I'm one of the people that suggested cycling there.
A few points:
* Post a better answer. If others agree it's better it'll get upvoted and go higher on the page.
* The question itself has essentially no details. Current problems? Things they've tried? What they might like? What kind of chair they sit in. No hints at all.
* You're prematurely optimizing. Many programmers and other computer professionals sit inside at a desk all day and get no exercise. Almost anything at all that gets them moving is an improvement. The top answer is pretty much "get outside and do any exercise" with suggestions for some of the more accessible choices. Most of those are more likely than getting somebody to go to a gym or doing more complicated specific exercises. Once they start doing any exercise at all you can worry about the specifics of which and how much, etc.
* Part of the suggestion was commuting by bicycle, so replacing time sitting in a car or on a bus with time riding a bicycle
* Cycling with good posture uses your glutes and increases (or at least requires) hip flexor and hamstring flexibility. Uses much of the core muscles in the back that many programmers have problems with.
The stationary bikes pictured in one of your links don't look like they allow a proper cycling posture at all. They're set up for people that don't know how to ride a bike right so that they don't put too much weight on their hands. You might be right about 2 hours pedaling away on one of those.
Definitely very anecdotal, but I work in an office with a decent percentage of bicycle commuters. The cyclists aren't the ones that keep having back problems. (it's the ones that don't exercise at all, or don't stick with exercise)
Someone asked for activities good for computer people. You didn't answer "any activity", but "cycling". Now when I say cycling is actually bad for many computer people, you say I'm prematurely optimizing? Because I try to answer the actual question meaningfully?
Many programmers and other computer professionals sit inside at a desk all day and get no exercise. Almost anything at all that gets them moving is an improvement.
It's not. If you do an activity with a certain pattern of impact on the body for 8+ hours a day, doing another activity with the same pattern for additional 2 hours a day yet with increased intensity has the potential to cause serious health problems and discourage people from activity in general. If you're about to choose a sport and do not so much care about what will it be, why not make a choice that will be the most beneficial health-wise? I think that's was the whole point of the question asked.
Cycling with good posture uses your glutes and increases (or at least requires) hip flexor and hamstring flexibility.
I don't know why do you mention flexibility here, the posture problems come not from flexibility issues but from the muscle tone of opposing muscle groups. It is also simply not true what you are saying, just think about the main function of the hip flexors - pulling the knee up, and the function of the glutes - rotating the pelvis; then think which of those two actions is more common in cycling and to which degree. The hip flexors get contracted all the time and thus shortened, not flexed.
Uses much of the core muscles in the back that many programmers have problems with.
It's exactly the same as with hip flexors, the bend-over posture tends to stress the erector spinae that is already very tight and contracted from all the sitting, and does nothing to work out the abdominals which are too weak.
Post a better answer. If others agree it's better it'll get upvoted and go higher on the page.
I do not feel an expert on the topic, I am not a member of the fitness stackexchange community, and this is a four month old post. If I was to answer the question, I would recommend classic swimming, because it is beneficial to the posture even if your technique isn't perfect. There are other good choices, but they require more guidance. Yoga is great, because it actually teaches you to locate and be aware of the various tensions in your body accumulated during the day and helps relax those. Wisely selected exercises in the gym or callisthenics are good as well, but a lot of people have those posture problems and muscular imbalances, and when working out on their own they might not have enough knowledge to address them by an appropriate workout on their own (apart from the fact that most people don't know how to squat or deadlift in a way that is not detrimental to health in the long run). That's why in this case hiring a good personal trainer might be a good investment if you have the money and are serious about improving your health.
A few points:
* Post a better answer. If others agree it's better it'll get upvoted and go higher on the page.
* The question itself has essentially no details. Current problems? Things they've tried? What they might like? What kind of chair they sit in. No hints at all.
* You're prematurely optimizing. Many programmers and other computer professionals sit inside at a desk all day and get no exercise. Almost anything at all that gets them moving is an improvement. The top answer is pretty much "get outside and do any exercise" with suggestions for some of the more accessible choices. Most of those are more likely than getting somebody to go to a gym or doing more complicated specific exercises. Once they start doing any exercise at all you can worry about the specifics of which and how much, etc.
* Part of the suggestion was commuting by bicycle, so replacing time sitting in a car or on a bus with time riding a bicycle
* Cycling with good posture uses your glutes and increases (or at least requires) hip flexor and hamstring flexibility. Uses much of the core muscles in the back that many programmers have problems with.
The stationary bikes pictured in one of your links don't look like they allow a proper cycling posture at all. They're set up for people that don't know how to ride a bike right so that they don't put too much weight on their hands. You might be right about 2 hours pedaling away on one of those.
Definitely very anecdotal, but I work in an office with a decent percentage of bicycle commuters. The cyclists aren't the ones that keep having back problems. (it's the ones that don't exercise at all, or don't stick with exercise)