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The Gym of Life

Not Just Bikes · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Transit, cities & urban planningFitness, sleep & longevity

What it is

Not Just Bikes argues that people in walkable, bikeable Dutch cities stay healthy because exercise is built into daily life, which he calls the gym of life. It contrasts this with car-dependent cities that require deliberate workouts.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it whenever fitness, aging or cycling comes up, as the clearest statement that city design is the best public health investment.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2022, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “I can heartily recommend anyone who thinks they dislike cycling to watch Not Just Bikes on youtube”

    Shows that dislike of cycling is mostly about the city, not cycling.

    Doxin, 2022-08 · Strong recommendation · in “Cycle for One Hour and You’ll Live an Hour Longer”

  2. “this video describes the idea of "The Gym of Life" well”

    Describes how walkable and bikeable cities replace the gym.

    CalRobert, 2023-02 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?”

  3. “The best public investment to promote physical activity is designing cities to enable "the gym of life"!”

    Designing cities for physical activity as the best public health investment.

    mitthrowaway2, 2023-09 · Recommendation · in “Workers who cut countertops are dying of silicosis”

  4. “See "The Gym of Life"”

    Daily exercise through walking in urban areas.

    throw0101c, 2024-02 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Best Preventative for Aging Parents?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: not just bikes, walkable cities, cycling, exercise, netherlands, public health

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