The Impact of Smartphone Entertainment on Exercise Outcomes, Enjoyment and Fatigue During Indoor Cycling Sessions

Smartphones, influencing the interplay between fitness and entertainment, may affect how exercise is performed and enjoyed. This study focused on the lesser-studied effects of non-musical smartphone features—video watching and gaming—on indoor cycling. Thirty young adults participated in three cycling sessions with varying entertainment: watching videos, gaming, and a control session without entertainment. Heart rate, distance, and calories burned were tracked to quantify exercise intensity, while enjoyment and fatigue were self-reported using a 5-point scale. Video watching did not alter exercise intensity but enhanced subjective enjoyment. Conversely, gaming slightly decreased intensity, yet improved enjoyment. These findings highlight that smartphone entertainment can modulate the physical and psychological aspects of exercise, providing valuable insights for developing more engaging fitness programs.