Like L.L. Cool J, I can't live without my radio. And just as he does, I like my music loud -- especially when I'm working out. But unlike the time when "my radio" literally meant my radio (when guys would walk around with enormous boom box radios carried up against their ear), these days it's all about .MP3 players.

Inasmuch as I can't live without music during a workout, however, letting the volume on my iPod rip may not be the best idea. Common sense, I know, but this lack of it is something I sense is quite common. Men's Health magazine recently addressed this issue, stating that because iPod earbuds only block 1 decibel of outside sound, we tend to overcrank the volume to compensate (and drown out the sound of the 80s monster ballads that are always played on gym speakers).

By continuously pumping up the volume, you can eventually cause hair cells in your ears to swell and die, causing auditory nerves to atrophy. The end result, as you probably guessed, is partial or complete hearing loss.