Ahh, the iPod. In the few years it’s been available, this little device has become the loyal companion of many a workout. Runners on the street, bikers on the road and weight lifters in the gym all have ear phones in and iPods (or other MP3 players) playing. It’s gotten to the point where most people wonder through the gym in their own little MP3 worlds, paying little attention to what’s going on around them.
Some people find this offensive. I’ve heard complaints about the iPod wearers, claiming they’re antisocial or unfriendly. Personally, I don’t mind. If it helps you make a workout more entertaining, that’s great. If it makes a workout more fun, even better. So I thought I’d make a few recommendations when it comes proper workout iPod use. These are based on my own experiments of what works and what doesn’t.
Arm Band – If you’re going to use an MP3 player, make sure you do it in a way that doesn’t interfere with your workout. Armbands are best. They’re the little band that goes around your bicep and holds the mp3 player there. Shirt clips are ok but the players tend to bounce a little, which could be distracting. Pockets are bad, players fall out of them and distract you at the worst possible time. Also, make sure your headphone cords aren’t in your way.
Faster Paced Music – You really don’t want something with a slow pace. Faster rhythms have been shown to elevate heart rate and contribute to physical performance.
Educate Yourself – As a good alternative to music, try a podcast. There are hundreds and thousands of them available online for free. You can use your workout as a time to learn a new language, listen to news or learn about the world around you. This is especially good for cardio sessions that tend to be a bit boring. A distracting podcast can make the jog fly by.
No Comedy – Unfortunately, comedy or anything that will make you laugh is not a good idea. Laughter makes you lose control of some bodily functions. Yes, I realize most podcasts won’t make you laugh until you pee, but they might make you laugh to the point where you are distracted or unable to steady yourself while lifting weights. A good joke at the wrong time can easily lead to injury, and I base this on a very amusing if somewhat painful personal experience!
Turn the volume down – If you’re wearing earphones but I can still hear what you’re listening to, you’re playing it too loud. Not only is this rude to the people around you, it’s also damging to your hearing.
Pay Attention – Just because you’re listening to music doesn’t mean you can ignore the world around you. The majority of people annoyed with headphone wearing gym goers are annoyed because they feel ignored. We ask you to work in on some machine and you ignore us, caught up in your music. We say hello to you and you ignore us, caught up in whatever is playing on your iPod. We ask you to spot for us and you ignore us, focusing more on whatever you’re listening to. Enjoy your music, but also pay attention to the people around you.
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If you’re looking for some good podcasts, try anything by NPR. Marketplace and Talk of the Nation are my favorites.
As a general rule, I usually don’t listen to anything when I workout. I’ve found that you’ll get better results if you really focus on what you’re doing. Use your brain WITH your body, and your results will skyrocket.
- Dave
I agree, but for those people who need some entertainment, an iPod could be a good idea. Whatever gets you moving is good. Better a slightly unfocused workout than no workout at all.
Gal
I’ve only recently started using an ipod. I’ve found that I prefer podcasts. I’ve gotten bored with most of the music played these days. Does that mean I’m getting old?
We live in an amazing age! Raining here in SoCal earlier this week and i could not get on my road bike. Went to the gym instead, ipod in hand, and walked the StepMill for 60 minutes. It was not music that got me through — it was watching the movie Riding Giants which motivated and even enhanced my workout. Point being; during cardio time, movies can motivate just as much, if not more, than fast music. Great post Gal!!
I think fast music is ideal if you can keep yourself occupied in other ways. However, I cannot. So for me, something that takes my mind off the monotony is best, and that’s a podcast. Actually, scratch that, the best is running next to someone and chatting as you go. Second best is a podcast.
Gal