The iPod – the exercise companion that won’t fail you

Running/walking must be the simplest way to keep fit. You just put on your trusty running shoes, go out and run. That’s it. You can exercise and at the same time enjoy the view of nature outside, breathe fresh air and with cool gadgets such as an Apple iPod, you can even enjoy listening to your favorite music while running or walking in the neighborhood.

Here in Dubai, we couldn’t just put on our running shoes, go out and run whenever we feel like it. Depending on the time of the year, it could be impossible to stay outside even for a few minutes, much more, run a mile! When the temperatures soars to unbelievably high 40C’s with equally unbelievable high humidity, the only way to keep fit is to workout in the comfort of our own home or in a gym. Even on the milder, cooler Dubai winter, it’s not that fun to run outside, unless you’re in a park, it’s dangerous as there are really no sidewalk provision for runners on most streets, the air can be bad with all the construction going on and there’s no “nature” scene.

So to the gym it is! We all know how boring a gym can be when it becomes a routine. Even the most strong-willed fitness enthusiasts need a boost on some days.

When I first got my Apple iPod shuffle, I didn’t realize it could be my constant exercise companion that I can take whenever, wherever. It picks up my mood and gets me going. Sure there are lots of iPods available in the market today – we got a slew of choices ranging from iPod Nanos, iPod Touch, Classics, in different memory capacities. But any iPod will do, really. Get one,  stock up on your favorite fitness tunes and you’re ready to go.

Listening to music during exercise improves most people’s performance in a number of ways. It provides encouraging rhythm that synchronizes with the body’s movement that helps us push further. It also helps keep maintain focus and diverts attention from the noise and in my case, television in the gym. I came there to sweat, not to watch Sigourney Weaver almost getting swallowed whole by a salivating alien. (No joke about that Alien movie – it’s still shown in Dubai TV!)

Working out to a beat do not only make the workouts fun, it also makes it faster – I mean, time flies when you’re having fun, right?