Lift with Music

If you haven't lifted with music before, consider giving it a try. I find that it makes a world of difference.

Music helps you exercise. People who listen to their favourite music while exercising may push themselves further and feel as if they are exerting themselves less than people who prefer a tuneless workout, according to new research.

Get psyched up! I like Metallica and Van Halen; Pantera on leg day; action movie soundtracks. Try lifting to Armageddon or Rocky IV. It adds a special twist to my workout when I imagine training for the day I get to save all life on the planet from destruction. :) It helps me tune out my surroundings and focus on lifting. I've noticed that when I don't have music, I tend to look around more and sit for longer periods.

As a study, I could go to the gym and observe who is sitting and resting for 5-10 minutes between sets and who is busting their ass and loving it. Then I could note whether they're listening to their own music or if they're listening to "Ghostbusters" and "Margaritaville" playing on the PA speakers in the background. I can tell you what my prediction is but you likely know already.

Keeping the Pace:
The right music can help pace your workout. Keep these beats:

Running: 120 to 160 beats per minute (bpm), or about the speed of "Run Like Hell" by Pink Floyd

Boxing: 122 to 140 bpm, or about the speed of anything from the Rocky soundtrack

Cycling: 130 to 170 bpm, or about the speed of "Panama" by Van Halen

Lifting: 140 to 170 bpm, or about the speed of "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin (one repetition for every four beats)

Warm-up/Cool down: 90 to 110 bpm, or about the speed of "Black Magic Woman" by Santana

Personally, I don't understand how I used to lift without music. I have a little flash MP3 player that I wear strapped to my arm. They're getting cheaper by the day. The full-size iPod or an MP3 player with a hard drive is not a good idea for use with exercise. Try that link above at Newegg.com instead of Best Bye or Circus City where you would have to pay full MSRP. But I'm sure I don't need to tell you how to shop.

If I get to the gym and my rechargeable battery is dead, I'll leave and go get batteries. I don't lift without music anymore. My workouts seem half-assed when I don't have my own music. Lifting without music is like a movie without a soundtrack. Crickets chirping in the background and stuff. The power of it: it is a big distraction that directs ones attention away from inadvertantly focusing on the "pain."