A DJ AT A Workout

I mentioned in an earlier post about how music may be one of the stimuli that helps you get focused and drives you through your workout.  This past Wednesday was a day when this point was heavily driven home to me.  There were three separate events that each, in their own way, showed the potential importance of music on training.

The first involves a couple I train, and the above picture is their iPod that is used during each and every workout.  When I make my way down to their basement gym, the first thing I do, even before setting down my backpack or taking off my coat, is to check the workout playlist that has been assembled.   And the next thing I do is cue up the first song.  This couple loves training to music, and they always have a playlist put together and are ready for me to DJ the way through their workout.  Sometimes there are fast songs, and sometimes there are slower songs, but there are always songs that they find motivating in some way.

The second example is from my own workout.  The never-ending winter wreaked havoc on another planned outdoor training ride.  Rain/sleet/snow and 33 degrees was more than I could stomach, or tolerate, for an outdoor ride.  So I was left with having to do a long ride inside after work.  I generally don't mind riding indoors, or even riding indoors for long periods.  What was making this ride potentially tough was a 20 minute full-effort exertion that needed to be completed.  I knew the best way to stay focused was going to be having the iPod ready to rock out some melodic motivation.  And ready it was.  The music that I had lined up for the harsh 20 minutes, predominantly from the band Muse, pushed me to open up my legs and lungs.  And because of its power, I was able to set a new personal record.

The third example comes from my post-ride reading and stretching.  I was reading through a variety of rider blogs and came upon this post by an American amateur who is racing in Europe.  This guy is serious about his music and using it to help himself focus on his training.  He writes that when he uses music during training he just loops the same song over and over.  How many times do you think he repeats it? Once? Twice? Three times? Nope, this guy goes right to his happy place by looping his songs for two hours at a time!  That is serious.  I think I am going to give that a try on my next solo two-hour ride.

Do you have a favorite song or band that gets you motivated?  What about a playlist that you use to get you going?  I'd love to hear about them.  Feel free to post your musical motivators in the comments below.

-Jason