How to Keep Your iPhone Safe When Working Out
June 17, 2010, By Phil Dotree 2 comments
Keeping an MP3 player on you while you work out is a great idea, as it will help you keep your heart rate up and your feet moving. Many guys depend on their iPhones for music, though, and that can be problematic. If you accidentally break a cheap MP3 player during a workout, no sweat, but if you break your phone, you're going to have to spend a few hundred bucks to get another one.
Here are a few tips for keeping your iPhone protected during your next workout.
Get a good case. Old iPods typically used hard drives to store your thousands of John Tesh bootlegs, but the iPhone and iPod Touch use flash memory. Flash memory doesn't have any moving parts, so you don't need to worry about jostling the iPhone. Of course, you don't want to drop it, either. You could crack the screen, damage the power button or simply scuff it up.
Luckily, there are a ton of high-quality cases out there, and many are designed specifically for your iPhone workout. Meritline provides a great cheap one for under $5. You can also hit your local department store if you don't want to wait to work out with your iPhone. Be sure to get a case that can handle a drop, and preferably a case that attaches to your arm rather than your trunks or sweatpants. It's easy to accidentally knock your iPhone off of your waist, but if you've got it securely Velcroed to your arm, you won't have to worry as much and you can focus on getting a good workout.
Watch your sweat. Water and electronics don't mix. Add a little salt and you've got a recipe for a ruined phone. Keep your iPhone free from sweat by keeping it away from the sweatiest parts of your body, which can also build up heat that can potentially cause damage. If sweat seeps through your iPhone's case during the workout, dab it off with a clean towel. Don't use any chemicals. Remember to keep track of your iPhone during your workout, especially when weight training. Use some common sense; keep it out of areas that might, y'know, get suddenly crushed by heavy iron weights!
Protect yourself. Don't just worry about your iPhone's safety. You've got to stay healthy, too, so set the earphone volume at a reasonable level. Make sure that you can hear traffic if you're doing something outside such as jogging, and always use earbud-style headphones rather than over-the-ear cans. You need to protect your ears and avoid potential accidents, so no matter how much you enjoy rocking out, keep the volume down.
Also, realize that songs are often mastered differently, which can result in wild volume fluctuations from one song to the next, especially if you make a playlist full of songs from different time periods. (Songs from the 1970s won't sound as loud as songs from the 2000s). Before you hit the gym, go through your playlist and listen for any loud songs. Check the iPod Settings in your iPhone's Settings menu to put a cap on your max volume; when in doubt, set the volume a little low rather than a little high. Make sure that your ringtones are at a decent volume, too, or turn on Airplane Mode while you work out to avoid getting any sudden, blaring calls. Some common sense will help keep you -- and your iPhone -- well protected in the gym, the park, or wherever else you decide to work out.
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