Fitness: Form, Function, or Both?
What motivates you to work out? Is it the thought of that cheat meal, the hot cycling instructor, or the endorphin rush afterwards? For me, it’s the new season of Orange is the New Black. Feeling unmotivated, I made a pact with myself: I could only get my fix of the highly addicting show while parked on an elliptical or stair stepper, ignoring my neighbors’ judgmental glances as I tried to conceal scenes of full-frontal shower nudity. Unsurprisingly, it worked — I now look forward to my hour at the gym, and even considered moving to become a member of a new gym in Westminster that features a full-sized movie theater with treadmills and ellipticals for seats. Swoon.
But while the hours seem to slip by with my video distractions, I always wonder: Is this too easy? Is distracting and bating yourself with movies, TV shows, or even podcasts the best way to achieve your fitness results? Luckily, I wasn’t the only person to ask this question. Many studies have looked into the benefits or detriments of working out while distracted, many concluding the same results.
The first thing any doctor will be quick to point out is anything — cute guy, fun class, and yes, a TV show — that gets you to regularly work out is good. If it’s a choice between you sitting on your couch watching a movie or you cycling along while doing the same thing, go with the latter. Movement = good. Sedentary lifestyle = bad, capisce?
But when it comes to really pushing yourself, that’s where the screen or even podcast may be trouble. This is especially true while running on the treadmill, where proper form is key to preventing injuries. Straining your neck while looking down on the screen is unfortunately not considered proper form. Watching TV can also distract you from other important things, say, if your shoelace is untied or if you’re getting dangerously close to the edge of the treadmill.
For serious athletes with fitness goals, the TV may become too much of a distraction, making you lose sight of the results you’re after. When people really get into a show or podcast, they’re likely to slow their workout intensity, burning fewer calories than they would without the screen. It’s no wonder that the super-star athletes I see sprinting on treadmills are completely unplugged: Instead of focusing on Piper’s newest drama on OITNB, they’re making sure their form, pace, and breathing are correct. To each his own, I guess.
