Why don't physically fit people play poker?

[boedeker]

Just curious why fatties seem to make up a very large majority of the poker playing pool in comparison to physically fit people.
What is the cause of this?

And lets avoid comments like "they have no money and cant add cause they spent it all on steroids"...

[DcifrThs]

poker is a sedantary game. the US is a sedantary populus that enjoys fast foods, fast bucks, and doesn't want to expend any energy to get 'em.

that being said, every single 2+2'er i've met is NOT fat by any stretch. DanS is an average size and on the thin side relative to US population. Coilean is kate moss style barely visible lol, no seriously, he is quite thin but not gangly or anything, just your typical intelligent thinker type. Clarkmeister is a tall aryan type who could pose for an aryan youth poster, although he's quite tall (please people this is just so you have a mental image, i'm jewish and still feel comfortable using it as an analogy). and personally, i am 150lbs and 5foot8 and run 4.5-5 miles a day.

the NON 2+2er's i've met playing poker tend to be the opposite. they sit at the table all day addicted to the chance of winning and drawing out while ordering cokes and sandwiches, pretzles with cheese and the like. 2+2er's take pride in their trade and their looks moreso because of the very nature of those who post here. doyle brunson is not a 2+2'er, although he used to be a top notch athlete in basketball and running. he is now quite big.

but OVERALL, if you look at the population of the united states and then take the segment of that population that frequent casinos you'll see a very high correlation with those who have sedentary boring jobs that require one to sit and eat all day. both do just that. there isn't much excersize in mucking ones cards, nor HUGE amounts of excitement playing CORRECT poker (poker has come into my life that already consisted of running and hockey so they balance each other out quite nicely). the excitement gained from the fish is the gamble and the chase. they can sit and eat for hours at a time. they love it and are addicted to the gamboooooooling aspect not the paradoxical simplicity/complexity of the game and the different levels and frontiers which we all see and love.

just some thoughts. PS- descriptions of posters are NOT meant as any sort of insult at all. i've enjoyed meeting all you guys and am just relaying what you look like to people who don't know you. i hopefully did not offend nor did i mean to.
-Barron

[Joe Tall]

I can still dunk a basketball at age 31 after three knee surgeries playing 4 times a week and poker 6 times a week.

Peace,
Joe Tall

[Mike Gallo]

I totally disagree with this statement.

My game has suffered indirectly because I failed to train my body as hard as I trained my mind.

[toots]

I'm fat.

And sedentary.

[Wad]

Based on the descriptions I've seen of you on this forum, that means you would need a 6" vertical or so?? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Ed Miller]

2+2er's take pride in their trade and their looks moreso because of the very nature of those who post here.

I think you are reading too much into this. I've met quite a few 2+2ers (over 30 at least I'd guess). I've noticed no difference in the distribution of 2+2 body types than in the population at large. I have noticed that 2+2ers tend to be nerdier than average people... but no nerdier there than your average internet junkie.

[daryn]

being tall sure helps, huh? /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Sincere]

[ QUOTE ]
Just curious why fatties seem to make up a very large majority of the poker playing pool in comparison to physically fit people.
What is the cause of this?


[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe sitting on your ass 8-15 hours a day has something to do with them being fatties? Not to mention the unhealthy casino food that is the only option if you don't want to leave the casino.

[TimTimSalabim]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe sitting on your ass 8-15 hours a day has something to do with them being fatties?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's my excuse for being 30 pounds overweight. Unfortunately, I'm sitting on my ass for 8 hours at an office job and not a poker table, so I guess I'm getting the worst of both worlds /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

[Army Eye]

Seems perfectly logical. This is a job/pasttime that requires that you sit on your ass all day. When is one supposed to exercise?

[alpine0000]

LoL Boedeker /images/graemlins/smile.gif nice bounceback from the previous black post /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[GOODBEATGUY2001]

Dunking a basketball is overrated. Doing it often does a lot of damage to your knees and may explain your several surgeries. I'd do it if only I get well compensated and then over a really soft surface only. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Most of my friends who are poker players are physically fit, as am I. But they may be the exceptions rather than the rule.

There are a lot of fat poker players because there are a lot of fat people in the USA. It's very unfortunate that the US has become the fattest nation on earth. If people would just "eat less and exercise" (and perhaps limit their trips to mickey-D's to less than sixteen a week) this wouldn't be such a problem. There are some who compound this further by playing poker constantly too.

al

[Sincere]

This is basically the same thing that I was talking about. What are you suppose to do? Do push-ups and sit-ups everytime you fold pre-flop? That would be hilarious!

[toots]

Actually, I'm fat and sedentary on my own merits; no need to blame Mickey Ds. In fact, I can't remember the last time I ate at a McDs or any other fast-food place.

See, I'm fat. It should not surprise you that one of the reasons is that I love food. Because I love food, I have little use for fast food establishments.

Because I'm fat, I'm sedentary.

And I play poker, thus leading to the stereotype referenced at the top of this topic.

Now, I can't say that I've seen that many other fat people in the casinos playing poker. Yeah, I see some, but most are skinny (and half those are drunk, have fewer teeth than tatoos, and are three (dirty) sheets to the wind, cussing up a blue streak).

It's a good thing, too, because playing 10 handed at a poker table can get pretty tight, and I really wouldn't want to be rubbing cellulite with another corpulent gambler. I mean, what would I do then? Shout "Hey, dude! Quit being so fat?" Like that'd do any good.

Do I play poker because I'm fat? No, but I would say that being a fat, lazy person, Poker's a heck of a lot more attractive way to spend my time than shooting hoops or running marathons.

Will I exercise more, just to avoid running the risk of my bulk harming the sensibilities of other 2+2 members? No, not on your life. Anyway, if you ever ran into me in a B&M (which is roughly twice as easy to do compared to my more slender opponents), I wouldn't make the mistake of identifying myself as a denizen of these rantfests.

Nope. I think the only thing that would motivate me away from a pre-senile coronary would be the aforementioned possibility of inadvertantly having to slap thighs with the other people at the table.

Until then, you'll find me camped out in the buffet line.

[Legend27]

I play poker and I'm physically fit. In fact I know about 20 people who play poker and all reasonably fit. You must happen to know alot of fat people who happen to play pok.

[SinCityGuy]

From what I've seen, the percentage of obese poker players seems to be about the same as that of the general population.

On a related note, I don't like to make fun of people, so what I'm about to say isn't meant to be cruel.

Last week, I was at the Mirage poker room, and I saw a guy who had to weigh at least 500 lbs. I'm not exaggerating. It could be closer to 600 lbs. I wondered how he was going to be able to fit at a 10-handed holdem table. The only way that I could see it happening would be to consolidate the 5 and 6 seats (letting this guy sit in front of the dealer's box) and turn it into a 9-handed game.

[bdypdx]

Considering the percentage of obese people in the US, it is not surprising that one would see "large" people playing poker.

As for the poker room, it is ABSOLUTELY the most diverse place where I spend time these days. Black, white, Asian, fat, fit, male, female, young, old, smart, stupid, etc.....and it's part of why I really like playing poker.

bdy

[jayadd]

[ QUOTE ]

Actually, I'm fat and sedentary on my own merits; no need to blame Mickey Ds. In fact, I can't remember the last time I ate at a McDs or any other fast-food place.



[/ QUOTE ]
sorry i didnt post this earlier but IT TOOK ME 2 DAYS to wrestle the keyboard from TooT, he insisted it was lunch.

[jayadd]

[ QUOTE ]
DanS is an average size and on the thin side relative to US population

[/ QUOTE ]

That is the understatement of the year. Dan was suppose to buy me dinner on sunday he said he ate wed. so he wasnt hungry. Thats one skinny boy........