Ears Open
Athletes and their iPods are leaving the gym in favor of the great, warm outdoors, but can they hear you coming?
Now that the dark days of winter are almost no more than a memory, happy people are swapping out their sweatpants for shorts and exposing their exercise regime to the sunshine. Walkers, joggers, rollerbladers and bikers take to the streets, headphones firmly in place, grooving to energetic tunes, National Public Radio or books on tape. Little do they know how much controversy they're style of sweating is stirring up. The issue is the headphones.
Wearing headphones outside has mixed reviews, explains Kelli Calabrese, MS, CSCS, a clinical exercise physiologist and author of "Feminine, Firm & Fit: Building a Lean Strong Body in 12 weeks."
"On the positive side, playing music that is inspirational to the listener can actually make someone exercise harder than they would without music," Calabrese says. "People are also known to exercise longer when they play their desired music, whereas they are more likely to quit without it."
Despite these advantages for your waistline,however, the dangers of wearing headphones outdoors come when the music inhibits the exerciser's ability to hear potentially dangerous things in their environment such as vehicles, construction, potential attackers, dogs or other people passing by.
In fact, the perceived impairment caused by wearing headphones has led the Road Runners Club of America to promote a guideline against the use of headphones in running events that dates back to the mid-1980s, and the RRCA has started encouraging all race directors to adopt a new universal "NO HEADPHONES" symbol on race entry forms and race materials.
But hordes of people still pound the pavement and hit the trails with their MP3-players strapped to their arms, and not all fitness professionals think they are throwing caution to the warm summer wind.
"I don't think there is anything wrong with wearing headphones," says Michael George, celebrity fitness expert and owner of Michael George Enterprises Inc., Marina del Rey, Calif. "Quite the contrary - I think that music is a huge motivator."
In order to play your music and play it safe, George advises tailoring your headphone usage to the particular activity in which you are engaged. When running outdoors, try to stick to a localized area and be extra defensive, perceptive and careful of your surroundings, paying close attention to moving objects, especially cars. Keep the volume on your music player moderate and wear headphones that insert in your ears rather than ones that cover your ears so that you don't drown out outside noise completely.
In addition to minimizing volume, have music or audio programs cued up so that you don't have to adjust the player as you exercise, and be sure that both the player and your earphones are secure and comfortable. Tuck in any excess wires so that they don't get snagged on something - this is especially important when cycling because dangling wires or cords could get tangled in the spokes and cause a nasty accident.
"I would be more comfortable with a walker or runner using headphones than a cyclist," Calabrese says, "because cyclists are usually moving faster, may be riding in busy road ways and need to be able to operate the bike quickly in the face of potential danger."
Instead, exercise with a buddy, she says. Your chances of sticking to your workout increase, as does the enjoyment. Find a partner who is equally committed and is at a fitness level slightly higher than yours to keep you motivated.
She also suggests joining a challenging outdoor boot camp program, or joining a team such as a walking, cycling, running or triathlon club. Having set workout times, a progressive workout and a coach to keep you on track will help keep your motivation level high.
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