We all know how gyms these days thump music and a lot of emphasis is given to the kind of audio systems that are placed in the gym. Some gyms go as far as hiring a DJ in the gym. This apart being a fancy utility is also a great help to your workouts.
Music as we all know helps define or set a lot of moods. A lot of times we end up playing sad songs when we feel lonely, or a pumping song when we are in a upbeat mood. When it comes to our workouts this is no different. Today we are all bounded by a tight work schedule that leaves little in us to head to the gym and perform at our optimal max. A lot of times we hear people watching a particular video or listening to a particular type of music to make sure they get in the zone.
The world-leading researcher on music for performance, Dr. Costas Karageorghis, who has over 100 authored studies on the subject to his name, says that one can call music as “a type of legal performance-enhancing aid or drug.
Here’s how this magic performance enhancer helps while you sweat it out in the gym or on the field training:
1. The dissociation effect: This effect refers to the mind being diverted from the feeling of fatigue that arises during workouts. Research has shown that the mind has been diverted from the feeling of fatigue during endurance workouts while you listening to music. Thereby adding those extra reps, laps to your training.
2. The motivation derived within: Music has the ability to create a altered state within a persons mind which also many coaches and gurus call as being in the zone. Many athletes end up listening to various forms of music, speeches, etc to get in the zone before a major match or event. Some athletes even talk about using music to aid their internal mind imagine things that they want to happen, which in turn gives a feeling of motivation and achievement. This is the sort of motivation you derive within yourself
3. Music and Workout harmony: A lot of workouts are now based on the musical pattern where people sync their moves to the tone of the music. If you observe closely the moment you increase the tempo of the song people automatically increase their tempo to adjust to that of the music. Research also supports this sync aspect as a very important part of performance. So we recommend some high tempo songs on your phone along with the music of your choice.
4. The Positivity: A lot of studies have addressed the link between positive feelings and music. Music helps you trigger positive emotions and thereby making the activity more desirable. This aspect is even amplified when that particular music reminds you of an aspect of your life. One such example is the movie Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone. A lot of guys still listen to the songs from that movie as it is associated with the great workout regime in the movie and every time one listens to it, the mood is set for a similar grueling session in the gym.
So for all those who want to experience the power of this magic drug, create that perfect set list for yourself depending upon your training and music taste and blast them on your headphones while you train. We suggest choosing a music that will match the rhythm along with the exercise as this will help performing the activity in better sync and tends to push you harder in the activity.
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