Tags: Weightlifting, music, sports psychology
By Harsh Srivastava
“I always listen to music when weightlifting,” says Kate Farley, a 20-year-old powerlifter from Cambridgeshire.
“It helps me focus and means I don’t have to listen to my own breathing. I find I can lift heavier and with better form when I have my headphones on compared to when I don’t.”
Farley originally started weightlifting at the age of 14 doing LesMills BodyPump classes.
“My mum was always a cardio fanatic, but I hated it, so when I started lifting I really enjoyed it as a way to exercise without getting uncomfortably out of breath.”
She then moved on to the regular gym and eventually started focusing on powerlifting-style training to build strength.
Farley is now a member of the University of Nottingham Powerlifting club. She was training to enter the East Midlands powerlifting division competitions this year as well as to qualify for the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) 2024.
“I also used to be quite self-conscious when I started lifting heavy, so having headphones helped me ignore other people around me and not be distracted by what they might think of me.”
Kunashni Parikh, 28, is a sports psychologist who graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She works with Athletes and academies all over the world and helps them improve their performance through mental training. She says there’s no doubt music has a positive impact on weightlifting.
“Music definitely triggers certain green areas and systems that impact your mood, your motivation and positivity which can enhance so many areas of life including your physical ability.”
Parikh currently works with more than 22 athletes across 35 countries as well as with junior athletes who are preparing for the Olympics.
Her background is in behavioural neuroscience and she did her masters in clinical psychology.
“So a lot of athletes, professionals and amateurs, make use of music a lot whether it’s weightlifting or working out in the gym or any other sport. Music helps them get into the zone right before an important performance.”
Daniel Benjamin Gardiner agrees with this.
“It gets you in the zone when the song you are listening to gets you very hyped up and it just gives you this extra boost like you are imagining yourself in a bodybuilding edit.”
Gardiner, 20, was born in Dubai. He first started working out during the first year of his boarding school. He initially got into weightlifting after being inspired by his friends who were part of the rugby team and now after 4 years he has been able to advance to intermediate-advanced bodybuilding.
“Music also blocks out other distractions like people talking in the gym or the utterly terrible music that they play in commercial gyms. I’m sorry but when I’m doing a set of T-bar rows to failure I don’t need Lady Gaga playing in the background,” Gardiner said.
Parikh says, ”A major part of weightlifting and working out has a lot to do with getting into that zone of your exercise and routine and also feeling that level of being pumped up and that motivation
“Musically, the kind of genre you’re listening to at that time can really guide the kind of workout you want to have so it can make you feel more charged up and excited.
“It really elevates the psychological experience of that entire environment if you just listen to clear, upbeat songs on a high tempo; it can get you excited and in the zone, but it should be something that you personally relate to as well.”
Gardiner has been training to enter the Under-20s competition which is taking place in Sheffield in July this year. The competition is being hosted by ex IFBB professional bodybuilder Trevor Chrouch.
He says: “I can support this one hundred percent. When you have no music you tend to think about the weight and how much you are lifting and how hard and heavy it’s going to be, when you’ve got music it’s almost a distraction from the actual weight and you just think to yourself, let’s move this shit”
Farley says that music doesn’t completely stop her from feeling tired, but it helps her find the motivation to continue her powerlifting session. “I think I would bin off a lot earlier a lot more often if I didn’t have music on.”
Gardiner usually listens to a variation of metal and rock bands when weightlifting.
“Something heavy and upbeat makes you feel like you are riding into battle on horseback with a sword in hand. But sometimes I’ll switch it up and listen to something sadder and slower because it has its time and place. Drum and bass can also slap if your energy is high.”
Kunashni says that self-selected music has a bigger impact.
”There is a lot of familiarity with that track. Maybe there is some kind of memory associated with it or there is a personal liking to a certain tone or tune or tune so there is a greater impact.
“There is also a lot of research online that shows when people play their favourite music it gives them a good dopamine hit and certain parts and beats of the song saw an even higher rise in dopamine levels.
“Something heavy and upbeat makes you feel like you are riding into battle on horseback with a sword in hand.”
Daniel Benjamin Gardiner
“So I wouldn’t say there is a certain type of music that helps you lift better but I would say there is optimal music for that particular weight lifter.”
Farley was due to take part in the competitions this year but she unfortunately got hit by a car last September and suffered injuries to her ankle which prevented her from competing.
She found that music has also helped her in her recovery.
“I have found it helps to listen to my ‘old’ gym playlist when I’m lifting now because it sort of reminds me that I used to be a good powerlifter so I can manage this measly set.
Farley also says that weightlifting is really important to her and music prevents her from getting distracted by anything including her thoughts.
”For me weightlifting really empties out my mind which is usually full of noise, so I like to have ‘empty brain’ music to minimise the chance of any thoughts occurring while I’m lifting.”
(Photo courtesy of Javid Nikpour/Tasnimnews – https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/media/2016/08/13/1156387/weightlifter-kianoush-rostami-wins-olympic-gold-for-iran)