The Energon Pub

I try to go to the gym at least three times a week and do around an hour or so each time.

One thing I do religiously is get on the bike.

I was telling a co-worker today how I get on the bike and find that with my iPod in my ear and reading a book that I do more than I would without the music and book.

She found this odd as she feels it would be distracting, so she was discussing it with another co-worker, who promptly declared that "it's not real exercise as you're not pushing yourself enough".

Now I walked away as I wasn't going to argue with this woman. When she makes a statement she's right. Regardless. You can present her with all sorts of facts but once she has an opinion, she can't be budged no matter how wrong she is. Combined with the fact she's a former gymnast and gym teacher, she is an "expert" on health matters (even though she does no form of exercise herself these days)

But I look at my history down the gym. Before I started using an iPod and reading a book I would barely do five mins because i'd be constantly looking at the timer. Now with my mind distracted by both the music and the book, i'm doing up to 30 mins. That alone is an improvement.

As for not pushing myself well that's not true either as i'm on the same level of resistance with the book/iPod as I was without.

So really, the resistance is at the same level so i'm pushing myself as hard as I was before and i'm doing it for much longer.

The way I see it my exercise routine is improved.

I really just needed to vent because frankly i'm sick of this co-worker (who just happens to the daughter of the boss so no point complaining) who when she gets an opinion is never wrong and often turns it back onto me.

But who else works out with music in their ears or even reads while exercising?

She's wrong.

It's a preference thing as to how you work out, one way or another it doesn't matter.

This woman doesn't know what she's talking about. I doubt she's even been in a gym. I'm with you, Burn. I've read articles (well, one) that actually suggested using music. And the logic of using music to get energized...? I don't think anyone would agree with her.

I myself hit the gym three times a week. Whether or not I have earphones, I do cardio for 35 minutes (running at 8.5-9 mph for the whole thing, and music helped me get there). Earphones make it all much better. You get a rush when you hear a really good song, and you can pass stretches of minutes with an average one. I have the benefit of also having televisions in front of the runners at my gym, and a good TV show helps, too. Even a bad one sometimes.

I don't want to say the same is true of everyone, but what your coworker says is definitely not true of everyone. From what I observe, the vast majority bring headphones.

So is working out with music really working out? I wholeheartedly say yes. Get this woman on a treadmill next to someone who runs with music and we'll see who gets the better workout. Sounds like she thinks that, by making your workout more enjoyable, you're making it less of a workout. "No pain, no gain" doesn't have to mean "less pain, less gain."

Sounds to me like she's crazy. I love working out to music. It gets me pumped and gets my adrenaline up, which makes me work harder. I even had a playlist on my iPod specifically for working out.

Which reminds me, I need to make one for my new Nano and go buy some kind of arm band for it

She is right and she is wrong. She is right that you may be pushing yourself. Reading will distract from keeping a good pace and pushing yourself to go faster and build your endurance up faster than you normally would but keeping the same pace.

She is wrong for saying it isn't real exercise. You are still doing things above what you would normally be doing. It gets your heart beating faster and breathing harder. You are still doing things to improve your health.

I would say she mostly wrong though. I would keep up what you are doing. Ignore her and continue your exercise routine. You are already doing more than she does.

I don't know, working out is a tough one for me since I have 2 bum knees and a slipped disc in my back.

Liege has taken some hits, but aint been stopped yet!

If your only doing the bike, thats more cardio than anything, and thats cool cause even if it's at your own pace, it beats nothing.

I myself can't lift anymore, but I do have a job that keeps me on my feet and movving for a majority of the day, so I wear wrist and leg weights.

It isn't repititious, and people tell me it's pointless, still I can take any one of them, and in fun prove it often.

See to me it's not what you do, just the fact that you do it.

Now if she keeps going on, challenge her. If she flat out beats you, your a wuss, but if you can prove your skill and blatently show that your letting her win anyway, chances are your gonna get lucky

Me, Grimlock! wrote:I don't want to say the same is true of everyone,

And that's where her (and her mother for that matter) problem is. She is of the belief that what works for her should work for everyone, and if it doesn't work for her then it won't work for anyone else.

It's becoming a real issue for me at work because she hears one thing, interprets it in her way, then when you try to correct her you can't. She'll turn it around and put it back on me that either I took it the wrong way or my memory is faulty.

Dragonslayer wrote:Which reminds me, I need to make one for my new Nano and go buy some kind of arm band for it

I was using my Nokia phone but didn't have an arm band for it, couldn't put it in a pocket either because it's got a bit of weight behind it. Went out and bought a 4gb Nano, got the arm band, and i'm working out even more now because i'm not holding onto the phone.

Liege Evilmus wrote:I don't know, working out is a tough one for me since I have 2 bum knees and a slipped disc in my back.

When I first started down the gym my left knee was dodgy and I constantly had lower back problems.

Left knee's good, back is great, right knee is a problem due to the muscle connecting to the knee cap being weak, as such my knee cap moves around and bruises the cartilage.

But doing the increased cardio (which my doctor advised anyway) plus the appropriate stretches will hopefully correct it in time.

See to me it's not what you do, just the fact that you do it.

That's exactly my philosophy. I could be going home after working and plopping down in front of the tv or the computer, but I don't, I head straight to the gym. Then I head home and plop down in front of the tv or computer.

In fact, looking at my father, now that he's retired he's not being active much and he's starting to moan about joints and stuff and no matter how much I nag him I just can't get him to even take a walk around the block.

Thanks guys, the reassurances are good, but venting has helped a lot.

See I had the exact oposite with my Dad.

I had a real bad injury as a child, the a few others in my late teens. Yes it's true a dead pig I was delivering fell off the back of a truck and snapped my left leg backwards.

Well anyhow, by all rights I should be permenantly in the dusty wheel chair in my back room, or using the crutches on top of it. In truth though the only thing I keep handy is a cane for when pressure fronts changed.

As for my Dad though, he was sick and beaten himself in his later years that came to soon. Still he never let me wallow, he always pushed me to go out and take a walk, and instead of thinking about the pain of doing so, set focus on what was going on in the world around me.

My Dad taught me to make the best of even the worst thing, and thanks to him...

...well alot of things!

Just getting regular exercise is an achievement in itself. It seems like so many people neglect their bodies and wonder why they have complications later in life. While it is true that exercise has a different effect on most people, as long as you're hitting your target heart rate listening to music or reading will not effect your results in any way.

I work out for an hour 5 days a week and I always figured I'd be pretty buff by now, but I look pretty much the same as I always have. The truth is, unless you have specific goals when you work out and target certain muscle groups you're not going to really notice any change. You will simply be in better shape than when you started. It sounds like your kind of workout is a great routine to maintain general fitness. I assume you're not bodybuilding or training for a triathalon or anything. Worrying about how you train is only necessary if you plan on participating in any of those activities.

Don't let this co-worker of yours dissuade you from doing something that is good for you. Riding the bike and reading is better than riding the couch and eating Doritos. Keep the faith.

She is wrong!
Music just helps you last THAT much longer, music actually does nothing but support your will of continuing, without music I would never have inline-skated for 6 hours at a go, I would never go out longer than just half an hour with my dog nor would I manage to draw for hours.

Music just prevents you from saying "Oh this is boring, I'll do something else"

She is so very wrong, don't listen to her, I hate people like that.

I always work out with my Ipod it makes the time go by faster and I workout to the music so I feel like I push myself harder ! When I go to the gym everyone has an ipod on its odd to see someone without one?? As long as your getting your cardio in its "good exercise".. She totally wrong!!

I always have to have music going to keep me motivated and keep going. It gets boring fast if you don't. When I was in high school running cross country, my coach wouldn't let us use headphone when running our miles and miles of distance running during practice. That got real boring since I was always so far ahead of everyone else that I didn't have anyone to talk to when running. I think music is good for the work out. I'm not convinced on reading, but it at least keeps your mind occupied on something other than working out.

There's no doubt that she is mostly wrong with this idea, but hey, opinions are what they are, everybody has one, but not all are worth listening to.

Exercise info is constantly changing. However, what is a fact is being more active than before will improve your health. If you have goals that stem beyond that than you will need to start quickening your pace, and doing other workouts besides a bike, but just doing a bike for 30 minutes does make a difference. In fact, every little bit that you do can help, and the more you do it, the better you will feel...And small amounts can add up!

So do not feel discouraged. This person needs to open a fitness magazine these days, and maybe try to get herself to exercise before she assumes to tell someone else what works for them.

Keep doing what you are doing, and perhaps add goals, and steadily increase your time on (keeping your same pace), and/or increasing your pace to go the same distance. I also find it helps to write it down, as I feel like I have achieved something.

Whatever works, but keep at it man!

You can tell your coworker that I went to the gym yesterday and ran faster because I had music to listen to.

Or maybe you can't. She's the boss's daughter.

i can end this thread now ok watch this guys

good exercise = kung fu, if you know kung fu then you will lose weight and gain spiritual enlightenment, but on the downside transformers will mean nothing to your ass

bad exercise = standing up to get more cheetos coz damned if the layer of dust on your wolf shirt isn't thick enough. you sicken me, fight me like a man *cokes gunz*

Mephalarse wrote:i can end this thread now ok watch this guys

good exercise = kung fu, if you know kung fu then you will lose weight and gain spiritual enlightenment, but on the downside transformers will mean nothing to your ass

bad exercise = standing up to get more cheetos coz damned if the layer of dust on your wolf shirt isn't thick enough. you sicken me, fight me like a man *cokes gunz*

I know you've only been here a day, but I admire your enthusiasm (even if I can't understand what you're saying most of the time ).

Me, Grimlock! wrote:

Mephalarse wrote:i can end this thread now ok watch this guys

good exercise = kung fu, if you know kung fu then you will lose weight and gain spiritual enlightenment, but on the downside transformers will mean nothing to your ass

bad exercise = standing up to get more cheetos coz damned if the layer of dust on your wolf shirt isn't thick enough. you sicken me, fight me like a man *cokes gunz*

I know you've only been here a day, but I admire your enthusiasm (even if I can't understand what you're saying most of the time ).

let me put it in words you might understand then,

Bad exercise is where you wake up the next morning feeling like lead.

Shadowman wrote:Bad exercise is where you wake up the next morning feeling like lead.

no that is good exercise, though this attitude may explain why you are fatter than the sun.

Mephalarse wrote:

Shadowman wrote:Bad exercise is where you wake up the next morning feeling like lead.

no that is good exercise, though this attitude may explain why you are fatter than the sun.

TFF, really though I have to agree if its a good workout you should feel it the next day ,that good kinda hurt

Nymph wrote:

Mephalarse wrote:

Shadowman wrote:Bad exercise is where you wake up the next morning feeling like lead.

no that is good exercise, though this attitude may explain why you are fatter than the sun.

TFF, really though I have to agree if its a good workout you should feel it the next day ,that good kinda hurt

When you wake up th next morning, unable to move, that's a sign that you over did it.

Mephalarse wrote:let me put it in words you might understand then,

Well, hey, when you say you're going to coke your gun, can you blame me?

Shadowman wrote:

Nymph wrote:

Shadowman wrote:Bad exercise is where you wake up the next morning feeling like lead.

TFF, really though I have to agree if its a good workout you should feel it the next day ,that good kinda hurt

When you wake up th next morning, unable to move, that's a sign that you over did it.

um yeah I'd say so don't do that

Burn wrote:I try to go to the gym at least three times a week and do around an hour or so each time.

One thing I do religiously is get on the bike.

I was telling a co-worker today how I get on the bike and find that with my iPod in my ear and reading a book that I do more than I would without the music and book.

She found this odd as she feels it would be distracting, so she was discussing it with another co-worker, who promptly declared that "it's not real exercise as you're not pushing yourself enough".

Now I walked away as I wasn't going to argue with this woman. When she makes a statement she's right. Regardless. You can present her with all sorts of facts but once she has an opinion, she can't be budged no matter how wrong she is. Combined with the fact she's a former gymnast and gym teacher, she is an "expert" on health matters (even though she does no form of exercise herself these days)

But I look at my history down the gym. Before I started using an iPod and reading a book I would barely do five mins because i'd be constantly looking at the timer. Now with my mind distracted by both the music and the book, i'm doing up to 30 mins. That alone is an improvement.

As for not pushing myself well that's not true either as i'm on the same level of resistance with the book/iPod as I was without.

So really, the resistance is at the same level so i'm pushing myself as hard as I was before and i'm doing it for much longer.

The way I see it my exercise routine is improved.

I really just needed to vent because frankly i'm sick of this co-worker (who just happens to the daughter of the boss so no point complaining) who when she gets an opinion is never wrong and often turns it back onto me.

But who else works out with music in their ears or even reads while exercising?

It took me a second to read into this one, but it just clicked.
She's testing you. It's a woman thing.
She's seeing how you react to being challenged as a means of working out how confident you are, and therefore how manly and in charge you are, with a view to finding a prospective mate.

The correct response would have been [initiate slight smirk, think sean connery as bond while delivering his cheesier lines, possibly raise one eyebrow slightly] "How do you know how hard I push myself? Tell you what, maybe I'll let you watch me sometime.".

ewwww?

She's 12 years older, got a husband and popped out two kids and not overly attractive.

Definitely pass.