Life/Productivity Hack: Write (Type on a phone) While Walking on a Dynamic Treadmill

Kind of a funny experiment I’m testing out: writing (typing on a phone), while on a dynamic treadmill (a treadmill that is purely mechanical and is only moved by the movement of your feet).


First of all, my hypothesis is that it might be beneficial to coming up with new ideas, or writing more effectively. I’m using IA WRITER on an Android phone, and using the “SwiftKey” keyboard.

I came up with the idea when seeing everyone in public texting while walking (obviously a public hazard). But I wondered, “Is there a way to safely do this, without dying or killing someone else?”



Nietzsche once said that “All great thoughts are conceived while walking” (preferably in verdant/green forests, with clean and fresh mountain air, etc). But nobody has ever said,

“The best words are written while walking.”


I also realized that when I do my random walking talking videos on YouTube (my friend Karl Edwards at STREET SHOOTR calls them “guerilla talk/walks”, which I like), I talk better. My ideas and thoughts flow more freely from my mind.

Also when I’m walking with Cindy usually before or after dinner, we always have the most interesting, intellectual, and engaging conversations.


So what is the significance of this?

First of all, one of the early “quantified self” pioneers (Seth Roberts) experimented reading books or typing on a keyboard while using a treadmill. But I never thought the idea was practical, because first of all I have an aversion to treadmills (it makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel, and I don’t like the idea of a machine running me, instead of me running myself). And I didn’t really have access to a treadmill at home anyways.

Now I’m back in the suburbs of LA for a while, I signed up for a month gym membership at Golds Gym (highly recommended), and I discovered what I would call a “dynamic treadmill”. The brilliant thing is that you walk yourself, and you can pace yourself much better.

All of these words are being written on the phone while I’m walking, and it has been awesome. Not only am I working up a sweat, exercising my legs, and probably stretching out my hips and back, but I’ve been able to explicate an idea onto digital text; an idea I’ve had for a while!


Interesting thoughts and potential consequences of this discovery:

  1. If companies installed dynamic treadmills in their offices that could also utilize keyboards, mouses, phones, tablets, etc–would it increase productivity of workers?
  2. For ourselves as individuals, perhaps we can use the opportunity of going to the gym an opportunity to do creative work? For example, what if you just used the treadmill at the gym to walk, and do creative work on your phone while you are there? For myself personally, it might actually be more productive and accessible instead of going to a coffee shop to do creative work.
  3. I’m starting to realize the gym can change society for the better, and can be the ultimate life hack! For example the Golds Gym I’m going to has powerlifting equipment for deadlifts and squats, a green grass fake turf area to do squats and lunges and other “mobility” exercises, and a cinema/treadmill studio!!! (a dark room with movies being constantly projected, which is quite big, like your own private cinema, where you can just use a treadmill and watch movies on a big screen), a tanning room (might be good to get UV lights in the winter), a swimming pool, a sauna, showering area, and even a hot tub jacuzzi! Essentially what I mean to say is this: better to go to the gym to be “social” than stay alone at home.

Anyways I’m still experimenting with all these crazy ideas on myself.

Another thought experiment:

What if you had your own treadmill, or dynamic treadmill at home, and while you’re walking on it, you put on a virtual reality headset. You will be totally transported to a different world, and be active (moving), while in virtual reality! Would you come up with new/creative and epic ideas? Would it be an effective treatment for curing depression or anxiety? And what if while we’re in virtual reality, we could use virtual keyboards while we’re inside to type, and write epic poetry or any other creative writing things?

More thoughts to come, and more random musing on virtual reality to come.


For more learning and resources, check out my “GoPro Fusion virtual reality” videos on my youtube channel, and also I recommend reading the book “Dawn of the new everything” by virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier.

Never stop innovating!
ERIC