What do you do at the gym?

treadmill, strength training, circuit training and dancing

I have been biking and doing Pokemon a lot. Yet I did join Gold's Gym and plan to start using the Elliptical more now that I am taking more classes.

Back when I was going to the gym regularly, I would do 30-45 minutes of moderately intense cardio, usually on the upper end of the time and usually consisting of the treadmill, row machine, and recumbent bike, but I would occasionally use the elliptical. I never really enjoyed the exercise, but I felt more "whole" after it. I haven't been in the gym for a year with the exception of... today! I only went in the university gym to see what they had, but I am going to use it tomorrow, if it is not raining.

My University has a fitness/training center. I really enjoy using the stationary bike and the weight machines.
I am a gymnast so I have to train hard to be able to stay within a acceptable fitness level.
I usually start with a 30min program on the stationary bike and then an hour of weight training working my legs, arms and abs. I finish with another 30min program on the stationary bike or a run/jog/walk on the treadmill.

I vary which muscle groups I work out the most for each session.

I usually listen to my iPod while working out or I watch something on my iPod while I am on the stationary bike or walking on the treadmill.
Sometimes I have one of my guy friends working out with me, so I half listen to music while I work out so I can converse when necessary.

Edited by: KHAMILTON022 at: 12/31/2014 (01:56)

I read somewhere that listening to music while exercising helps you burn more cals. I think it's because getting lost in music keeps you going longer. Its super motivating too! When I'm running, I listen to music and can gauge how long I've been going by how many songs I've listened to. I try to aim to get through a full workout playlist.
As far as reading, magazines are good because it's not really reading...I could never study while on a machine. My time at the gym us for my body and mind....sort of like meditation rather than education.

Man, I can't focus on anything but my workout at the moment when I'm at the gym or working out at home. If I'm on the cardio machines I prefer just focusing on how my muscles feel and how my breathing is, and focusing on form, especially if I'm on the treadmill. I despise listening to music while running... it might just be because I ran track in high school and our coaches didn't let us use our iPods, they wanted us to focus on what we were doing. Strength training is a different story. I'll always play upbeat music for that. I do multitask in other ways but I'm definitely trying to cut down.

I don't get how people can study, I always feel like I'm bouncing around too much to read for very long. I usually listen to my work out playlist on my ipod, while watching the big tv's (they're always on MTVU, so usually an endless stream of wacky music videos) so it's pretty entertaining.

I have an IPod Touch so I can rent movies or download movies and I watch those sometimes which allow me to kind of take my mind off exercising and be able to stay on longer. Other times I'll watch TV or occasionally read a book. I've found that sometimes studying doesn't always work out and I don't always remember what I study while working out but if I'm feeling guilty about not studying then this helps solve both problems.

I usually just listen to music and if I'm on the stationary bike I'll play games on my iPod. The TVs are nice to have a distraction to look up at.
I don't think I would have the ability to focus on school work. My time at the gym is to get away from all of that.

I listen to my ipod. I also have recently put pictures on my ipod to look at while I work out that I hopefully will motivate me to keep at it when I want to give up. I also watch the tv monitors while on the ellipticals.

I adore audiobooks. I get a couple new ones from the library every week and listen to them at the gym and while I walk to classes.

I usually listen to music on my Ipod touch, but I have to say, I'm definitely a multitasker. I'm either reading handouts or the text for a class, looking over my notes for a test, reading a magazine, reading the subtitles for a TV show, or looking at something on SparkPeople. I also use my IPOD to log my exercises just before completion on the cardio machines and between reps during strength training. Some days though I just want to work out and I only listen to music, these days tend to be a little harder to get through my workouts but I'd say this is because I'm not distracted. I do better with my workout and with my school work whenever I do the two together, but that may just be me.

It depends. I know at our gym there are TV's mounted about the section with the cardio equipment, so if I'm on the treadmill or elliptical, I usually have my ipod playing as I read the subtitles for whatever I want to watch for the thirty minutes or so I'm on the machine. If I'm on the stationary bike, I do the reading for classes that I have later in the day. While I might not remember everything as well as I would if I were doing it on my couch or at a desk, since we'll be covering it in class that day I'm not really worried. It's probably different due to what you're studying too. Engineering and sciences seem to require a lot more focus than some of the reading I do for my business classes.

I usually listen to music or an audiobook on my ipod. I have read for literature classes while working out before, with varying success. If I read while on the bike, I can usually remember what happened, but the elliptical is just too much bouncing around. I think if you have a lot to read one night and you don't need to remember every detail, combining your reading with a lighter cardio workout can be a good idea. Better than sitting on the couch reading.

When I go to the gym on campus I see people listening to ipods, reading magazines, watching tv, and studying. What do you do when you work out on cardio machines? And if you study, are you actually able to focus and can you remember what you read? Do you think your activities have an effect on your workout?