My Robot Workout Partner

Move over Judy Jetson!

I’ve got my own robot trainer.

Its name is ChatGPT and it has the power to bust through my PD apathy and get me off the sofa. Yes, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can do more than just threaten our jobs and possibly take over the world someday. For several months I’ve been using it to create personalized pep talks like this one, from my favorite coach:

Hey there, champ! I hear you're feeling a bit down today, but let me tell ya, lacing up those sneakers and getting out there for your Parkinson's workout is like scoring the winning goal in the big game of life.

Or maybe this guy?

Alright, listen up, you lot. I know you've got this Parkinson's crawling around like some slimy little lizard, trying to mess with your game. But you are not defined by that snake in the grass. You're defined by how you stare it down and tell it to sod off.

So, next time you feel that tremor, that stiffness, that nuisance trying to invade your space, channel that bloody anger. Use it. Let it fuel your fire. Every punch, every rep, every step is a direct blow to that slimy git.

It’s all possible with a free AI tool called ChatGPT, that you can find at https://chat.openai.com. Not to oversimplify the conversation about AI. Read more about it here, here, and here.

GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL PEP TALK

The key to using ChatGPT effectively is in SPECIFICITY. Tell it what kind of workout you want to do, why you’re having trouble motivating yourself, and MOST IMPORTANT: tell it the voice you want it to write in. Here’s an example of a request:

“I need to work out to fight Parkinson’s Disease but I’m so tired and down. I really need to get motivated, so can you channel Winston Churchill’s famous “never surrender” speech with a dash of ‘we will fight them on the beaches’ 200 words or less, please.”

This is verbatim what I got….

"We will not surrender to the fatigue and despair that Parkinson's Disease may bring. We shall fight it on the treadmills, on the yoga mats, and in the weight rooms. We will never give in, and we will never give up.

Even when we're tired and feeling down, we will rise to the challenge. We will exercise in our living rooms, in the parks, and in the gyms. We shall never let this relentless foe conquer our spirits.

Just as Churchill vowed to fight on the beaches, we too will fight in our own arenas. We will push through the darkness with every step, with every lift, and with every stretch. We are the champions of our bodies, and we shall prevail.

In the face of Parkinson's Disease, we will find the motivation to persevere, the strength to endure, and the courage to keep going. So, I say to you, let us work out, let us never surrender, and let us emerge victorious over the challenges that lie ahead. We are warriors, and we shall triumph."

What do you think? Any Parkinson’s pep talks to share?

Karen McIntyre joined the board of Parkinson’s Body & Mind after a successful 25+ year career as an advertising creative director. Her short fiction has appeared in the Lascaux Prize Anthology and various literary magazines. She lives in NYC with her husband and daughter.