No Music Workout

For the past few weeks, I have been lifting without music. Now, granted, I am still plugged in during my runs, but that's about it.

It's no secret that there have been studies that cite the benefits of listening to music during a workout, and I'm not here to challenge them. However, I am saying that based on my personal experience with this little experiment so far, I've found that I am able to workout with greater concentration and at a higher intensity than before. Perhaps this is all in my head. Much of life is psychological - it's all a mental game. But, I cannot deny the improvements that I have made, especially in terms of the increase in weights I am lifting.  (Yes, girls lift. And yes, I will make a post about this another time).

So, I am challenging you to give it a try. Put your music player away, and really try to make a connection between your mind and your body. Concentrate on each movement -- the contractions of your muscles, your breathing. Focus your mind solely on your body without the distraction of having music blaring in your ears. Some of you are going to scoff at this and say that music helps to push you, to motivate you, to get you to do that final rep. But we all know that fitness is about more than your body. It's not just about having a strong body. It's also about developing a strong mind. There is no way you would have the discipline to workout consistently, or to eat healthily without mental toughness. Impossible. So before you decide to mock this music-less experiment, give it a shot. Let your mind push you, motivate you, get you to do that final rep. Work on improving not only your physical and physiological health, but also your mental health. Be in control of your own mind, and stop letting external forces be the driving force behind your progress. And like I said, perhaps the success of this theory is dependent upon my own belief in this system. If that is so, it means that my mind is the driving force behind this increased concentration and intensity. And if that's true, what's stopping you?

Try it. Give it two weeks. What do you have to lose?

Until next time,

C