Does anyone read while they exercise?

13

Replies

  • CalJur
    CalJur Posts: 627 Member
    Sorry but if you have time to read you aren't exercising. If you are working it as hard as you can and burning that cardio up there is no way in h*** you can be reading anything. I'm just saying. Holla if you hear me.
  • SenshiV
    SenshiV Posts: 131 Member
    I started on my treadmill reading my nook too, but at some point I had a problem where i wanted to add bookmarks or keep notes and i just stopped a reading to avoid advancing and started another reading, and at a certain point I had several readings in progress on hold. I decided to just put the laptop there (yeah, my laptop over the counters on my treadmill) and I started to watch tv shows, anime, music videos, whatever. Been doing that all year, works! :)

    We had had 5.x earthquakes and my lap doesn't fall ^^.
  • riiah86
    riiah86 Posts: 35
    I do not however I think that reading at the gym is great if it helps you to pass time and be active for a long amount of time. With that said; there is a women at my gym who brings her nook, or kindle and reads daily while working out. Like you she reads on the elliptical for a lengthy amount of time fine, and kudos to her, buuuuuuuut. the big but.lol...when she is uding the weight machines, she will read as she does her reps and then once finsihed with ehr reps instead of getting up to free up the machine she will sit there and get lost in a read for about ten minutes literally. Its really quite irriating. Yesterday I wanted the leg machine she was on and while I was on my current machine I kept looking back to see if she was finished and she had finished as I was on my second set, but didnt get up. Just sat there and continued reading, so after doing something else first and her still not being done, I went over and tapped her and pointed the machine as if to say hey its my turn(she had headphones in) and she moved on. So read on my pal, just don't be that lady hoggin weights lost in your book.lol
  • SabrinaJL
    SabrinaJL Posts: 1,579 Member
    Sometimes I'll read on my Nook if I'm doing a walk on the treadmill. When I just walk, I do it at 4 mph for an hour. I need something to keep me entertained because that's boring. If I'm running or lifting, I need loud, angry music. Whatever keeps you going is awesome.
  • DaBigChief
    DaBigChief Posts: 146
    I can't push hard enough and read.
  • Deedsie
    Deedsie Posts: 348 Member
    I used to read romance novels while on the elliptical but forgot my book one day and listened to music instead. I had typically burned between 450-550 calories per hour while reading without that book in the same hour I burned 730 calories! So I decided it didn't work for me to read. Now if I read at the gym it's in the sauna. Try it yourself and see if the difference is important enough to you.

    Also, I have abandoned the elliptical. I'm training for a half and the elliptical does not feel like work anymore. I did try to read while running on the dread mill. Bahahaha! I think I gave everyone a good laugh and I'm lucky I didn't hurt myself when I fell off. On long easy runs, I sometimes listen to audiobooks though I prefer to read normally while reclining.
  • melissa_leah
    melissa_leah Posts: 107
    That's not weird at all! I either read on my kindle app or I watch netflix hahaha :)
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    No, working out is a time to focus on really working out. I find if I read or watch tv I tend to get lazy and don't push as hard as I know I can...
  • Radiskull
    Radiskull Posts: 70 Member
    When I read and treadmill I do both poorly so I stopped trying.
  • Firephoenix013
    Firephoenix013 Posts: 214
    I've tried it before. I can't on a treadmill, trying to slow down to turn a page throws me off, and just plain trying to read, focus on what I'm doing, and not trip and fall is a task I'm not up to. On the bike I can do it, but it's not fun. Plus again I'm like ooh turn in the page instead of let's bear down and do this. Last time I tried to read on a bike, I set the bike to random so it would hit me with the hard stuff and easy stuff, once I hit the hard stuff it took my mind off of the reading and distracted me. So yeah...I gave up on it. Not happening. Now I wouldn't mind a tv or something to watch while riding a bike. Treadmill not so much, those things are noisy, but a bike, break out the dvds and let me just ride along to the movie. Yep I could see that.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    Sorry but if you have time to read you aren't exercising. If you are working it as hard as you can and burning that cardio up there is no way in h*** you can be reading anything. I'm just saying. Holla if you hear me.
    I HEAR YA!
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
    I see people at the gym reading while doing the elliptical or on a stationary bike and they don't seem fully engaged in what they are doing... I would love to be able to get some reading done while working out but I know my workout would suffer and to me it would just be a waste of time. How can you expect full results with half the attention? You get out of it what you put into it.
  • ncprasad
    ncprasad Posts: 32 Member
    I have tried, but it slowed me down a lot and I found that my exercise intensity dropped big time.

    So, as much as I want to I cant read at the gym.
  • LifeIsNotADressRehearsal
    LifeIsNotADressRehearsal Posts: 745 Member
    Read?! I can hardly breathe while I'm working out - never mind read! :laugh:
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
    I read cosmo on the elliptical today. I have seen other people with books and I would definitely bring a book if I was in the middle of one. Things have been hectic lately so I haven't had much time for reading.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    No disrespect,

    Yeah, right. People read because it passes the time. If they didn't, they would not work out as long. That wouldn't help them, would it?

    They wouldn't have to work out as long if they turned the machine up to a rate higher than cruisin and perusin speed. So it would help them, wouldn't it. Since their workout is so boring the need a book to pass the time they could turn the intensity up and get out of the big dull gym that much quicker.
  • CentralCaliCycling
    CentralCaliCycling Posts: 453 Member
    Sorry but if you have time to read you aren't exercising. If you are working it as hard as you can and burning that cardio up there is no way in h*** you can be reading anything. I'm just saying. Holla if you hear me.

    I can keep my heart rate up around 160 while riding a bike on the rollers and hang there for one to two hours.
  • BFarnsworth
    BFarnsworth Posts: 210 Member
    Audiobooks while I workout.
  • moonmistmm
    moonmistmm Posts: 178 Member
    From what I've read the problem with reading while working out is that your mind ends up focused on your book more than the workout. You end up burning less calories than if you were solely concentrating on the elliptical or whatever. Even watching TV takes away a bit, but not nearly as much as reading. But seriously, just do what works for you!
  • Kekecherie
    Kekecherie Posts: 7
    I always read at the gym! keeps me moving. I often take breaks from the reading to up my workout level. It works for me. and I spend more time at the gym. I'll tell myself I wont stop until I read X number of pages (realistic goals only) and I workout until I'm done.
  • ShinyFuture
    ShinyFuture Posts: 314 Member
    "They wouldn't have to work out as long if they turned the machine up to a rate higher than cruisin and perusin speed. So it would help them, wouldn't it. Since their workout is so boring the need a book to pass the time they could turn the intensity up and get out of the big dull gym that much quicker."

    "I would recommend you stop reading.. personally I feel that people should TRAIN HARD or GO HOME.. motivate to do your best each time and concentrate on your workout!"

    Hmm, judge much from up there on your pedestal? Nice that you just know what someone is about just by comparing them to some arbitrary standard you think they need to meet.

    When I was still recovering from a serious accident, all I could do was walk the treadmill ---yes, holding on ---very slowly. And yes, I read while I was doing it. It wasn't the boredom of the gym ----I was f-g THRILLED that I could walk at all - and it wasn't even to avoid the spectacle of the the preening, pretentious prats showing how much better they thought they were than the rest of us. It was because it was still f-g PAINFUL and reading helped keep my mind off the pain of my physical therapy. So eff u and your self rightous, judgemental bulls**t.
  • cwmw
    cwmw Posts: 30
    would love to do that!!! but i cant' focus on the page whilst moving :(
  • Takarameri
    Takarameri Posts: 152 Member
    I used to read while on the stationary bike. Now I listen to audiobooks while I run.
  • MyIrishSpirit
    MyIrishSpirit Posts: 43 Member
    I experimented this morning. I started the elliptical without the Nook and I was about 3mph and after 5 minutes struggling to pay attention to something other than my sore thighs. So then I put the Nook up and read for the final 15 minutes. I moved it toward the end and I was doing 5mph on it!

    I guess to each his own. For me, it's a better distraction. If I focus too much on numbers I get worn out quicker. If I focus on a book the time flies. I'm sure when I'm able to actually run I won't want a book anymore but for now it's keeping me working out and I lost another 3 lbs. Up to 9lbs total! Wheee!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    "They wouldn't have to work out as long if they turned the machine up to a rate higher than cruisin and perusin speed. So it would help them, wouldn't it. Since their workout is so boring the need a book to pass the time they could turn the intensity up and get out of the big dull gym that much quicker."

    "I would recommend you stop reading.. personally I feel that people should TRAIN HARD or GO HOME.. motivate to do your best each time and concentrate on your workout!"

    Hmm, judge much from up there on your pedestal? Nice that you just know what someone is about just by comparing them to some arbitrary standard you think they need to meet.

    When I was still recovering from a serious accident, all I could do was walk the treadmill ---yes, holding on ---very slowly. And yes, I read while I was doing it. It wasn't the boredom of the gym ----I was f-g THRILLED that I could walk at all - and it wasn't even to avoid the spectacle of the the preening, pretentious prats showing how much better they thought they were than the rest of us. It was because it was still f-g PAINFUL and reading helped keep my mind off the pain of my physical therapy. So eff u and your self rightous, judgemental bulls**t.

    That's weird. I guess you didn't read the part about people with physical impairments doing whatever tey can manage. You know, people like myself when I was recovering from my own acl and mcl reconstruction. Or like me, when i was rehabbing from the time i severed my Achilles? I guess when you're not working out your powers of reading comprehension become severely limited? But that's ok. At least you manage to classy thru it all.

    I offered a suggestion based upon years of personal experience. You offer F*** You. I suggested trying something different for a while to see if your fitness results improve. You offer that any opinion that doesn't validate yours is judgemental bull****. Where many people have plateaus, I have results. I believe that's because I up my intensity at every opportunity. Since the OP was asking for people's experiences and opinion's, I gave mine. Well, I guess you gave yours too. Its just that I usually dont find Go **** Yourself to be helpful advice.

    If you don't like hearing differing opinions, I'd suggest avoiding Internet discussion forums. Whoops! I think I just offered more advice. I know, I know, I'll go eff myself.
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I listen to audio books on my mp3 player.
  • Jessicapages1
    Jessicapages1 Posts: 114 Member
    Nope I am working out to hard to read a book. :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    I used to until I started doing HIIT which leaves my hands sweaty! :laugh:

    Some say it's less effective to read or listen to stuff or watch TV while exercising. Frankly, if I didn't listen to audio books, then sitting on the sofa is less effective still...
  • sandilee27
    sandilee27 Posts: 27 Member
    I have tried that but found it awkward so now I listen to audible books on my Kindle.
  • jensweighingin
    jensweighingin Posts: 168 Member
    I couldn't be bothered with books, because they always flipped and stuff. Easy-peasy on the kindle. I read about 1-3 books a week this way.

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