You’re a pro at multitasking and proud of it! Your morning chores are perfectly choreographed and when you hit the gym, you use your time on the treadmill to call or chat with friends. There’s no doubt that this is super-efficient especially since it makes your time on the treadmill less monotonous, but scientists say that this habit is ruining your workout. Here’s why you need to ditch your smartphone before you go to the gym..
How Smartphones Ruin A Workout
The benefits of multi-tasking at work are hotly debated but when it comes to multi-tasking while exercising, experts are unanimous – it’s a bad idea! If you’re talking or texting while working out, your attention is divided and this is how it affects your workout goals:
Increases The Risk of Injury
“People who are distracted with their phone don’t focus on their form, which greatly increases their risk of sustaining a muscle pull or ligament tear”
It is important to focus on your form, even if you are performing a boring repetitive exercise. Incorrect form greatly increases the risk of a muscle pull or ligament tear. In fact, studies show that 30-50% of all people have incorrect form for at least one of their workout exercise – obviously, this figure would be a lot higher if you’re distracted with your phone.
Decreases Stability
“Texting reduces postural stability by 45% while talking on the phone reduces it by 19%”
Taking on the phone or texting disrupts postural stability which increases the risk of injury, especially a fall. Researchers found that that cell phone use affects balance, which can increase your risk of injuries. They also found that adults over 40 are more affected as younger adults have better adaptability and can maintain their balance more easily. In young adults, texting reduces postural stability by 45% and talking on the phone reduces it by 19%.
Reduces Intensity
“Texting during a workout decreases the intensity of exercise sessions which will significantly reduce the weight loss effects of a high-intensity workout”
With your attention divided between your phone and your workout, you won’t be as motivated to push yourself to just go for it! Studies show that talking on your phone or texting during a workout significantly lowers the intensity of exercise sessions. If you are following a high intensity workout for weight loss, you will take longer to reach your weight loss goals.
Our Advice
Researchers found that listening to music on a smartphone while exercising does not have a negative impact on workout intensity. So if you can’t bear to be parted from your phone, you can keep it on ‘airplane mode’ so that you are not tempted to text or answer calls. Fitness wearables are also a good option as they can track how many calories you’ve expanded as you work towards your fitness goals. A fitness watch that syncs up with your phone would be your best bet!
