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I mentioned earlier that I felt music
interfered with my weightlifting because of the need for intense focus during that activity. Nevertheless, there are many
fit guys who I see wearing music players all the time in the gym. It is a matter of personal preference, but I recommend against
it for weightlifting at least until you have learned what you are doing.
As for aerobic activity, that’s a
different story. The first bit of advice is NOT to select noise-isolating headphones. You need to be aware of your environment
so that you can hear cars, dogs, bikes and other things that can bite or hit you. The second
is the research part: - Researcher James Annesi reported that, for aerobic exercise “music significantly
improved positive affect. The elevated emotion was considered important for new exercisers during the initial months of attempting
to adapt to the demands of a regular program.” Additionally, runners were surveyed and “A preference for music
while training was indicated by 87% of the sample. Many participants interviewed retrospectively noted a reduction in perceived
exertion while running at any pace with music.”1 I told you we we’re going deaf.
- In the same article
Annesi reported that, “Participants running over a 1,800-m scenic cross-country course produced lower scores for boredom
and frustration than those using a 200-m track.”2 As I mentioned before, people who run outside have higher
adherence rates.
- Dave Elliott et al., found that “motivational and oudeterous [synchronized to the exercise] music can significantly
increase distance traveled when compared to the control condition… Both music conditions elicited increased in-task
affect and generated equally positive post-task attitudes towards the exercise experience.”3
So there you go. Just try not to crank it
too loud.
My Preferred Player
I prefer the iPod Shuffle because of its size. It can clip to a shirt, the waist of your shorts,
the back of a baseball cap or even your nipples if that’s your thing.
Conclusion
Rush is awesome.
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