Gym music

[Mdlftr]

Not sure if this is a "training" comment or a "Muscle Mind-Inspiration" comment....

Have you ever had your workout concentration broken by the "Music" that the gym pumps in through the speakers??

I'm talking about the "muzak" -- rock/top hits/mish mash that usually gets pumped in over the speakers. Have you found yourself-in between sets, or, even worse, DURING a set, listening to the music and becoming distracted?!

I workout in the early a.m. (5:30 a.m. when the gym opens). Usually, I'm so focused on getting through my workout and getting to work, that I don' t pay attention to the background music. This morning, however, after a two-week holiday and cold-induced layoff, I'm back in the gym, ready to lift.

Chest today--a favorite. I'm warmed up, I'm focused on my upcoming set of heavy DB incline presses. I feel strong, focused, in control. I lean back, ready to push it up, when suddenly I become aware of the music....very aware of the music.

Suddenly it changes from top 40/soft rock/Muzak to classical. Specifically, it changes to Carmena Burana, which is one of the more ominous-sounding 20th century pieces in the repertoire. (It was used in "The Omen" films. )Bum bum bum bumba bum/ Bum bum bum bumba bum/ Bum bum bum bumba bum/ ba bum ba bum ba bum ba.... over and over and over.

I can't help it--I sit there like a bird on a wire--like a deer in the headlights, listening to these musical phrases, over and over. My 'bells rest on my thighs, forgotten. I come to with a start, then try to get 'em up (This is my second working set, and the 'bells are near the limit of my working range. Not impossible, but a good push.) I strain and try to push the weight up...the music keeps pounding away...Bum bum bum bumba bum/Bum bum bum bumba dum....My right arm doesn't make it. The weights come back and narrowly miss my face. F***! I go to the rack to get something lighter... the music continues....Bum bum bum bumba bum/Bum bum bum bumba bum....I successfully complete the set with the (slightly) lighter weight....bum bum bum bumba bum/bum bum ba bum ba bum ba bum baaaa....I smile to myself in the mirror, flex quickly and move on.....

Another morning at the Mind/music gym............

[hulkmuscle]

Now THAT could be an interesting topic here or on a forum of its own: music for lifting. Have people post their best kick-ass music for throwing around barbells. I always heard metal is great for building, but I've never been a metalhead, so I don't own any. But, it would be cool to get other guys' suggestions on what they think works for them.

[Corwin]

I tend to like what I call "gay boy dance music", especially stuff by DJ David Knapp. Check out http://www.centaurmusic.com

I think David Knapp is a regular DJ at SBNY.

[Bazorba]

I don't usually have my own headset for when I lift weights, because I don't have anything all that small and my discman doesn't have a clip on it.

When I do listen to my own music is during cardio. The stuff on the radio station, while it's good for normal listening most of the time, I can't stand it for cardio. I like to listen to a group called Apocalyptica, a Finnish group who does metal and hard rock on cellos and add in other instruments (but the main thing is the cellos). Their latest disc, Reflections, is about the best for cardio since they recruited the old drummer from Slayer for some of the tracks and they are very driving.

[wbhunk]

To be honest, when I'm lifting, I hardly pay ANY attention to the music. I've been told I'm really antisocial in the gym, which isn't exactly true....but when I'm there, my focus is on the lift and nothing else.

Cardio is another matter....usually I'll be watching TV during that, either the History Channel or ESPN....but do love to listen to music.

I'll second Corwin's choice....the Global Groove series, put out by Centaur Music, makes great workout music, both because it's pretty upbeat AND because it's a continuous mix -- slide one CD in and you are set for the next sixty-odd minutes. Tony Moran is my favorite of the Global Groove DJs featured -- his first one, "A Deeper Heart", absolutely ROCKS.

Julian Marsh is another great choice. On the Global Groove series, my two favorites of his are "Millenium" and "Hear the Spirit" -- the latter being one of the niftiest mixes I have heard. It's a series of dance remixes/reworks of spirituals and gospels -- awesome chill-out, contemplation, yoga, or stretching music.

[polomuscle]

VAN HALEN

[QuoteTheRaven]

Some of us (me specifically) catch ourselves bopping our head or moving our hips during especially catchy songs ;-) And my rhythm's not all that great.

And talk about disruptions... for catchy songs I've never heard before ... I end up jumping up from my set or stretching and run down to the lower floor where the tvs are located so that I can catch the artist/title on the tail end of the music video - i've bought 2 cds since September because of the "sportsclub network" HA!

Thanks for bringing up a fun topic.

[sexiscriptor]

Wow, Carmina Burana? What a weird choice to play in a gym...I know what you mean about it, tho. It's a VERY rhythmic song (Carl Orff [the composer] specifically tried to create a rhythm through the voices of the choir).
but man, what strange thing to play...
Personally, I just play whatever mix I have. Music has never really bothered me during workouts.

[jennylee324]

yea, for workout music, you basically need hard-hitting euro-dance music.... nothing else does the job really. Search around on itunes for "euro club hits" or check this link:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...Club+Hits+Vol+

[abbraxis]

I don't want to bring my iPod cause I'll lose it... and I don't have pockets or one of those arm bands either. Plus, the gym I go to has XM radio and plays a pretty good mix of alternative (The Killers, Muse, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, etc.) which is what I like. They don't play country... and that's all that matters.

On the treadmill, though, I watch CNN or FOuX News. I'm a politics junky, what can I say?

[GunMetalGrey88]

i got a huge list in my thread check it out

[howardbeatman]

I sympathize... for some people (like me) music is DISTRACTING and hurts rather than helps a workout. Please do not reply that music helps YOU concentrate and so I and the original poster must be wrong. Remember that everyone is different - and in different ways.

[anonychubster]

I'm with the last poster.

I actually find music of any kind distracting and annoying. Especially the generic top 40 stuff they play over the speakers in the gym.

I also cant stand to listen to an mp3 player, when I concentrate I hate any distractions so the wires from the headphones bug me, then I can feel the mp3 player, and it's never the song I want.

For a while the music system in our gym was broken, I found the thump thump of the treadmills and the clanging of weights quite motivating.

I do listen to my mp3 player when I go running outdoors.

Carmen Burana is a really wierd thing to play in a gym.

[WhoDunIt]

I usually use my iPod for the treadmill, but go and put in my truck or what ever locker I'm using when I'm done with cardio. I have a file of up tempo/beat music mainly for cardio and driving (have yet to get ticketed, but that's more luck than anything else) I'm afraid I'll damage the thing on the weight side of the gym so I don't normally take it there. The place I go to usually has satellite radio and is normally pretty decent, but I tend to block it out anyway. The did have a censored version of Nickeback's "Rockstar" that just kept throwing me for a loop while I was doing backwork. For some reason this version had all the drug and maybe a sex reference blocked. and it just didn't sound right to me (kinda like the version of Buckcherry's "Lit Up" that was being played on VH1's top metal songs show that had the word Cocain blocked), it just didn't sound right with that part blanked out I just can't listen to any kind of dance music, for some reason it gives me a headache, especially after a few hours even at a moderate volume. Don't know why, just bothers me for some reason.