Panting to Pandora

The dentist knows what he’s doing when he pipes relaxing music into his office, a pleasant distraction from an unpleasant situation. Like the dentist, I turn on my own music when I hit the gym. Time passes faster, the energetic beat makes me pick up speed or perhaps slows me down and I stop thinking about how much I long to be somewhere else, anywhere else! In case you haven’t guessed it, the gym is not my favorite place.

Music makes it better though and Pandora is my answer.

I program my favorite songs, push quick mix and the music a is non-stop journey through time. With headphones plugged into my Blackberry I move to the music, whether it is an upbeat Bob Marley tune or some funky old folk. The secret is to pick music that makes you smile and perhaps, like me, you will look like a happy idiot traversing miles on the elliptical or making a land-locked journey on the rowing machine while mouthing the words to a great tune.

Distractions work for me. If I engage my trainer in conversation while I am pushed to my limit, I can reach new heights almost painlessly. I’ve seen people reading while pedaling miles on the stationary bike and always wonder how they manage. Maybe I should give it a try. Better yet, I’ll download a book and have someone read to me while I pant and sweat like a hungry dieter chasing a runaway M&M.

Are distractions part of your exercise routine? Do you have any recommendations you’d like to share with us?