Do smartphones belong in the weight room? The answer is more complicated than you might think.
Most weightlifters prefer to practice their craft in secret — strength sport athletes, particularly Olympic lifters like Clarence Kennedyare a rare sight in so-called commercial “globo” gyms. But Kennedy, a retired competitive weightlifter turned content creator and coach, habitually trains in more casual settings than you’d expect.
Kennedy maintains a cult following online due to his reputation as one of the world’s strongest weightlifters, despite not having formally competed since 2013. On Jul. 16, 2024, Kennedy took to YouTube to outline the three ways smartphone addiction might impede gym progress.
Kennedy opens by lamenting what he perceives to be a widespread “addiction” to smartphone usage in gym settings; a phenomenon that was far less common even ten years ago.
He’s not just blowing smoke here, either. A 2022 study on high-level swimmers noted that smartphone usage directly before a workout, “might reduce or nullify training gains.” (1) Let’s take a look at the three main points Kennedy highlights and see if there are productive solutions you can put into practice to make your time in the gym more valuable and productive.
When you stop and think about it, most of your time in the gym during a workout is spent, well, not working out. Resting between exercises generally takes up more than half of most people’s total workout duration.
Kennedy frequently observes people dedicating their rest between sets to two or three minutes of thumb training on social media, something he believes to be a waste of time:
He’s right. A 2021 paper noted that “exposure to social network apps led participants toward increased perception of mental fatigue” during workouts. (2)
Do This Instead: There are plenty of ways to make your gym downtime useful. You can stretch between sets, walk a lap around the gym to get some steps in, train other muscles that you aren’t using during the exercise, or simply visualize your next set.
Kennedy, a fitness influencer, acknowledged first the irony in disparaging camera use in public gyms. However, his stance on filming workouts appears to have changed over the years.
Be mindful of both the policies at your gym (some facilities don’t permit recording on the gym floor) and considerate of the other patrons. Filming your training sessions is great for assessing technique or effort — just remember that you’re using a shared, public space.
Do This Instead: If you’re going to record yourself in the gym, set your phone up somewhere that won’t interfere with other gymgoers and, ideally, won’t include them in the background of your video.
Kennedy also touched on a gym habit that, at a glance, is much more innocuous than the first two issues he highlighted: listening to music. Rapid advancements in technology have led to your smartphone being an all-in-one device, which includes streaming music.
While not everyone necessarily wants to socialize in the gym, Kennedy does raise a valid point about the widespread use of music contributing to a more insular experience. On the physiological front, one study from 2018 noted that playing music during exercise could potentially interfere with your body’s ability to regulate fatigue signals. (3)
Earbuds and headphones are also not permitted in competitive settings. If you’re an aspiring strength or physique athlete, you may want to ditch the Bluetooth during your workouts as you approach a powerlifting meet or bodybuilding contest.
Do This Instead: Try going without music during a few of your weekly workouts and assess how you feel. Reducing auditory stimulation might help you get in touch with your body — you can also turn your music down or off between sets and only crank up the tunes while you’re physically working.
Kennedy raises fair points about the potential hazards of relying on your smartphone a bit too much during your workouts. “Doomscrolling” between sets, recording every exercise you perform, or blasting your favorite album at max volume are easy, indulgent habits to get sucked into — habits that may be doing your fitness a disservice.
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