Athletic Entertainment: CDplayer v. iPod

Yes, yes I know to a younger or more tech savvy reader this comparison seems rather ridiculous. Who would actually attempt any physical activity and try to listen to a CD player?? Well it has happend, and I am a witness! I was at the gym last night and to my disbelief saw a man of about 45-50 years old with his CD player clipped to his gym shorts. After the shock wore off, I wondered if he had ever been introduced to and ipod or if he had chosen to stick with the CD player. So I had to know, and used a combination of a sweet and curious tone with the excuse of a school research project to get my answer. And his response was "oh yea those little music sticks? I just dont understand how they work, and my CD palyer has never failed me!" I acknowleged his answer outloud, but was still in disbelief.

I understand some peoeple's fear of ipods because they think itunes, the program on which it runs, is a complicated computer and music program that has wayyy too many options. But in reality the necessary options are simple and direct. Granted not as simple as - insert CD, play CD - but it does come rather close! One who wants a CD's music to play on their ipod simply has to insert the CD into thier computer; open the itunes program; and select "import cd". In a matter of seconds the music will appear on your itunes and then can be transfered to your ipod.

There are hundreds of reasons for a person to choose an ipod over a cd player for normal music use. But when we are discussing the benefits for a person who wishes to listen to music and do any athletic simultaneously, the benefits skyrocket! Even the idea of running while holding a CD player should send chills down any runner's back. The last thing you want when you are running that last sprint to break you personal record is a heavy CD player in one hand! An iPod on the other hand is light weight and about half the size of a a dollar bill. Apart from being small, the iPod can now be strapped to your upper arm using a velcro strap that is sold separately.

Also, although many people that run or excercise while listening to music have a "special mix" to get them pumped for the workout, others dont. If you dont have this specialized list of music, you might enjoy a wide range of music and desire to hear it all. With a CD player this would entail lugging all or most of your CDs with you, interrupting the workout to change a CD and replacing the CD in whatever storage it came in. On the other hand an ipod can hold a ridiculous amount of music, probably more than you can listen to in six months of continuous workouts! And it is all kept in the small device that is a fraction of the size and weight of a CD player.

Best of all an ipod never SKIPS! If you have owned a CD player and used it anywhere besides resting it on a steady table, you must agree that too much movement will make the CD skip. Unless your workouts are very relaxing, they inlcude A LOT of movement, running, jumping etc. Therefore, your CD is most likely to skip throughout the entire workout. An ipod would solve this problem and you can run, jump, adn skip till your heart is content!

There is no reason why in this day and age an athlete should want to use an CD player, instead of an ipod. So if you have not purchased an ipod yet, you should defintly go do it and see the incredible difference it makes in your next workout!!