Do you listen to music? Does it help?

[yoop33]

Do you guys listen to music while training? My gym has the worst music to work out to. But I was wondering how many of you bring your own music and why? I have before but I normally I just block everything out anyway. Most the time I don't hear anything at all anyway.
Does it help you guys at all? I mean I can understand maybe to get a kick start but usually my first set is a kick start enough for me anyway.

 

[Introspective]

I doubt music makes much if any difference to performance. I work out at home and listen to jumpstyle and hardstyle, i have it on loudish the bass vibrates my room and sometimes the room below me. I certainly prefer to train whilst listening to music that i like, if i was at a gym that played shit music i would definatley take my own.

 

[Cynical Simian]

I work out early in the morning and in my apartment and always have some music playing pretty softly (not to be confused with busting out some Kenny G during a set of deads, which would be "soft music"). I agree with that it's not a performance issue; playing music that you like just makes a workout more enjoyable.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I HAVE to have music. I go into my little shell and it's just me and the weights. There could be a dozen morons hovering around but I don't notice 'em at all when some Systen of a Down is screaming in my ears. I go so far as to cue a song, then wait for a particular part to begin the set. So to me I do think it affects performance - it would feel foreign to me not to have it.

 

[ChinkNasty]

I HAVE to have music. I go into my little shell and it's just me and the weights. There could be a dozen morons hovering around but I don't notice 'em at all when some Systen of a Down is screaming in my ears. I go so far as to cue a song, then wait for a particular part to begin the set. So to me I do think it affects performance - it would feel foreign to me not to have it.

i agree...i have to have music...RATM - sleep now in the fire...works wonders on max attempts haha

 

[Cynical Simian]

I go into my little shell and it's just me and the weights ... it would feel foreign to me not to have it.

In this sense of performance, although not in the getting pumped up to KILL THAT SHIT one, I'd say music is useful. I need some sort of background noise so I'm not lifting in complete silence, but it's not music-specific. If for some reason I weren't able to lsiten to music, I think the air conditioner, a fan, or anything else that would provide consistent noise would be a decent substitute.

Although if my choice were between System of a Down and silence, I might have to rethink what I just said...

 

[bignate73]

i also have to have music. i forgot my mp3 player the other day and walked out of the gym. i couldnt get it going at all! i had just loaded some different stuff on there and left it on my desk. dammit!

i usually listen to RATM, avenged sevenfold, audioslave, and disturbed.

otherwise I pick up on other people's conversations, lame music or just dead silence...all of which don't work for me in the gym.

 

[altimus]

i dont have an mp3 player and my rec doesnt play music. at first, it was different, cuz i was used to background music like in my old gym (usually country, what can i say, im a redneck from louisiana). but now, i dont even notice. after a few warm up sets, im usually in my own little world.

 

[chicknlegs]

I used to, and I think it did help me concentrate more on getting fired up and pushing that bit extra.
The only reason I stopped is because I was using an iPod and: 1. I could never get it in a comfortable position, arm strap or pocket and 2. The headphones would get it the way, especially when doing deadlifts and squats.

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Yanni gets me fuckin' psyched. Enya is good too.

Never mess with Weird Al & me in the gym. That's like mixing acetone & peroxide. x_x