Working out while using the internet?

September 11, 2006 12:12 PM

Has anyone here had any success working out while using the internet? I'm thinking about buying a recumbent exercise bike that would allow me to prop up my laptop in front so I can pedal and read at the same time, but I'm wondering how practical this idea really is. Anyone tried it?
posted by cellardoor to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

I think you would find yourself very distracted from the job at hand...exercising. This is why mp3 players are perfect for exercise of any sort. Light, portable soundtrack for your workout. Actually having to do something else while exercising, at least for me, is damn near impossible.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:17 PM on September 11, 2006

Tried it. I bought a recumbant bike recently, and I thought I'f give browser-cycling a shot. It turns out that no matter how still you think you can keep your lap or bike, there's no place to put your laptop where it will not bounce just enough to make reading any text a headache/nausea inducing affair.

I have resorted to playing video clips or DVDs on the laptop during my workout. I put the laptop on a table in front of the bike, so that I don't have to hold my head at an angle to view it. That being said, for the first time I actually have a decent use for the media remote that shipped with my laptop, and it pleases me.
posted by terpia at 12:24 PM on September 11, 2006

I use my Sidekick / Hiptop on the treadmill :)
posted by wackybrit at 12:26 PM on September 11, 2006

2nd hand experience here, but one of my friends used to write emails while working out (bike too I think). Not on a laptop though, but at a desktop with the keyboard on the handlebar.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 12:29 PM on September 11, 2006

I am forced to refer you, of course, to James Levine's walking desk.
posted by trevyn at 12:37 PM on September 11, 2006

The gym I used to belong to had a touch-screen with internet connectivity mounted to a recumbant bike. I couldn't keep my head still enough to read more than a couple words at a time and navigating was a royal pain.

On the other hand, I used to see people reading magazines while they were running on a treadmill. Never could figure out how they did that.
posted by jknecht at 12:37 PM on September 11, 2006

Treadmill workstation
posted by mattbucher at 12:38 PM on September 11, 2006

Yes, I have done this with my normal stationary bike. It was just a $200 cheap one from Canadian Tire similar to this one.

Basically what I did was I removed the timer that clicked into the post. These are usually removable so that you can place the batteries.

I then:

- Measured the angle of the post (it had a 45ish degree angle with had bolt holes)
- Cut out 2 wedges and drilled holes i them.
- Cut out a laptop+mouse pad sized piece of wood.
- Screwed it all together.

What I was left with was a small table attached to my stationary bike that I could set my laptop on. It was quite a nice setup for regular surfing but it was difficult to type anything long.
posted by cbushko at 1:07 PM on September 11, 2006

I too immediately thought of James Levine's treadmill workstation that trevyn and mattbucher link to above. It seems like it would be easier to walk and type, or use a mouse, than to pedal and do the same thing. Unfortunately, it does not appear that you can buy this setup yet, and I would not be handy enough to make one.
posted by bove at 1:19 PM on September 11, 2006

I regularly watch TV shows on my video iPod at the gym while using cardio equipment (eliptical, stairs, bikes; not treadmills). I know this isn't as interactive as using a browser, but so long as you aren't looking at material that requires a lot of mousing and clicks, using the internet should be similarly practical. The key is finding a screen position and viewing angle that doesn't strain your neck, back, or eyes. Avoiding distracting screen reflections can also be tricky.

You might want to use a separate small mouse/trackball so you don't stink up your laptop. :)
posted by brain_drain at 1:48 PM on September 11, 2006

I've read about studies that suggests focusing on your exercising actually increases calories burned, etc. I believe the study involved people that watched TV while working out versus those that were not distracted. Just something to keep in mind.
posted by shoepal at 1:59 PM on September 11, 2006

Seems to me if you can read or email while working out, you need to increase you workout load because you are not taxing yourself. Besides, the times I have tried to read while working out have made me sick.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:02 PM on September 11, 2006

I tried it once, also with a recumbent stationary cycle machine. Didn't work for me, though I've heard of others who like it. I did manage to rig up a good way to hold the laptop in the right place, though it was more complicated than I expected. It was way too distracting. Perhaps I failed because my habit was to work out really hard, not the kind of gentle easy pedalling that might be possible with computer use. My brain just could not handle both at once.

(I was very disappointed to find that James Levine's walking desk is not a desk that he wears around his waist and walks around with.)
posted by sfenders at 3:07 PM on September 11, 2006

I've used the free verson of ReadPlease to read while doing other things especially laying on the couch. You can raise the font and follow along with highlighted text which makes it impossible to lose your place. It's a lot easier than trying to read small text while your head is moving and it's especially effective if you can get used to the computer voice reading to you. (my wife hates it).
posted by any major dude at 3:46 PM on September 11, 2006

Unrelated, but I found that I had little problem playing videogames while riding a stationary bike. It took a bit of practice, and I had to find games that weren't completely reliant on ultra-precision twitch reflex, but it's doable.

More related: Perhaps you could build yourself a simplified input device (like a gamepad) into which you could program browser macros. This coupled with a much larger font (to compensate for what terpia was talking about.)
posted by quin at 4:03 PM on September 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

I've never tried it, but it seems to me that it would depend on what kind of exercise you'll be doing. If you're looking for serious training, you'll be pushing yourself harder, and you might have more trouble focusing (and more trouble with head movement, etc). If you're just looking for some light cardio to get your heart rate up, this sounds like a great solution.
posted by chrisamiller at 4:31 PM on September 11, 2006

I've played my DS while on a recumbent exercise bike. I usually stuck with simpler games, like Wario Ware and Brain Age, but then I'm not very good at video games.
posted by MadamM at 4:57 PM on September 11, 2006

I agree with JohnnyGunn: these are two activities that don't really combine well (and I say that as a constant multitasker). If you have enough attention to do internet stuff, it's probably making your working out much less eifficient.

I think watching DVDs on your laptop (some distance in front of you, at a good angle for your head/alignment) is a great suggestion of a compromise, and one suggestion would be to watch videos you already know and like. For me, if I'm concentrating on a new video I will be distracted from the task at hand, especially if it's physical.
posted by allterrainbrain at 10:43 PM on September 12, 2006