Implications of Wearing Headphones in the Gym

Most of us like to listen to our own music when we train, so headphone use during workouts is commonplace. However:

• You lose out of networking opportunities. People and yourself are less likely to converse. That next person you meet might teach you something new, or lead you to a new job or business opportunity.
• Mentally you become less focused. Instead of focusing on your objectives for that workout, part of your mental capacity is wasted on paying attention to your music. You waste time changing songs, which can lead you to waste time looking at other media on your phone. This is especially critical when doing squats, which is one of the most difficult exercises, as it requires extreme mental focus to perfectly coordinate your entire body to maximize lift performance.