For as long as I can remember, I’ve listened to music while working out.
When I lifted weights with my football team back in high school, Metallica and DMX usually blared over the crappy PA system in our dank weight room.
When the iPod came on the market while I was in college, I created a workout playlist consisting of an eclectic mix of indie rock and Rage Against the Machine.
When I got my garage gym, I put a Sonos speaker in it so I could crank up the tunes while I lifted weights. Over the years, my workout playlist changed. I had a Rage Against the Machine phase early on in my garage gym years. When I got tired of that, I went through an ‘80s hairband phase and a Taylor Swift phase. I passed through a period heavy on the Bleachers. There was even a time when all I listened to were the soundtracks of 1980s cop shows.
While the soundtrack of my regular training sessions changed, I always blasted The Killers when I was going for a PR. Specifically, “All These Things I’ve Done.” I don’t know how many PRs I’ve hit while Brandon Flowers was chanting “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier” in the background.
Music and exercise were inseparable for me.
That is, until this past year. I can’t remember the last time I had music playing in the background while I exercised.
And, strangely enough, I’m digging the silence. Here’s why you might hit the off button on your audio player too.
The Case for Working Out Without Music (or Podcasts)
When you see people working out, 95% of the time, they’ve got headphones on. And the near universality of listening to music during exercise isn’t too hard to understand.
As…
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