Dear Mariusz,

I do walking (if it is regarded as sport) and sometimes swimming. The answer to your second part of question is"Yes" that is for me (not all researchers). Being busy in teaching and research occupy most of my free time, so I dont find enough time (good excuse) to do sports personally but I am a sport fan and watch soccer on TV.

Dear Mariusz,

I do walking (if it is regarded as sport) and sometimes swimming. The answer to your second part of question is"Yes" that is for me (not all researchers). Being busy in teaching and research occupy most of my free time, so I dont find enough time (good excuse) to do sports personally but I am a sport fan and watch soccer on TV.

Until recently (I have a back lesion) I used to practice sports, at least three times a week (running, cycling, gym). Even when I was in very demanding jobs, I trained in the morning before going to work. When I was young I used to play rugby, field hockey, football, athletics, swimming...we had to in primary and secondary school.

Why?

Because I grew up practicing sports and doing physical activity, so I feel bad when I don't. When I was in University the only way to spend 14 hours studying was to run or jog for 1 1/2 hour and then sit down and study. Ideas came to my mind when cycling or running, perhaps because the brain received an increased blood circulation with less toxins and more oxygen.

Sports taught me to never give up and play with and for a team. Most of the researchers I've met are not enthusiasts of sports, may be they are a more an intellectual kind of person.

Dear Mahmoud,

Thank you for your answer. Walking and swimming are good! Well, we're all busy but it happened once that my wife told me about an interview with a professor dying for a serious disease (cannot remember, probably cancer) she listened to in the radio. He said that looking back at his life he would have changed his attitude to exercise sports, go for swimming, maybe running. It made me look also at my life and changed it a bit. Lack of time though is a kind of common excuse as it regards many other professions. Do you think there's something special about us researchers/scientists in this regard? How about your colleagues? Are they running or going to zurkhaneh?

Dear Alejandro,

Like in your case I am trying to do sports frequently (gym, tenis but also basketball, windsurfing) and have this same feeling when I don't. I got also a kind of feeling that it makes me more productive. The lack of time Mahmoud mentioned is a problem, but in general sport is important for me. Does it make us less intellectual :-) ?

Dear Mariusz,

Totally agree with you! Perhaps physical activity increases the metabolism, and that's why we feel better and more productive. About intellect...I never thought of myself as an intellectual, but evidently I'm when compared to a regular person. Although I believe that people who practice sports have a more 'practical' approach to things, because in the end what matters are the "goals"!!! There are two things that I don't theorize: love and sports. All the rest is debatable...

Dear Kamal, Thank you for your answer and please don't be sorry, the lack of time is also my problem. I am just wondering whether that lack of time is the answer or the type of work we do may be the reason...  

Dear Alejandro, the last part of your answer made me seriously thinking about the question I asked :-) 

A bit of walking and a lot of fishing which is extremely demanding discipline in terms of energy spending. I do swim also!

Dear Ljubomir, as you got 3 rivers near Pozarevac, fishing seems to be a natural choice. As you wrote about energy spending it's probably not a simple bank fishing is it?

I do fish mostly by boat, and there are many things to be done many times during a fishing day!

Dear Mariusz,

I do ergometric bicycle (only 15 minutes a day).

As a child and teenager did classical ballet because of a deviation in right foot (so improved, I comes out without diploma).

Unfortunately I don't appreciate do sports ...

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Well, maybe I went to far with my question. What we're all doing (including me) is rather physical activity than sport... 

Let us call recreation!

I ride bycicle every working day approximately 6 km and every weekend 35 km in the case it is not raining.

After Darko's 35 km, we're going back to sports :-)

My wife walks 20 km a day, whenever she has time to do it. I could not follow her! She complains that I am too slow! Maybe I should take bike to follow her! :)

Not a good idea dear Ljubomir, as there would be a height difference. I would rather to suggest to you to buy a pair of skateboards instead.

http://mittenunited.com/blog/2013/08/b4bc-skate-the-lake-2013-recap/

Dear Ljubomir, If you wanna be faster (I don't know how fast is your wife walking) you can also use a rocket propelled one (link attached). Best, Mariusz

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2006/09/19/tim-pickens-rocket-propelled-bicycle/

Stationary bike and rowing and weight lifting 2 hours, 3 times a week. Some weeks more. As a graduate researcher living abroad this is my leisure time and a moment where I take care of myself so I do not get sick and can improve my performance at work. But it occurs that at certain periods when the demands are too much, this will be sacrificed.