certainly a good thing, there might be a confusion between cause and consequence here: maybe the healthier patients or those with less complications or side effects found it easier to be active. I've seen a lot of cancer patients through work, and some just can't focus on activity, some have serious side effects of their treatments and need all their energy just to get through that.
@@hannahschneyder6651 agreed, plus chronic pain of any type can make exercise much less appealing. I used to walk, hike, was always on the move, before arthritis, and now i lay in bed in the mornings willing myself to get up because my joints hurt before i've even started to move. Yoga for the geriatric leaves me worse off for days after. I'm 47. It's not lookin good.
it's spelled "lose"
Straight forward message, very clear. Walk as much as you can, but you don't have to count. He is an advocate of exercise being a natural part of your day, and enjoying whatever you do.
absolutely mind blowing
thankyou for telling the answer in one line
Thanks for saving 8 minutes.
You don't have to count but there's nothing wrong with doing it if it entertains you.
Before watching past the first segment of the video, I hope he talks about our abysmal infrastructure and how our cities & suburbs aren't pedestrian / bike friendly at all. Treadmills are a symptom of a greater societal problem.
I recently found a new job in a small town and I google mapped some potential commutes to work in hopes I could walk or bike there. The one house for rent in the area which looked promising still requires you to cross a very unsafe, pedestrian unfriendly stroad in order to make it to the office. No thanks. I don't want to wait 30 minutes for the cross signal (if it works at all), while breathing in toxic fumes from cars, and fearing for my life in attempt to cross what might-as-well be a 6 lane highway given how reckless drivers are at these high speed intersections.
As much as I loathe it and wish we had pedestrian friendly infrastructure like they do in the Netherlands, I will be driving the 6 minutes everyday to work thank you for much and wasting oodles of dollars on a private vehicle which is designed to destroy our neighbourhoods & planet in the process.
Nobody has ever said less with as many words as this man does here
Finally someone. Didn t Unterstand at all how someone thought it was worth uploading
felt the same way.
(LOL)Jordan*cough*Peterson(/LOL)
@@sartori69 I feel ya 😂 😭 but I love him though
Kamala Harris beats him
No man. It's not the TV that's making me not walk. It's the freaking way my city was built. I always feel like I might get run over by a car if I cross a giant intersection. (It's almost happened a few times already.) I could technically walk to the grocery store that's only a 3 minute drive away BUT there's no sidewalk to get there. 🙃
Absolutely agree. It takes me 2 HOURS!! to walk a 7-minute drive. It's insane and a waste of time to try to walk around the city.
so don't listen that clown and walk/run on a treadmill, without being hit by car, without dirty smog air. Treadmill is better for the joins too.
We stupidly built everything for cars. People are happier in places that are more walkable.
@@Umil-25-01 the difference to 99% of the european cities.
I live in completely walkable city, but like many others people here, I prefer to drive. Urbanistic videos about ''bad'' planning in the US vs Europe recently became popular, but I don't think planning is a main reason for phisical inactivity. It's just a modern way of living. I believe many of the people who think that they would walk like crazy 24/7 if they would live in the walkable place just try to find excuse for themselfs.
I use a treadmill because it's hard for me to walk outside in the winter. I fall too easily, and am getting to the age where falls are particularly hazardous.
As long as you found your way to be active.
Pick up a VR headset imo. I live in a very cold wintery place and the days I can't get outside to run I use my headset to do boxing and stuff. Serves as a nice fill in exercise day and it's actually fun. The treadmill for me has just never been fun.
@@Thezuule1 Shadow boxing is free, doesn't require some tech gimmick, other than a mirror.
@@-whackd Yes but boxing in VR is more fun than shadowboxing. You can also play table tennis or other games and have fun with other people.
@@-whackd VR is just fun though. There's a dozen games I play regularly that make for great exercise and it's a lot more fun than shadowboxing in a mirror.
I think he's talking about the people who exercise for the sake of something. Like lifting weights to look good without a shirt and hitting the treadmill to lose weight, etc. Although this might be true for some people, others, myself included, LOVE to exercise. Lifting weights can be a hell of a challenge, while I"m doing it, I could tell myself, "man what am I doing." But once the session is over, I feel so relaxed and so happy. Being stronger also helps me do a lot of daily stuff.
Exactly. When he said he never met anybody anjoying the treadmill I knew this is bshit. I crawled out of serious deepression with panic attacks thanks to some heavy lifting, the doctor in emergency have recommended. Other not so smart doctros were prescribing the pills that make you feel better but drag you into the dark abbyss.
Excercise is the best legal and beneficial drug out there.
I don't always love the run, but I love how I feel after and what it does for me.
@@randystebbins5733 100%, Ill push out 5 or 6 miles on the treadmill, and feel like I took some kind of mood enhancement drug after. I feel focused, calm, less stress, and over all just feel amazing. Love cardio, but I also get the same benefits from my weight liftings as well. Its a drag going into the gym but once I start that first exercise, my mind does a 360, and now I don't wanna leave. 🤣
@@WovenSilver902 Yes! I sometimes have a hard time getting out the door, but once I'm into it, and when I'm done, I feel so much better. Being a person who is prone to some depression, I agree about the mood enhancing part. Running is a great way to lift depression. Although, you're a better man than I. I hate treadmills:)
The feeling after exercise is the adrenaline decreassing and the body is glad the inflammation is over. All exercise apart from walking is inflammatory simple as look at nature you don't see lions in a gym. We over eat and eat the wrong diet then punish ourself to loose weight go gym. Gain man made muscles for no reason what so ever.
This whole video makes the assumption that everyone hates going on the treadmill. I love walking on the treadmill. It's relaxing. Aiming for 10,000 steps has helped incredibly with my fitness and made exercise a habit. Bashing the 10,000 steps a day thing makes no sense to me
It also makes the assumption people are in a reasonable place to walk. Sometimes weather/climate and safety issues mean a person can't go walk outside. The 10,000 steps number I heard was made up by Japanese advertisers and is not scientific but it seems like a good mental goal for people strive to to make sure they walk more. I wish I didn't watch this video
@@MaxxRemKing1 10,000 steps isn't even that big of a goal
@@MaxxRemKing1 He didn't "bash" it. He just said where it came from and actually admitted it's a pretty good goal to aim at.
But it was always prefaced with a "but". The but being that there is no exact number that magically makes you more fit. But no duh! It's such a stupid thing to nitpick.@@buziek101
Also it's literally in the title that this is what the video is trying to emphasize.@@buziek101
What was the point of this video?!?
For you to think more deeply. Read the book.
Without having watched the video its still save to say that any kind of exercise that makes you move is better than no exercise.
That is the exact risk of these videos. People who hate exercise will watch the first minute and conclude that exercise was devised to be a form or torture, therefore I wont do it.
True and imagine, you didn't even go to fancy Harvard.
"Exercise is not fun its like taking your medicine".
I can't properly put into words how much I disagree with this. I LOVE exercise. Is it hard? of course it is, but I love every minute of it. I lift weights 6 days per week and do 2 hours incline walking on my home treadmill (daily).
Exercise is by far one of the best parts of my day. The health benefits just make me love it even more.
You missed the point there, to most people it aint fun, like far from it, but it's very much needed. Guy didn't talk about you, but about MOST people out there who don't see exercise as something that's important.
@@vladimird5280 oh, I must have been mistaken due to the fact that he said “exercise is not fun it’s like taking your medicine” he could easily have preceded that statement with “for most people”, but he didn’t.
You’ll have to forgive me
His speaking in generalisation.
I love weight lifting but hate yoga. I hate long distance running but love sprinting.
I only love certain exercise.
And most people need to find one they like or can be consistent with. Walking would be one of them.
@@nolungesplease2945 You’re totally right and sweeping generalisations are rarely correct.
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve find the kind of exercise that you love and are happy to do consistently
I wish I could buy some of your enthusiasm! To me exercise is like brushing teeth, just maintenance, but I pretty much hate it and always have. Even as a kid I did everything to get out of school sports, I hated it so much. I can't even watch any sports without falling asleep in 2 seconds. 😅
Working out in the gym is way less of a torture that listening to this guy talking so much without saying anything
listened at 2X but still a waste of time.This is how these guys talk when they think they are smart and everyone else is an idiot.
Word
eat less + work more + drink more water + stay away from stress = healthy body.
Niceee ya righttt
Intermittent fasting and moderate physical activity and Yoga
Stress free in 2022 ?? Good luck lol
Then...how to do it?
Eat less is so vague, less of what? The more you exercise the more you'll need to eat. More useful is eat less processed foods and eat more whole foods.
let me summarize the video because the guy, as someone else stated, found the longest way to say the idea. just don't count. walking is natural, so you don't need to count how many steps you take, you just need to make sure you do it. i have no idea how he "debunked" this when all he said was that you shouldn't count. he didn't debunk that 10k steps a day is good for you.
He debunked it by sayin it was an arbitrary number, also said that eventhou it is arbitrary it is a good goal but it isn't the optimal or not optimal goal depends on the person.
People are always too hung up on these things like 10k steps a day, instead of focusing on the trip itself for example. That is what I did, plan trips outside and just try to enjoy myself and really take in the nature and everything around me, made me not even realize I have walked a ton, before when I was hyper focused on getting within those 10k steps, I tended to simply hating it in itself and tended to not actually getting there.
It is good to have goals, but goals can also overshadow whatever you are doing to the point it gets detrimental, where if you ever don't reach that goal, you might end up blaming yourself, thinking you are not good enough etc.
Keep it simple as just getting out, and down the line set bigger goals, important thing is simply to get outside more often, even just a trip to the grocery and walking and carrying everything back instead of using the car is a step in the right direction.
In Europe it's extremely easy to do 10k steps, just go food shopping, then walk your dog a few times in the day, you did 10k...
Thats so american, having to plan to be active lmao we shouldnt have to put so much time aside. Plus its diet that matters most lol, and America certainly doesnt want you eating healthy unless you can afford it. Support walkable policy and food advocates so it becomes more convenient.
@@MrMadalien in America it’s very easy to do 10,000 steps as just a dog owner but on Mars, it’s hard to do any steps.
@@mic_at_nite It is American what I am saying? Even though you see this mentality everywhere?
Also, depending on your life, yes, you have to plan. Let's say you have a family and a desk job, you almost have no time left in the day to be active if you aren't in a place where it is convenient to walk/use bicycle and you are forced to use a car. So you have to plan a day out on the mountains/forest or maybe set up a day for the gym in the week.
It can be important for busy people especially.
For me on the other hand, I live close to the town center and forest, so I am just going on walks whenever. I am lucky that I live in a place that are close to everything I need + I can literally step outside and I am in a forest here in Europe, but for many that is simply not a thing.
"Diet that matters the most" for weight control and loosing weight, yes. But walking and other activities help in matters besides weight. Not sure why this was brought up.
Agreed! Humans just need to move more in general. Walk instead of driving somewhere if you can and not pressed for time.
I'm not even sure what I was supposed to get out of this.
For me the real advantage to the treadmill is doing intervals. If my schedule has me doing speed work like eight 400's at 6 minute mile pace (I'm 64) with a jogging 400 in between each one, the advantage of the treadmill is that if I put it at 10 MPH, I HAVE to keep up. On the track I can dog it and miss my pace. On the treadmill, I can't. If I don't keep up, it's gonna spit me off the back.
You’re 64 and run 6’s??? What kind of sorcerer are you?
Pretty impressive that you're doing 6 minute pace for 400 intervals. However, I much prefer to be on the track doing my intervals. If I dog it on the track, then I am letting myself down. Also, on the track you learn to run the pace you want by feel. That is so important if you are racing.
I found this clip very helpful. I use a Fitbit and aim for between 10, 000 and 15, 000 steps a day. I have noticed that once I push past 20 000 steps in a given day my body starts to tell me I may have overdone it.
Fitbit is rubbish. The Charge 3 I had was not fully developed and debugged before being put on the market. Screen failed all the time. Gave up in the end and went with Huawei products. So much better.
Whenever I need to carry something heavy I just walk around 10000 steps hoping the thing will move.
@@marviwilson1853 my charge 4 has lasted multiple years, and their excellent sleep tracking has been vastly helpful when dealing with chronic health issues, so experiences vary.
I love the treadmill. Nothing clears the head like an exhausting run on the mill while listening to blaring music. Good bye, depression!
I don't know what I learned from this.
Ffind your way to be active and not stick to a random number.
I know each step is not equal. I also know that to accomplish anything, you have to have a goal. If 10,000 steps are your goal, that's awesome when you attain it. Any work you do towards accomplishing your goas is "step" in the right direction.
A lot of people exercise and run on treadmill as a form of therapy. Some people also live in an environments that are too cold or too hot for daily walks. It really comes down to your personal preferences, some people enjoy walking some enjoy listening to podcasts while running on a treadmill.
It’s hilarious how many of you didn’t even actually watch the video. Yeah at first he sounds like he’s saying that walking just sucks (and I almost came down here to say wtf is he talking about) but if you watch a bit further all he’s really saying is that there’s nothing special about the 10k step amount. He says that as long as you remain active it’s good, but there isn’t anything special about specifically hitting 10k steps because it’s just an arbitrary number.
There is something special about the 10k goal. Or at least 8 to 10k, according to the most recent large scale study that came out.
If his point is "don't berate yourself because you did a thousand less steps one day" then that is a meaningless point, because only an absolute ritard would berate themselves over that.
Amazing insight! Sound glad I wasted 8 minutes of my life to listen to a dude say absolutely nothing.
This could have been a 60 second video if all the unnecessary facts and clips are taken out and he just gets to the point
I often see the meme "Do people that run marathons know that they don't have to". To which my response is "Do people that sit on the couch all day consuming beer and pizza know that they don't have to".
I think this guy has missed the point of exercise completely. I'm not trying to achieve some magical number of steps or a societally accepted level of fitness. I exercise because it makes me FEEL good. As a byproduct, I'd like to think my elevated level of fitness/happiness makes me a nicer/better person in general.
Completely agree. Importantly, exercise makes me feel bad and then feel really good afterward. It is the act of overcoming an obstacle and feeling accomplishment that really gets me. I don't need someone telling me to "just chill and enjoy exercise", which you can tell by his appearance, is the attitude he takes towards it.
I do 4 miles per day and rarely miss a day.
He never met a person that enjoys exercise? Does he go out meeting people?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
No- he is all academic with a big ego. He acts like he knows it all, yet he has poor posture. Not someone I would take advise from.
He said he's never met anyone that enjoys running on a treadmill. Try listening more closely next time
@@jameswang3166 ok Wang. You sure look like a bodybuilder.
aha yeh exactly! i love doing yoga or doing stair runs
This guy should speak for himself. Sitting in a chair all day is not fun. I've never used a treadmill except out of curiosity. But I have had a regular running/walking routine since I was a college athlete 50 years ago. I do find it fun to exercise. I love the alone time where I can think without distraction. I enjoy the mind/body experience.
Nah, treadmills are fucking boring and a waste of time and money
@@_Tao__ I don't use them. But I can understand why some people would, especially if there is a foot of snow outside and 40 mph wind.. Don't pretend what you dislike everyone dislikes.
@@donjindra as someone that lives in upstate New York and absolutely loves running, those days are hell. I make a point to run any day it's clear enough to run without slipping and breaking something, but the days I cannot get out there I don't get on the treadmill. I just hate it.. I have a VR headset I use and those days end up being boxing or swordfights or whatever. That is at least fun, the dreadmill is just not lol.
@@Thezuule1 When I was in high school I ran 100 miles a week. Some winter mornings the weather was so bad I ran loops in our one car garage. I actually liked running in the snow and ice back then. I was so accustomed to running I didn't fall if I was careful.
Lol, he never said sitting down all day is good. Where are you getting this from? Did you watch the video? Also, he's not just some guy, he's professor of Paleoanthropology at Harvard ffs.
I use a treadmill for safety reasons. If I have a medical emergency, somebody will be there to call an ambulance.
Walking could be very helpful. If you walk 8,000 or 10,000 or more steps per day, the volume will expose any potential leg/knee weaknesses you have. Then you can find a way to deal with the problem earlier. The ability to walk is vital not only for health, but also could help you age gracefully.
That's a very good way of looking at it. I love walking myself.
Good point, that's exactly how i've wound up fixing major issues with my posture and gait. Very glad i'm working on them now age 35 than years down the line
how did he manage to say so little in 8 minutes
editor deserves a salary hike
I agree on one thing: Exercise is torture...that is why I only dance! I will take ballet classes forever. To me, ballet is not exercise , it is a soul moving experience that makes me feel alive. It is hard, undeniable, but being one with music, body feels like heaven. So let's dance ...and walk.
The way you feel about Ballet,
I feel about running 3-4 miles.
I just feel 1000× more a live while running and after running
I like to go on long hikes for 5-12 hours.
I think your just a part-time explorer at that point
So....
Where is the debunking?
First time that I got dumber faster.
Did the person labeling this video even watched it?
You are below average
I'm a teacher, 5'10", I used to be overweight 95kg-105kg. Then I bought a smart watch and started to observe step-counting. I lost 25kg in 3 months and that's all from trying to reach 10k steps a day goal, with weekends as 'rest-days'. No other exercizes, diet was the same. A month or two after I stopped the 10k steps obsession because it was tiring, my knees were tired, and I was getting 'skinny' and I didn't like that so I slowed down a little.
I wish everyone a safe journey to a healthier lifestyle. I now try to maintain 8k steps a day at least throughout the week and no longer hate moving. Use the counter to gauge where you are in terms of fitness but never use it to dictate your life!
p/s: fatigue always stopped me from 'exercising'. I was always tired because of one thing or another. Step counting helped and is still helping me understand if I was getting tired because of physical movement, mental demands, diet, or poor sleep.
bro you got fatigued bcz you didn't focus on a balanced diet (protein etc). Next time do like that and do lift some weight or just basic pushups. Your abs will pop out in no time and you will be a chick magnet.
@KzeeTay Especially happy to hear that you listened to your body and didn't over do it or hurt your knees.
Does anyone know what music plays at the end of the video and if so would you please tell me? I really like it, but soundhound couldn't identify it :(.
I guess I'm one of those people that love to exercise. I look actually look forward to it. It's because of how great I feel afterwards, it releases endorphins, destroys anxiety, and it puts depression in the lost and found section of my brain. I'll be exercising for fun till the day I die.
Same. I guess many people hate going to the gym and that's why it never becomes a habit, but I genuinely love it.
I do enjoy a treadmill, but I do my walking out in nature
Me too, folks just need to find an activity they love, like hiking or swimming or dancing or whatever floats your boat. I think many just aren't creative enough, and see advertising for gyms or equipment and think that's what they are supposed to do. Not so! Exercise can be anything that gets you moving
It's a matter of repetition.
This guy is not helping matters by repeatedly saying "exercise is not fun", "No one likes to exercise". For someone who calls himself a scientist he's being very obtuse.
@@ariefchristophelsaragih3513 He does NOT say this. Not even once. Go back and watch the video again. Check the transcript. You are misrepresenting what was said. Any negativity this professor expresses here is towards *treadmills,* or "so many modern forms of exercise," which, as he described, were literally invented to make prisoners lives more unpleasant. Most humans do NOT enjoy being on a human hamster wheel. There are far more fun and engaging activities that successfully exercise our bodies. When he describes exercise generally, he regards it as "healthy and rewarding."
It's interesting that you use "obtuse" here. "Obtuse" means lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect, not clear or precise in thought or expression... That could describe your own comment... But whatever, just review what was actually said. You are not alone here in misunderstanding this video. So many strange and inaccurate representations I see in these comments
I've never been able to drive - tried to learn a few times, but my brain's just not wired right. And it's honestly been more of a blessing than a curse. I walk every journey that's less than two miles, (unless I'm also carrying a butt-tonne of shopping, and even then, I'll still walk it if it's less than a mile,) so getting regular exercise is second nature to me. I've tried doing treadmill walking in a gym, but it bores the arse off me, even with tv screens all over the place - I'd much rather be outside, walking real places and getting somewhere.
driving is the most dangerous thing ppl do on a regular basis, also try kettlebells for training
I am actually confused by this video. I love walking and I love running on a treadmill and I think having a goal for each day means that I can ensure I get at least that many steps in each day - in my case 10,000. What was I supposed to get from that?
You have to watch his sequels "Nothing magic about 10,001 steps", "Nothing special about 10,002 steps" ... and so on. He's got infinity of them.
Rain, snow, cold and very hot.
That's why I use treadmills... way better than doing it outside in those conditions.
Wrong
The author doesn’t really have a point. He’s like, “do whatever or do nothing, don’t sweat about it”. That’s probably okay for someone at his age.
You have not listened carefully. Read Lieberman's book and pay attention
Not everyone can walk outside in a safe environment. Additionally, treadmill makes me feel great
This kind of stupid videos are bad for people, running is one of the best exercises there is and the treadmill is an excellent machine. I run ultramarathons and I use it. I advise you to watch professional running channels
@@emanuellandin7403 Why would anyone run ultra-marathons on a fucking treadmill? Sounds like the definition of the word 'dystopian'.
Sorry, I misread that you said you were running ultra marathons ON a treadmill. I guess you're not. I hope you're not.
@@danielk301 You should try to use your brain to interpret a message before writing.
Now that Covid is not as threatening I will mall walk since it is safe. We have too much dreary rain plus a homeless problem in Olympia
Along with the Y the mall is a safer place
No money so it is not for shpping, just a safer enviorment.
Also a suggestion. Intermitant fasting. It does keep the weight in check.
Interesting but it was kinda all over the place
Read the book
Living in Sweden and later moving to Qatar, I discovered the true value of treadmills. In Sweden, the harsh winter made outdoor running nearly impossible, while in Qatar, extreme weather posed its own challenges. Treadmills became my saviors, allowing me to keep running regardless of the conditions. Thankful for this indoor alternative! 🏃♀️💨
I never do cardio in the gym. It's mind numbingly boring. I go to the gym to lift. Adding 5 lbs to your benchpress is like doing a challenge run on Dark Souls. It's hard, but fun. I run/bike outside and play sports for cardio.
Like he said. Some is better than none, so keep the 10k goals
Is this some sort of comedy routine a Harvard professor has been working on since the 90s? It sounds like someone who has never had a fitness routine would say in order to justify why they don't like to work out.
Came here to learn more about exercise, came out feeling like Aristotle
When I was a runner I used treadmill during the week to train (lunch time). I never fell in love with it; just tolerating because it saved time. After I stopped running (I became a hiker) I hardly ever wanted to be on a treadmill (being on trail is 100x better). Now I swim everyday. It is 1000x better than treadmill:)
swimming is fine exercise though many people such as myself aspirate and develop bronchitis. for most of us, swimming ha its problems.
@@rlkinnardalso you need access to a pool that is large enough to actually exercise.
As a sociologist, this anthropologist makes some good points but doesnt answer any fundamental questions. If culture is the thing that forms our experience, and we form culture, then we need to use culture in ways that benefit people, not disadvantage them.
Perhaps he implies this, but to most non- social scientists, they will rarely come to this conclusion on their own with how much propaganda and false consciousness they've been inducted with.
I don't think most people do these things because it's good for us. I think they do it because of vanity - how they look or can look. So many people exercise because of an idea they have about how they want to look.
What was the tie in to types of aggression? I’ve noticed that these Big Think videos are edited in a way that tells you with music and stock videos that there is a clear message when in actuality these points are loosely connected. Im sure that has everything to do with the fact that this isn’t a full length discussion, but catchy phrases of the whole. I suppose going to the book would have to be the next step.
My husband and I walk around our community every morning before work. We get fresh air, clear our minds and activate our body. It's sometimes very boring, but we are commited. I think it is helpful. I always have energy, but if I have pain, I just let it go and let it run it's course. We don't always have control, but we have to allow our bodies to move at their own pace sometimes.
Whew, so glad to know I can stop worrying about 10,000 steps per day and do nothing instead.
Lol... walking 10000 steps on average during my day makes me feel much better. It's simply going from home to the tram (10min), then from tram to the office (15min), walking in the office throughout the day, having a walk with my spouse after work - we work near each other (30min), then walking to the shop for grocery shopping (another 30mins). Just being active instead of driving everywhere. I love Europe and walkable cities in general.
but it's so cold in eu?
@@TechnoViking__ ...where did you get that information from? Ever been to Spain? LMAO
Also, "EU" is the European Union, Europe is the name of the continent. Would you be happy if I called the continent of America the "US"?
@@youdonegoofed US is the Americas.
I do 10,000+ steps a day and much of that is on a treadmill, where I meditate, come up with my best ideas, even do my work instead of in front of a desk. It''s awesome. Anyone saying a treadmill is boring or torture probably says the same about yoga or meditation. This video looks like it's coming from someone who does none of the three and is as much a critique of exercise as an unhealthy person criticising a healthy diet.
Well, Harvard professor or not, I beg to differ. I was 407 lbs. over 2 years ago. I do intermittent fasting 20/4 and walk over 15,000 daily. I went from 407lbs. to 252lbs. in almost 2 years. So intermittent fasting and 15,000 steps helped me lose weight and get healthier. As a professor, you need to do further research because it works, for me.
He didn't say it doesn't work. The problem is the title is pure clickbait.
i don’t think he said it didn’t work. i think that it’s hard to lose it if you keep calculating it. but you obviously went beyond that and worked hard which is difficult for many to do. so congratulations 🍾 on your discipline and your progress!! it truly is amazing and hopefully many, including myself, can get to that point
It wasn’t the steps it was the fasting I work 16 hours a day I take more than 15000 steps a day and didn’t loose weight until I focused on my eating habits
@@vigeefvg it's entirely both. It's a simple equation with a lot of variables inside each part. Calories in VS calories out. Anything you do that increases the energy your body uses in the course of a day counts. Any food you eat or didn't eat counts. Any steps you take or didn't take count. If you eat 300 calories of a sandwich and you run 300 calories of a couple miles your body needs as much energy as the sandwich to accomplish the feat of running two miles. You're not a perpetual motion machine. That energy has to come from somewhere. Either the sandwich or your fat stores. Fasting simply forces your body to use fat stores more because you keep your blood sugar levels relatively depleted. Another solution to this is just doing aerobic cardio where your body will primarily burn fat simply because that's how your body has evolved to work. If you keep your heart rate below 150 or so (depending on sex, age, etc.) your body doesn't want to rip through your blood sugar and will instead burn fat because it's just a better idea.
You're using an extreme example. Being 407 lbs you better move more or you're not going to live long. Also, not sure where you would differ with him.
Did anyone get more confused when they finished this video?
Here
NO
No. He didn’t say anything.
Treadmill can be used if you want to go out for a run but you are unable to go due to several circumstances such as it is rainy, non-availability of parks in someone's locality, the timing is not perfect(One can even jog in the afternoon but you cannot go out in the afternoon on the streets or even a park), and so on. Just because something was not being used for something good in the beginning that does not mean it can never be used for something good later on in life. Things change, circumstances change, people do change.
Your all background music is amazing where did you get those please provide.
I went to the gym for the first time since the pandemic started yesterday. I am 40 years old and I told the instructor that I had not done a day of sports in 2.5 years and that I essentially just sat on the couch and ate junkfood. After the tests instructions were done he laughed and told me he didn't fall for my joke, there was no way ever I could be in such good shape as I evidently was. I was quite confused myself, but then it dawned on me: after checking the health app of my phone I realized I had averaged 12k steps a day for 2 years. I was never aware of it, since it just naturally arose from the fact that I have 3 offices that I need to often commute daily and as I live in Switzerland there are a few slopes that come with it. But I guess 'it works'.
so you were in such good shape and did not know it yourself (that's why you were confused when the instructor told you so!) ? do you have a mirror at home? for me a quick look at the mirror tells me what shape I am in ! it may not reveal the full underlying physiology as a battery of tests would, but 'shapewise' tells a lot for sure !
@@MathSolutionsForYou i am of course in no way in any "athletic" shape and I don't look like it either. I just look average, not ripped, not fat, just plain average. but the battery of tests showed that i could keep up much more than what I look like. so yes, it was pretty surprising and the walking is the only explanation i have. i surely don't have special genes or anything
I used to live in Switzerland. I walked.
Also walkef a lot in the horse country in Nrw Jersey.
Now after Covid andliving in a wonxerful city of Olympia, I walk less due to rain and the homeless situation.I depend on the Y and the pools,plus chair Yoga.
At 87 it is enough since I hate exercise.
Won a treadmill and used it to hang clothes.
There is no one way to keep fit.
Do whatever suits you as long as it is enjoyable.
My regimum is unique to me and is based on my ballet training.
walking does not build nor maintain muscle in the upper body and barely touches core strength. it's good for basic heart health and general health but that's it. yes it works the legs obviously
I do HIIT 2-3 times a week with an instructor and ALWAYS feel like a million bucks after. I'm not sure what this mans bottom line is.
I think he is saying that exercise goals like 10,000 steps (and exercise in general) make no sense evolutionarily / biologically for our bodies and that are merely a side effect of our societal norms. He's not saying exercise is bad, but he is saying it's kind of arbitrary regarding the intensity and specific type.
@jobun:
He's saying in a longwinded way not to get hung up on the 10k steps as a magical goal. He's saying it's a very good goal but there's no special meaning behind it. Basically get moving as opposed to not doing anything. But not to get hung up about that number. It was a marketing idea.
read his book
What is the sport called at 5:10?
Does anyone know what's the music at the end ?
I think it's absolutely fantastic that Steven Speilberg is taking a break from making movies and educating us on the silliness of taking 10,0000 steps a day
Setting your joke aside... he didn't say that at all. Though he seemed to WANT to. Maybe a way for him to be a contrarian, and try to set himself *above* everyone else: "Hey look at me, I'm more intelligent than the rest of you apes"?
Also treadmills do not simulate natural walking/running perfectly so too much use can cause hip or knee problems.
Hip problems are also correlated to using treadmills and walking to fast on them too often. The hips don't like that it seems.
Something to do with how we balance and how our legs absorb impacts that is thrown of on a mill.
wtf are you on about? Proof?
I like how chill he is, I wish to be as chill as he is, hopefully I get there someday
When I was a cleaner I would do well over 30k steps per day easy. When I worked in an office I would do less than 2k including a good walk to and from work, but I worked out 3-4 times a week (20-30 min hit session) plus did push ups and crunches everyday. And that was the best shape I was ever in.
NotJustBikes on here has a video called the ‘treadmill of life’. Places that divert cars away from some streets in liu of bikes and waking, people become healthier.
I love high intensity interval running on a treadmill. I turn on some hardcore EDM and push myself and it gives me a sense of euphoria
„But it‘s not fun“ Weird, I think working out is a lot of fun. And apparently I‘m not the only one lmao
It's always fairly easy to "debunk" a claim that no one ever made. Good job!
It’s not fun for you. Other people love being in the gym and are known as “gym rats.” Others like their ellipticals as it’s a challenge. It’s hard to believe that these vast generalization could come from a Harvard professor. I think all these observations are pretty normal that most people can make.
Didn't another "Harvard professor" tell us that 10000 steps were needed
As someone that runs regularly I absolutely hate the treadmill. Dreadmill... I happily go running the roads in the winter when it's below freezing because I genuinely love running.. but it isn't the physical spinning of my legs that I love, it's the experience. It's the movement, the fresh air, the scenery. None of this is there on the treadmill. It's frozen in place, boring, stale.
Said our ancestors walked 10,000-15,000 steps, then said 10,000 steps is an arbitrary number 🤔
If only Daniel Lieberman is walking in the park or in a shore while telling this compelling story…sitting all throughout is the height of irony…
There is no irony whatsoever. Lieberman himself says there's nothing inherently wrong about sitting.
Once you take up Zumba, believe me there is no cardio activity that can match the fun..
Imagine the times when VR glasses would be completely common and affordable for everyday Joe. Then treadmills, stationary bikes etc. suddenly become a totally viable alternative to real life walk, biking etc.
Hitler was not a vegetarian. He had a very weak stomach and other health issues so he could not eat actual meat but he ate meat sausages. This is mentioned in Hitler's Last Witness: The Memoirs of Hitler's Bodyguard by Rochus Misch.
Totally off topic, but I finally understand why Big Think places white studio background thingies in a hall or some place nice, then do the interview with that setting... instead of using that nice place without a studio background. I always thought it was an artistic choice but seeing this interview with a wide shot that has just awful lighting, I now understand that BT interviews people in a studio, any studio with a white background, then crops and places the interviewee to the nice setting with the big hall and such.
And yeah yeah yeah you probably got the gist before me or you knew all along, congrats for being smarter than me. I'm just happy that I learned a new technique by myself, observing a favorite channel.
.. You can still live a fulfilling life if you're handicapped.
When I read "Harvard" professor, I am immediately suspicious that I am being marketed to. I used to watch a show while jogging on the treadmill. I also play active video games while pedaling my stationary recumbent bike.
Was a runner and now I run on a treadmill because it's better for my knees. I quite enjoy it. Many times, I'll go for a run and watch street scenes on my laptop or I'll just watch nothing and think, which is why I fell in love with running in the first place. I also walk a great deal. I don't count steps. I just like going for long walks. I'm closing in on 50, and I'm in better shape than may people half my age because they don't do anything but sit around and watching Netflix.
This prof pushed all the wrong buttons for.
Treadmills are torture? I can’t wipe the smile of my face while I’m on one.
I have breathing issues and being able to control my speed and distance with it is a game changer.
But no, here comes comes the mighty professor telling me I’m wrong and its actually torture. Thanks for pointing it out I’ll remember next to suffer.
I don't know if you missed the part where he said that treadmills were invented to make prisoners lives more unpleasant. It's in the beginning of the video. The history of treadmills is what it is-- it's not an accident that most people dislike being on a human hamster wheel. He's not telling you that you're "wrong," that's absurd. If you are an outlier who actually enjoys being on a treadmill, good for you. But that's not the norm. Most of us would rather press our feet into the ground, and view nature around us
I am curious though-- about "being able to control speed and distance" -- I can only speak from my own experience, but when I walk, if I want to control my speed, I slow down. If I want to control my distance, I walk a shorter route. I can do that without a treadmill. I imagine you can, too. Perhaps because of your breathing issues, you are quite literally medicalizing your exercise, using prescribed numbers, which is something the professor is encouraging *average* people to avoid, because of the calculating drudgery of it. He wants people to enjoy themselves more as they exercise. The overall message here is that we should be free to step more intuitively, and stop medicalizing our movement. But perhaps this advice does not apply to someone who has legitimate medical problems. Does that make sense?
Sure everything can be made into torture if you implement it that way.
But he does go on to say modern treadmills are torture and that he doesn’t believe anyone enjoys them
Regarding your question.
Your somewhat correct.
Im used to run at a certain speed and gait but since my condition it tends to exhaust me way too quick.
So setting boundaries on my speed fixes that issue
@@alexvolkov8502 No. The message is not that anything can be "made into torture," it's that treadmills were originally *literally designed for that purpose.* And that's why many of us feel negative about them. It's not an accident. The exact quote that you are referencing is this: "People still trudge on treadmills, except they do it on their own volition, but many of them still feel like it's a kind of form of torture. I don't know anybody who really enjoys being on a treadmill." So, he doesn't make your blanket statement that "modern treadmills are torture." Instead, he says that "many" people "still feel like" it's a "form of torture." Big difference. And it's accurate. Also, he also doesn't say that he "doesn’t believe anyone enjoys them." Instead, he says that he doesn't "know anybody" who really enjoys them. Perhaps you should send a letter to his office at Harvard letting him know that you are someone who enjoys treadmills. Then he would know someone who does.
I think I understand the rest of your explanation, that a machine like a treadmill enables you to set strict boundaries to protect your health, which you probably would not be able to do easily if you were just running outdoors, free of monitoring equipment. That makes sense, and validates my hunch that in your case (and in the case of anyone who has legitimate medical problems), medicalizing movement, using prescribed numbers-- it might actually be necessary to avoid injury or emergency. That's fair. But I think this video message is more oriented towards the average person who doesn't have health limitations, but needs to be inspired to move more.
I work for a package delivery service and usually walk at least 25,000 steps a day. I've never slept so well in my adult life. I think so many people have sleep problems because they aren't active enough.
I prefer the treadmill, specifically the assault runner - it's powered by your own strides and adapts to your speed automatically. plus has a really nice balanced feel which makes it easier to run with good form. I love it! it made running fun
Walking, however many steps aimed for, is good for general physical exercise and calorie burning. I'm a runner at age 69 because I believe that I need to get my heart rate up for a period of time most days. To me the cardiovascular fitness is the most important thing I can do. I talk to people who have walking step goals but some of them aren't even sure why they have those goals.
It is a form of torture to me, too! Nothing could be more boring than walking on a treadmill. That’s why I prefer walking on a track where I can look around and why I use a fitness app.
I walk as a means of getting around my city. I love walking.
If you think exercising is torture, ask yourself WHY you do it in the first place. It's to get fit, right? You want a healthier body. In my opinion exercise clears the mind. After a stressful day at work, exercising can de-stress me and helps me not think about work while building a healthy body.
""lieberman"" talks nonsense for 8min. they even manage to include hitler in the video about 10000 steps.
is 10000 steps good? yes. is it a minimum? no. if you can do more then do more.
👏🏻👏🏻
Not a useful or accurate comment. Idiotic? Certainly. Think harder, child.
I feel like this guy is talking for all of us. Or.. trying to. I like exercise because it makes me feel better, look better and be more confident! No one wants to get in to their later years, look back and realise you have just spent it doing Maths.
Exercise and training are different. Exercise is typically driven by a very broad and hard to measure goal…general health and fitness. Training is aimed at a specific goal and purposely formulated to achieve that goal….run a certain speed or distance, lift a certain weight, throw a ball, javelin, etc. I find training to be fun. Something I look forward to. Exercise for the sake of health and fitness is not exciting and it is why I think so many people have a hard time sticking to an exercise “routine”. It quickly becomes “routine”. In the end the fellow in this video is right. There is nothing magical about 10,000 steps or any other exercise. But humans evolved to move. In modern society how you move and what motivates you to do so, is up to you. But if you do not move, you will suffer from poor health. Personally I like the feeling of sore muscles and hitting a goal. But you do you.
He talks a lot without saying anything that is not obvious.
Another Professor of Anthropology? Thank you for your ignorant comment. Read his book. Stop being lazy