Excerise On ENT

[WarpGirl]

OK this is a stupid question... You know in The Vanishing when Hoshi and Trip are in the gym, (lucky girl) what is the machine Trip is using called? The ones that you strap in and get tilted all around. I probably know it but my mind isn't working tonight. Also do you think you can change the gravity on the equipment? Like set the tredmill to Vulcan gravity?

[JadziaKathryn]

I don't think we ever got a name for that funky tilt-a-whirl thing Trip was in.

As for the gravity: I've read stories where it was altered. Seems out of the realm of possibility to me because gravity is based on mass, but it's Trek Science. Out of the realm of possibility really means nothing except perhaps the need for a couple of good technobabble terms.

[WarpGirl]

Well I know it does have a name because astronauts use it to get in shape. I was actually kind of excited to see it, brought back memories of touring the Kennedy Space center on a trip to FLA. The one GOOD experience I had in that state. I don't see why 22nd-24th century excerise equipment can be set to different amounts of gravity. How else do all of those different races stay healthy in Federation ships? Oh well, I guess when in doubt make it up. But I'd really like to remember that machine's name. SO FRUSTRATING!

[Elessar]

Well I know it does have a name because astronauts use it to get in shape. I was actually kind of excited to see it, brought back memories of touring the Kennedy Space center on a trip to FLA. The one GOOD experience I had in that state. I don't see why 22nd-24th century excerise equipment can be set to different amounts of gravity. How else do all of those different races stay healthy in Federation ships? Oh well, I guess when in doubt make it up. But I'd really like to remember that machine's name. SO FRUSTRATING!

I just see it called a "rotating chair" on NASA websites. It's basically like a centrifuge, just a little different design.

But it does simulate zero gravity or violently changing g forces and directions... basically by angular acceleration. Gravity is felt as an acceleration downward, a force, so you can simulate it (which you wouldn't be able to tell the difference because acceleration, force is how we perceive it) through a rotating chair that changes direction and speed radically, causing rapidly changing acceleration. Mass and acceleration are two very interestingly connected phenomena... we see time dilation (a relativistic effect) when a supersonic aircraft cruises at mach 3 or 4 for several hours (albeit very minor), yet you also see relativistic effects of being closer inside the Earth's gravity well. A part of special relativity was that an observer would not be able to tell the difference from inside, between an accelerated reference frame and one inside a gravitational potential (like a huge star or a black hole).

[WarpGirl]

I got a PM that said it was called an areotrim. Basically it's a gyroscope. Anyway cool Elasser! Thanks. BTW Are you a Marine? Akweezie wanted to know, which branch of the military you served in. I think I remember you saying you were a Jarhead somewhere. In which case... Rule 9 "Always carry a knife" sorry NCIS.

[justTripn]

I even had a reference to that piece of gym equipment in one of my stories. I'll have to go see what I said:

" . . . The pod tumbled helplessly end over end.

A trained pilot could still keep his head, and his lunch, under these circumstances. Exercise equipment in the gym allowed Enterprise's pilots to simulate such an event. Hopefully Travis and Trip were both in practice. Worse case scenario: the pod could tumble back through the cloaking barrier and crash onto the sphere. The bridge crew collectively held their breath. There was no sense in contacting the pod at this point. It would be impossible for the pilot to focus with an additional distraction."

My understanding is that's really what it's for. I got in one once at the local science center and we were suposed to do simple math arithmatic in our heads while tumbling: Like, "What's 3 plus 8?" It's surprisingly difficult.

[WarpGirl]

I wish I could try it out it looks fun!

[Elessar]

I even had a reference to that piece of gym equipment in one of my stories. I'll have to go see what I said:

" . . . The pod tumbled helplessly end over end.

A trained pilot could still keep his head, and his lunch, under these circumstances. Exercise equipment in the gym allowed Enterprise's pilots to simulate such an event. Hopefully Travis and Trip were both in practice. Worse case scenario: the pod could tumble back through the cloaking barrier and crash onto the sphere. The bridge crew collectively held their breath. There was no sense in contacting the pod at this point. It would be impossible for the pilot to focus with an additional distraction."

My understanding is that's really what it's for. I got in one once at the local science center and we were suposed to do simple math arithmatic in our heads while tumbling: Like, "What's 3 plus 8?" It's surprisingly difficult.

Yeah, different but similar, we had to run a couple 200m sprints and then sit down and try to recall and write down the skeleton for the 5-paragraph order in like 30 or 60 seconds... In my entire platoon I was the only one to get it right!

[WarpGirl]

So you're brilliant too! How do you come off so normal? My CP would probably KILL me in one of those things but it looks like fun. I read it's supposed to help you withstand g forces correct? wouldn't that help you on a planet with high gravity and low atmosphere? Or am I a complete moron???

[Elessar]

So you're brilliant too! How do you come off so normal? My CP would probably KILL me in one of those things but it looks like fun. I read it's supposed to help you withstand g forces correct? wouldn't that help you on a planet with high gravity and low atmosphere? Or am I a complete moron???

Well, one of the big pop phrases in military "warrior science" they like to call it is the phrase "stress inoculation", referring to training regimens that simulate combat stress to about as accurate a level as you can simulate without actual combat. It may surprise people to learn that these days that takes the form of live fire paintball force-on-force encounters, or similar weapons called 'simunition'. Anyway, back to my point, I think the biggest part of this kind of astronaut/pilot training is stress inoculation (just of a different kind), and maybe more accurately you could call it disorientation inoculation, as JT mentioned. I wouldn't say that this kind of training actually trains a muscle the way physical conditioning trains your muscles to be able to respond under stressful or high-demand situations, but it is supposed to condition your mind for a possible recurrence of such situations.

The ideology behind the paintball shooting encounters is that if a soldier goes against another force of soldiers with paint weapons enough times, gets shot enough times, and experiences the associated pain and panic of being shot at enough times, that in combat his senses will associate it to a time when he got shot and everything was fine... it sounds a little messed up, because what you're doing is training your body NOT to be afraid of getting shot. Because if your brain is afraid of getting shot, it is most likely not going to respond well to a situation in which getting shot is a real possibility.

Similarly, if astronauts have experienced the panic of disorientation and radically shifting g forces, and had to think critically and solve problems while doing it, then it becomes an environment that you are at least somewhat acquiesced to.

To get back to your second question - the best thing that would help you on a planet with high gravity and low density atmosphere is physical conditioning. Marines would do awesome in those situations... conditioning hikes of 3, 6, 12 miles with an 85 lb pack develops the 'pack mule' type musculature that you'd need to move around comfortably in the high gravity environment. Strong lungs and a strong heart would probably do the most to keep you moving in a light atmosphere... like climbing mountains, up where the air's thin.

[WarpGirl]

Cool! Thank you kindly.

[justTripn]

As for paintball, it is REALLY much more exciting than I ever expected, and the excitement comes from FEAR. The first few times I played, I was terrible, always being the first one out every game. And yes the paintballs really sting and leave horrible bullseye shaped bruses, with like three rings of bruise. So you get dressed up in all this gear so you are terribly unconformatable, you go sneaking through the bushes waiting for your opportunity, five minutes later you get shot and have to go out. And it's wildly fun. Because of the adreniline pumping. Another time, I was assigned the job of guarding the fort and nearly shot my own son and teammate when he returned to the fort because I was so on edge. Finally I aclimated enouph to be able to storm an opposing fort successfully.

[panyasan]

I once played paint ball with people from my work and I was the only female (I worked for 20 engineers, all male). I had lot of fun, shooting every one, while my co-workers very much tried to avoid hurting/shooting me. They didn't expect me getting all exited about paint ball.

[WarpGirl]

Sometimes I really hate my body that sounds like SO MUCH FUN!!! My friends have done it they think its awsome. I can see Malcolm enjoying that particular game. Didn't someone write a paintball story??? I want to say Elasser... I could be wrong but I don't think so, it has him written all over it.

[Elessar]

As for paintball, it is REALLY much more exciting than I ever expected, and the excitement comes from FEAR. The first few times I played, I was terrible, always being the first one out every game. And yes the paintballs really sting and leave horrible bullseye shaped bruses, with like three rings of bruise. So you get dressed up in all this gear so you are terribly unconformatable, you go sneaking through the bushes waiting for your opportunity, five minutes later you get shot and have to go out. And it's wildly fun. Because of the adreniline pumping. Another time, I was assigned the job of guarding the fort and nearly shot my own son and teammate when he returned to the fort because I was so on edge. Finally I aclimated enouph to be able to storm an opposing fort successfully.

I remember that story! Remarkably, I have never played in a paintball match, but I bet it's fun.

Sometimes I really hate my body that sounds like SO MUCH FUN!!! My friends have done it they think its awsome. I can see Malcolm enjoying that particular game. Didn't someone write a paintball story??? I want to say Elasser... I could be wrong but I don't think so, it has him written all over it.

Nah that wasn't me .