build us/ourselves up

[joham]

We should exercise often to build us up. Can we also say 'We should exercise often to build ourselves up'? And how about in the sentences 'Exercising helps to build us(or ourselves?) up'?

 

[Tarheel]

That's not normal, and the first sentence is totally wrong. More usual would be: "We should exercise regularly to stay in shape."

 

[Tarheel]

In my case I would have to start exercising to get in shape.

 

[joham]

Thank you so much for your correction. The first sentence is taken from China's grade 8 English textbook, which was written by a group of China's English teachers led by a Canadian.

 

[tedmc]

I agree with Tarheel; exercising builds/tones up your muscles but it is not natural to say it "builds a person up".

 

[joham]

But I'm still puzzled. The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English says: build up MAKE HEALTHY build somebody/something ↔ up to make someone well and strong again, especially after an illness Taking exercise will build up your strength.

 

[Rover_KE]

The first sentence is taken from China's grade 8 English textbook, which was written by a group of China's English teachers led by a Canadian.

joham, please note that that information should have appeared in post #1.

 

[5jj]

The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English says: build up MAKE HEALTHY build somebody/something ↔ up to make someone well and strong again, especially after an illness Taking exercise will build up your strength.

Note the words I have underlined.

 

[jutfrank]

You can use build up something:

Doing exercise will build up your strength.
You have to build up immunity to the virus.
I'm trying to build up muscle.

But avoid using build up somebody.

 

[joham]

joham, please note that that information should have appeared in post #1.

Sorry for not giving the information in post1 because I didn't know its resource. Later I was talking about this sentence with one of my family members and then she told me this sentence came from her textbook and then I got here again to give the resource.

 

[Barque]

But I'm still puzzled. The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English says: build up MAKE HEALTHY build somebody/something ↔ up to make someone well and strong again, especially after an illness Taking exercise will build up your strength.

It's one of those phrases that work in certain contexts but not in others.

I don't think I'd object to "You should do some weight training to build yourself up".

However "We should exercise often to build ourselves up" doesn't sound natural.