Exercise Equipment Flexes its Muscles
Technology reaches into the gym to enhance the workout experience
| The technology behind exercise equipment is growing rapidly. Gone are the days of simply running outside or lifting heavy things. Treadmills and other cardio equipment contain TVs and complex screens that chart your statistics. Even the realm of video games welcomed a health-friendly addition, the Wii Fit.
Does technology like this reach a crowd that would otherwise stay away from the gym or fitness altogether, or does it just encourage people who already go to the gym to work out more? |
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Gym equipmentFred Peterson, a health education associate professor at the University of Texas, thinks the equipment is beneficial. He said technology does draw people to the gym who might not otherwise go, as long as those people are motivated. Bill Kohl, a kinesiology and health education professor at UT, said exercise machines in general are a good thing. Many people use them, and there seems to be a market for personal exercise equipment because the industry has grown, he said. |
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| “I think important questions to ask in this area though are: One, ‘Do people continue to use the machines after the shine has worn off?’ Two, ‘Do people use them in sufficient ways to get the health benefits associated with exercise?’ ” he said. “We really don’t know the answer to the first question. Although, lots of home treadmills are used to hang clothes on these days.”
Often in gyms, cardio equipment have programs on the TV screens that simulate a trail through the mountains or a jog through the city. UT kinesiology junior John Belew said the projection only helps if the person has experienced something like that in his or her own life. Seeing a track on a screen while he’s running triggers memories of his high school track. He said that even on the treadmill, it reminds him “of being in competition again, and definitely gives me more desire to pick up the pace or remain at a high intensity.” Some treadmills have TV and radio programming in the system as well. Belew said this keeps people motivated, because often boredom is a big deterrent from exercise. “As we study more and learn more with exercise, machines provide you with a way to get the optimal workout in the least amount of time,” he said. “People are always complaining about not having enough time.”
Despite the different opinions, new exercise technology does seem to reach more groups than before, even if the total number of people who exercise hasn’t increased exponentially. “I think it does bring in more people because we are reaching different groups, whether it be younger adults, even students, or reaching more of a female crowd versus a masculine body-building crowd,” Belew said. “It also reaches many of the people who are overweight or underweight. Providing different exercises allows people to be more interested.” |
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3 Responses to “Exercise Equipment Flexes its Muscles”
I like the idea of technology and gym equipment. Showing results of student’s weight loss also stresses the importance of working out and how gym equipment has improved. One thing I suggest is make the font size bigger on the “Fitness and Technology Survey”.
You need space between graph slide show and the text, but I bet you guys are still working on that. I like the topic. I like the headline.
Great organization! Add some links into your text to make the article more interactive. You could also add another picture somewhere in the text to make it more visual.
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