Calming music before a workout boosts strength
What actually happens when you blast the most aggressive music through your headphones and give yourself a couple of slaps on the cheek before lifting weights? You certainly feel powerful, but research tells a different story. If you really want to move some iron, your preparation might need to be the exact opposite — a quiet, dimly lit room and a calming track.
Why your choice of music affects strength
Researchers at Bridgewater College decided to test a piece of age-old gym wisdom: is it better to psych yourself up or calm yourself down before a heavy set? They recruited football players from their own college — men who regularly train with weights and whose performance is consistent enough to measure a difference.
Each athlete performed as many bench press reps as possible with a 225-pound barbell. They repeated the same exercise under three different conditions: after a relaxation technique, after a psyching-up technique, and with no preparation at all. This allowed the researchers to compare what actually worked.
How calming music improves performance
For the relaxation technique, the athletes were taken to a quiet, dimly lit room where calming music was playing. There, they tensed and relaxed their muscles in a set sequence while focusing on their breathing. For the psyching-up technique, the same men watched aggressive football — exactly the kind of stimulation many people deliberately seek before a heavy set.
The result was surprising. After the relaxation technique, the athletes averaged two more reps per set than after psyching themselves up or doing no preparation at all. Two reps may not sound like much, but with a 225-pound barbell, that is a difference you cannot ignore when it comes to progressive overload.
The reasoning is simple. A nervous system that is already overstimulated before the first rep wastes energy on the wrong thing — a brief adrenaline rush that might last twenty or so seconds and fade before the barbell even reaches your chest. Calming music keeps arousal at a level where you can focus on technique and direct your strength where it is needed: into the barbell.
The relaxation technique, step by step
If you want to try this before your next heavy workout, here is what to do. Dim the lights, put on some calming music and lie down. The whole process takes about 15 minutes, and you can do it at home just before heading to the gym.
Start with your calves. Tense the muscles as hard as you can and hold the contraction for 10 seconds. Then relax them completely and keep your attention on those same muscles for another 10 seconds. Feel the tension release. Repeat this pattern with your hamstrings, glutes, abdominals, forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back, trapezius, neck, jaw muscles and, finally, your forehead.
After the last muscle group, simply stay lying down for another two to three minutes. Focus only on your breathing — a slow inhale, a longer exhale, a controlled rhythm. When you get up, you should feel clear-headed and focused, rather than sleepy. This is the state that allows you to express your strength best.
Practical tips for choosing music
Calming does not mean boring. Choose a track with a tempo of around 60–80 beats per minute, without sudden changes in volume or unexpected choruses. Classical music, ambient music, acoustic guitar or simply nature sounds work well. Avoid whatever you usually listen to while driving — your mind associates it with movement and speed rather than calm.
Headphones help because they block out noise in your apartment. Keep your eyes off your phone screen, though — scrolling through social media pulls you out of your relaxed state just as quickly as aggressive metal. The aim is simple: arrive at the gym in a frame of mind where only the barbell matters.
FAQs about music and training
Should you listen to calming music during your workout too?
No. The Bridgewater study looked only at preparation before a set. During the workout itself, more energetic music may help you maintain your pace and regain focus between sets. Try the calming music experiment at home or in the changing room, rather than while actually performing the bench press.
How long should you listen to calming music before a workout?
The relaxation technique takes about 10–15 minutes when you include all the muscle groups. If you have less time, skip some of the smaller muscle groups, but do not skip the two to three minutes of breathing exercises at the end — that is where the greatest effect comes from.
Does this work for endurance sports too?
The Bridgewater study looked only at maximal strength in the bench press. For endurance sports, where you want to raise your heart rate from the start, more energetic music may be helpful instead. For maximal-strength sets, however, calm preparation is what gives you those couple of extra reps.
-Jim Stoppani
Flex
Author: joker
Source: WHO – physical activity.
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