Exercising while reading

CallOfCth'reader · 03-04-2011, 01:50 PM

I'm considering buying an exercise bike, due to needing a body tune-up. I'd like to combine a couple of activities though, to give me some incentive to keep exercising, and reading is one of them.

For using an ereader a recumbent bike seems the best, for stability of position when not holding on to the bike, but an upright would be a lot cheaper. Does anyone here use an ereader on an upright or recumbent?

I could rig a monitor at eye level, and velcro a laptop mouse to the handle, to read books on my PC, but I don't fancy relying on Kindle for PC as the reading software.

Any, and all, thoughts would be appreciated.

pietrocrazy · 03-04-2011, 01:56 PM

I see plenty of people at the gym on recumbent bikes reading books and magazines. It seems they're not getting much of a workout, but if you do it for long enough I'm sure the benefit is there. Some recumbent bikes I've seen have places where you can put a book, or a little plastic thing you can buy to put your book. I've never seen anybody on an upright bike reading, and it seems like it would be more difficult to do because of balance issues. Surely there must be some place you can go to test this out! Maybe you have a friend who can give you a gym pass or something?

CallOfCth'reader · 03-04-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietrocrazy

Surely there must be some place you can go to test this out! Maybe you have a friend who can give you a gym pass or something?

You know, that never occurred to me.

Thanks!

DixieGal · 03-04-2011, 02:26 PM

Have you considered audiobooks? Bonus is that the earbuds block out a lot of the racket.

kindlekitten · 03-04-2011, 02:33 PM

we had a thread about this in the lounge awhile back. I've used my Kindle in an Oberon cover on the bike, eliptical and treadmill. it is relatively easy to balance them on the display

elizilla · 03-04-2011, 03:25 PM

I ride an upright bike at the gym, and read while doing it. There is a book shelf on the bikes, and the handlebars have elbow rests so you can lean forward in just the right position for both reading AND breathing.

One of the guys I know at the gym was giving me a hard time, saying I can't possibly be getting a workout like this. I showed him how, if I put my hands on the heart rate monitors, I'm right there in the top part of the desired range. With a book to keep me company, I could sit there with my heart in the target range for hours, without being at all unhappy.

I switched to an elliptical trainer for a while, because I thought it might improve my balance. I can't get my heart rate up and keep it up, over there, because I start to stumble after about ten minutes at that pace. Also, the book tray is farther away, and with my head bouncing like that I couldn't read a normal book. The e-reader has been a godsend there, because I can increase the font size to where I can see it well enough to read on the elliptical. But I still can't do it for hours without a second thought, like I can with the stationary bike.

Catlady · 03-04-2011, 05:13 PM

I have my JBL on a neck strap and can read while using my mini-elliptical.

v1k1ng1001 · 03-04-2011, 07:22 PM

Why buy a stationary bike when you can ride a real bicycle? The gym rats will disagree, but I find that riding a bicycle outside is way more fun than sitting like a hamster on a wheel in your spare room, kindle or no.

At any rate, you can buy a trainer for your regular bike, converting it into a stationary bike when the weather is bad. Enjoy the best of both worlds.

Catlady · 03-04-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v1k1ng1001

Why buy a stationary bike when you can ride a real bicycle? The gym rats will disagree, but I find that riding a bicycle outside is way more fun than sitting like a hamster on a wheel in your spare room, kindle or no.

Traffic. Safety. Time constraints.

CallOfCth'reader · 03-04-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Have you considered audiobooks? Bonus is that the earbuds block out a lot of the racket.

I'd be listening to a book, staring at a wall. Not the most alluring of scenarios. I could always wear a blindfold, but then I'd probably lose my balance and fall off the bike.

CallOfCth'reader · 03-04-2011, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v1k1ng1001

Why buy a stationary bike when you can ride a real bicycle? The gym rats will disagree, but I find that riding a bicycle outside is way more fun than sitting like a hamster on a wheel in your spare room, kindle or no.

I used to enjoy cycling (in the sunshine), many moons ago.

I don't watch tv, but I do spend a lot of time reading and/or on the 'net, and I think that being able to exercise while doing those things is more likely to encourage me to stick with it. Carting a real bike in from outside, and setting it up on a trainer, is something definitely guaranteed to lose me any desire for exercise.

MovieBird · 03-04-2011, 10:41 PM

I use a recumbent, and it's quite enjoyable to read while exercising. In the event that I want to surf the web or do somelight work or something, I set up the ironing rack right next to the recumbent. Maybe an inch or two too high, but a cheap, easy way to get a surface nearby. The thin legs also mean I can move the board really close to my seat.

mbelec · 03-05-2011, 08:27 AM

I read while riding my recumbant bike 3-4/week in the winter and break a sweat (I also check the heart rate on my machine and am in the range I need to be). I find the 30 minutes go by very fast when I'm absorbed in a good book.

We had 33.5 inches of snow last month in my neighborhood so outdoor biking is out

. Besides, then I'd have to pay attention! Haha.

In the summer I walk in the park and read with my reader. My local park has a one mile loop on a gravel path and I find it relatively easy to read and walk at the same time. I read The Long Walk by Stephen King last year which was very interesting to read while walking.

HarryT · 03-05-2011, 08:59 AM

I'd second the earlier suggestion that you consider audiobooks instead. Far more practical in this situation.

kindlekitten · 03-05-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbelec

I read while riding my recumbant bike 3-4/week in the winter and break a sweat (I also check the heart rate on my machine and am in the range I need to be). I find the 30 minutes go by very fast when I'm absorbed in a good book.

We had 33.5 inches of snow last month in my neighborhood so outdoor biking is out

. Besides, then I'd have to pay attention! Haha.

In the summer I walk in the park and read with my reader. My local park has a one mile loop on a gravel path and I find it relatively easy to read and walk at the same time. I read The Long Walk by Stephen King last year which was very interesting to read while walking.

03-04-2011, 01:50 PM	#1
CallOfCth'reader Cultist Posts: 195 Karma: 8624438 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS 505, Kobo Mini, Kobo Glo, Kobo Forma, Kindle DX	Exercising while reading I'm considering buying an exercise bike, due to needing a body tune-up. I'd like to combine a couple of activities though, to give me some incentive to keep exercising, and reading is one of them. For using an ereader a recumbent bike seems the best, for stability of position when not holding on to the bike, but an upright would be a lot cheaper. Does anyone here use an ereader on an upright or recumbent? I could rig a monitor at eye level, and velcro a laptop mouse to the handle, to read books on my PC, but I don't fancy relying on Kindle for PC as the reading software. Any, and all, thoughts would be appreciated.

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03-04-2011, 01:56 PM	#2
pietrocrazy Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 706 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	I see plenty of people at the gym on recumbent bikes reading books and magazines. It seems they're not getting much of a workout, but if you do it for long enough I'm sure the benefit is there. Some recumbent bikes I've seen have places where you can put a book, or a little plastic thing you can buy to put your book. I've never seen anybody on an upright bike reading, and it seems like it would be more difficult to do because of balance issues. Surely there must be some place you can go to test this out! Maybe you have a friend who can give you a gym pass or something?

03-04-2011, 02:26 PM	#4
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Have you considered audiobooks? Bonus is that the earbuds block out a lot of the racket.

03-04-2011, 02:33 PM	#5
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	we had a thread about this in the lounge awhile back. I've used my Kindle in an Oberon cover on the bike, eliptical and treadmill. it is relatively easy to balance them on the display

03-04-2011, 03:25 PM	#6
elizilla Addict Posts: 266 Karma: 610286 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Michigan, USA Device: Kobo Elipsa, Kobo Aura One, Sony PRS 650, Sony PRS 350	I ride an upright bike at the gym, and read while doing it. There is a book shelf on the bikes, and the handlebars have elbow rests so you can lean forward in just the right position for both reading AND breathing. One of the guys I know at the gym was giving me a hard time, saying I can't possibly be getting a workout like this. I showed him how, if I put my hands on the heart rate monitors, I'm right there in the top part of the desired range. With a book to keep me company, I could sit there with my heart in the target range for hours, without being at all unhappy. I switched to an elliptical trainer for a while, because I thought it might improve my balance. I can't get my heart rate up and keep it up, over there, because I start to stumble after about ten minutes at that pace. Also, the book tray is farther away, and with my head bouncing like that I couldn't read a normal book. The e-reader has been a godsend there, because I can increase the font size to where I can see it well enough to read on the elliptical. But I still can't do it for hours without a second thought, like I can with the stationary bike.

03-04-2011, 05:13 PM	#7
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I have my JBL on a neck strap and can read while using my mini-elliptical.

03-04-2011, 07:22 PM	#8
v1k1ng1001 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1624276 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: South, South Texas Device: Pocketbook 620	Why buy a stationary bike when you can ride a real bicycle? The gym rats will disagree, but I find that riding a bicycle outside is way more fun than sitting like a hamster on a wheel in your spare room, kindle or no. At any rate, you can buy a trainer for your regular bike, converting it into a stationary bike when the weather is bad. Enjoy the best of both worlds.

03-04-2011, 10:41 PM	#12
MovieBird TuxSlash Posts: 392 Karma: 2436547 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: GlowNook	I use a recumbent, and it's quite enjoyable to read while exercising. In the event that I want to surf the web or do somelight work or something, I set up the ironing rack right next to the recumbent. Maybe an inch or two too high, but a cheap, easy way to get a surface nearby. The thin legs also mean I can move the board really close to my seat.

03-05-2011, 08:27 AM	#13
mbelec Addict Posts: 209 Karma: 1165996 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maine Device: sony prs-350, Ipad 3	I read while riding my recumbant bike 3-4/week in the winter and break a sweat (I also check the heart rate on my machine and am in the range I need to be). I find the 30 minutes go by very fast when I'm absorbed in a good book. We had 33.5 inches of snow last month in my neighborhood so outdoor biking is out . Besides, then I'd have to pay attention! Haha. In the summer I walk in the park and read with my reader. My local park has a one mile loop on a gravel path and I find it relatively easy to read and walk at the same time. I read The Long Walk by Stephen King last year which was very interesting to read while walking.

03-05-2011, 08:59 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'd second the earlier suggestion that you consider audiobooks instead. Far more practical in this situation.

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