Another Thought About Work and Exercise: Are All Those Gadgets Really Necessary?
In my business, I've always been a bit leery of gadgets. These range from marketing brochures, sales presentations, business "coaches," personal development books, even computers, tablets, and smart phones. While I've employed some of these as necessary (or mandated in some cases), over time I've come to understand that what limited success I may have had comes down to my engaging my brain and doing my best.
With this in mind, and continuing with our discussion of how exercise helps us at work, we'd be remiss if we didn't consider all those "gadgets" that are marketed to help us get in shape. Lots of these pop up in infomercials and ads on TV and websites. These have been around for years, but the sheer numbers and variety these days simply astounds and, frankly, can be overwhelming - unless you just ignore them all.
Recalling that I'm not an exercise "professional" by any stretch of the imagination, you may not want to consider anything I have to say about gadgets as gospel. However, my limited experience with them has taught me to be quite selective. Also, I've found that cost doesn't necessarily equal effectiveness or results. Machines that cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars, spring to mind here. I did own a stationary bike at one point, but it was quite primitive compared to relatives and acquaintances who shelled out the big bucks for huge elaborate treadmills, including those with computer programs that simulated various topographies that caused the angle and speed of the conveyor belt upon which you run to change. Personally, when I was more actively running, I enjoyed running outside in the "real" world, so for me the bike was a fall-back for times when the weather was bad. But many use these things almost exclusively. I suppose if you use these and they help you really get in shape, they're worth the money.
But what I personally prefer may not be to your taste. The profusion of gadgets speaks to their popularity. It more or less gets down to whatever works for you. With that in mind, let's consider the biggest gadget of them all...
That would be the gym, of course. Like all those other gadgets, gyms have sprung up all across this great land of ours. And, boy, do we take to them - or at least we sign up for memberships in record numbers. I'm not sure when our imaginations became so enthralled with these emporiums of physical culture, but I suspect the advent of the Nautilus machines had something to do with it. These were first introduced to the public in 1970 by inventor and Nautilus company founder Arthur Jones. By 1975 a gym had opened in New York City that featured only these machines, and athletes at the time took to them...followed by would-be athletes, followed by those who wanted to do more than simply jog, the broad-based craze that was sweeping the nation at the time.
The story of Nautilus machines is rather interesting. THIS article sums up the influence of Mr. Jones inventions: "Thanks to Arthur Jones and his Nautilus fitness equipment – they ultimately changed the face of exercising, fitness and bodybuilding." Those of you who grew up with only a knowledge or experience of the modern gym experience likely don't realize that before the appearance and acceptance of these machines, you basically lifted free weights in the gym. (You can find Wiki entries for the Nautilus company as well as the founder, Arthur Jones. If you're interested in the evolution of gyms and exercise equipment and methods, it makes for interesting reading.)
The story of Nautilus machines also provides a good example of how one man with an idea can change an entire industry, even the way people live their lives. While new exercise equipment didn't impact society as a whole as dramatically as the popularization of the personal computer, we might think of Arthur Jones as a sort of Steve Jobs of his industry. Combined with the popularity of jogging at the time, becoming physically fit gained a great burst of momentum. Indeed, it could be argued that the impact of this flowering of gadgets has had a more positive impact on society than the personal computer and its progeny, the tablet and smart phone. You might see the exercise industry as a salutary antidote for the sedentary couch-potato staring at screens all day.
But let's get back to those of us who grasp the value of exercise to not only improve how we look and feel, but also to improve our performance on the job. In considering whether all those gadgets are necessary to success, let's consider first that great aggregator of gadgets, the gym. For some of us it's a necessity. Reasons vary, but here's one that's fairly common: We're more motivated in a gym working out in the presence of, or perhaps in conjunction with, others. Gyms provide and "atmosphere" that's conducive to working out. We do have to drag our butts there, of course, but once there we're more likely to "get into" exercise mode than when we're by ourselves. To understand how important this can be for some of us, just consider all those "classes" that gyms offer these days. What started as simple group "aerobics" workouts have mushroomed to an incredible array of styles utilizing disciplines ranging from dance choreography to martial arts. And if you don't care for or just want to supplement group training, there's always the option of using a personal trainer. If all this works for you, go for it. Not only will your body and your mind thank you, but, as we've seen, you'll likely improve your performance on the job as well.
Next time we'll consider that hearty band who, rather than the gym route, prefer to go it alone.
With this in mind, and continuing with our discussion of how exercise helps us at work, we'd be remiss if we didn't consider all those "gadgets" that are marketed to help us get in shape. Lots of these pop up in infomercials and ads on TV and websites. These have been around for years, but the sheer numbers and variety these days simply astounds and, frankly, can be overwhelming - unless you just ignore them all.
Recalling that I'm not an exercise "professional" by any stretch of the imagination, you may not want to consider anything I have to say about gadgets as gospel. However, my limited experience with them has taught me to be quite selective. Also, I've found that cost doesn't necessarily equal effectiveness or results. Machines that cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars, spring to mind here. I did own a stationary bike at one point, but it was quite primitive compared to relatives and acquaintances who shelled out the big bucks for huge elaborate treadmills, including those with computer programs that simulated various topographies that caused the angle and speed of the conveyor belt upon which you run to change. Personally, when I was more actively running, I enjoyed running outside in the "real" world, so for me the bike was a fall-back for times when the weather was bad. But many use these things almost exclusively. I suppose if you use these and they help you really get in shape, they're worth the money.
But what I personally prefer may not be to your taste. The profusion of gadgets speaks to their popularity. It more or less gets down to whatever works for you. With that in mind, let's consider the biggest gadget of them all...
That would be the gym, of course. Like all those other gadgets, gyms have sprung up all across this great land of ours. And, boy, do we take to them - or at least we sign up for memberships in record numbers. I'm not sure when our imaginations became so enthralled with these emporiums of physical culture, but I suspect the advent of the Nautilus machines had something to do with it. These were first introduced to the public in 1970 by inventor and Nautilus company founder Arthur Jones. By 1975 a gym had opened in New York City that featured only these machines, and athletes at the time took to them...followed by would-be athletes, followed by those who wanted to do more than simply jog, the broad-based craze that was sweeping the nation at the time.
The story of Nautilus machines is rather interesting. THIS article sums up the influence of Mr. Jones inventions: "Thanks to Arthur Jones and his Nautilus fitness equipment – they ultimately changed the face of exercising, fitness and bodybuilding." Those of you who grew up with only a knowledge or experience of the modern gym experience likely don't realize that before the appearance and acceptance of these machines, you basically lifted free weights in the gym. (You can find Wiki entries for the Nautilus company as well as the founder, Arthur Jones. If you're interested in the evolution of gyms and exercise equipment and methods, it makes for interesting reading.)
The story of Nautilus machines also provides a good example of how one man with an idea can change an entire industry, even the way people live their lives. While new exercise equipment didn't impact society as a whole as dramatically as the popularization of the personal computer, we might think of Arthur Jones as a sort of Steve Jobs of his industry. Combined with the popularity of jogging at the time, becoming physically fit gained a great burst of momentum. Indeed, it could be argued that the impact of this flowering of gadgets has had a more positive impact on society than the personal computer and its progeny, the tablet and smart phone. You might see the exercise industry as a salutary antidote for the sedentary couch-potato staring at screens all day.
But let's get back to those of us who grasp the value of exercise to not only improve how we look and feel, but also to improve our performance on the job. In considering whether all those gadgets are necessary to success, let's consider first that great aggregator of gadgets, the gym. For some of us it's a necessity. Reasons vary, but here's one that's fairly common: We're more motivated in a gym working out in the presence of, or perhaps in conjunction with, others. Gyms provide and "atmosphere" that's conducive to working out. We do have to drag our butts there, of course, but once there we're more likely to "get into" exercise mode than when we're by ourselves. To understand how important this can be for some of us, just consider all those "classes" that gyms offer these days. What started as simple group "aerobics" workouts have mushroomed to an incredible array of styles utilizing disciplines ranging from dance choreography to martial arts. And if you don't care for or just want to supplement group training, there's always the option of using a personal trainer. If all this works for you, go for it. Not only will your body and your mind thank you, but, as we've seen, you'll likely improve your performance on the job as well.
Next time we'll consider that hearty band who, rather than the gym route, prefer to go it alone.
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