Barely a workout goes by without turning up the volume on our headphones to get us through a tough session at the gym. We often feel as though we need music to get us through our sporting events, and some can’t leave the house for a run without their music. Sport and music share a few close links, and here’s why.
Dedication
If you want to be the best in either sports or music you have to put in the hours. It takes years for people to master an instrument, but it also takes that same level of dedication to excel at sports. The world’s top athletes have spent many years getting their bodies and minds in the right zone, but so have the greatest musicians. Some of the biggest bands or musical acts in the world often tell interviewers how hard work was the reason they became a success. Everyone needs a lucky break to make it, but the harder you work, the luckier you become.
Making you perform
Some experts believe that listening to a good playlist while exercising can reduce the effects of fatigue by up to 10%. It helps to provide a distraction from what you are doing, which in the case of repetitive exercise at the gym can make your workouts more effective. If you’re gathered as part of a sports team then listening to music before you start helps to reduce the anxiety that can impact on your performance. Music works for solo sports too. If you’re about to play a singles match of tennis, or any singles sport, you can listen to your tunes beforehand and block out the fear.
Stimulation
Music can help to improve your mood, helping to make you happier and more positive. Positivity is key in sports, and often confidence can be the difference between winning or losing. Adding some music to your pre-game workout will help to calm your nerves, but it also helps to stimulate your body. The tempo of the music gets your heart pumping so that when you’re thrust into the action, you’re not starting from a standstill.
When working out, you can set how hard you’re going to sweat by choosing faster or slower songs. Marathon runners, for instance, would choose calmer music with a slower rhythm to help control their pace. Those same marathon runners might also choose to add some faster songs at a certain point in their run to try and ramp things up. The tempo of music in your workout playlist will impact how you exercise. If you don’t feel like working hard you can slow things down, but listening to a fast-paced playlist will help you to give that extra push.
Music and sports are becoming more linked than ever before. Thanks to portable music becoming so readily available we can all work out to our favorite tunes. Music can encourage you to push that extra bit harder, getting more from your body than you would without any tunes blasting in your ears.
