Are you one of the thousands of people who wastes their time in a gym on a regular basis?
I hope not.
But it’s not uncommon. In fact, I’d say it’s the norm, rather than the exception.
Practically every day, I take my dog on a walk down our little neighborhood street in San Francisco. Every time, I pass by a little gym. When I peek inside, it’s full of people on reclining bikes, elipticles and treadmills (I’ve never seen anyone lifting weights, probably because the only weights in there are two to eight pounds).
Every day, I notice something very, very wrong about the picture I see inside that little gym.
Nearly every single one of these people is reading something — a magazine, a tablet, their phone.
Reading while exercising? Don’t do it!
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried it, but reading while you do the types of high intensity workouts we do on this site is close to impossible. Whether you’re doing plyometrics, jumping rope, wall balls, or sprinting… you won’t be able to keep your eyes still enough to focus on the words.
If you like to hear stories, recent news or learn something new while you’re working out, listen to a podcast or e-book instead (I often do, though I make sure it’s something I don’t have to pay too close of attention to – This American Life is one of my favs). Don’t read a physical book.