A recent study has revealed that students at the University of Michigan’s Intramural Building spend 70 percent of their time walking between the two main rooms.
“While our results demonstrate that students do spend a considerable amount of time working out, it is important to note that the majority of time is spent wandering from room to room between exercises,” said university researcher Pamella Johnson.
Some students have reportedly incorporated the walk into their workouts, claiming that standing beside the water fountain and briefly watching competitive ping-pong enhances the muscle- building mindset.
IM Building surveillance has shown that some students walk between the two rooms upwards of ten times per workout, with each journey taking approximately two full minutes.
“Using our complex algorithm, we have determined the average workout of a Michigan student,” said Johnson. “It usually involves picking up a weight and then putting down that same weight a few moments later. Next, the student rewards him or herself by pulling out his or her phone and meandering to the room on the opposite side of the building.”
“We’ve found that students often distract themselves from the reality of the next part of their workouts by keeping their eyes fixed on the screens of their smartphones for the duration of the journey. Additionally, it often takes students upwards of five minutes to find the right song and ten to find the right treadmill.”
Researchers also noted that most people who clean their workout stations with a spray bottle are just “going through the motions.”
