Why I Recommend Exercising With Headphones
Exercising with headphones assists athletes in focusing on their workout while listening to hormone-releasing songs. This increases motivation, intensity, and confidence, which embeds a more positive perspective when training.
When an athlete has the benefit of wearing headphones, they’re encouraged to exercise because of the dopamine released when listening to their preferred music.
However; it must be done safely to prevent ear damage and other negative externalities we mention below.
To start, let’s go in more detail about the benefits of wearing headphones
What Are The Benefits Of Wearing Headphones During Exercise
After research, I found lots of negative stigma towards wearing headphones, which contrasted with my experience, where it hugely benefitted my fitness journey.
Examples where it helps include:
Why Headphones Increase Focus During A Workout
Headphones filter distractions which helps you to concentrate on the exercises, movements, and form. Along with listening to words of encouragement, using headphones provides a constant motivator to keep athletes in “the zone”.
“The Zone” is a headspace you go into the exercise with and leave without. It makes your workout more intense, tunnel-visioned, and engaging.
Many athletes make a playlist exclusively for the gym. This makes your brain recognize its time to work out, so it automatically puts you in a ready-to-train state of mind. This could include an increase in focus, energy, and drive.
While many individuals can get into the zone without music, I personally struggle. It’s always likely I will be more focused with than without.
Why Headphones Are Better Than Gym Music
Headphones enable athletes to block out the gym’s music when it doesn’t match their music taste. Thus they can tactically choose to listen to the music that helps them exercise best.
Some athletes find it more difficult to listen to music they don’t like rather than silence! Wearing headphones help avoid this problem.
It’s common for gyms to play non-copyrighted music, which only a few individuals enjoy listening to while exercising. So, headphones allow you to listen to whatever you want while blocking out the gym speakers.
I have found to enjoy different music when I exercise versus when I’m chilling. Experiment with different genres to find what works best for you in the gym.
How Headphones Improve Workout Structure
When fartlek training, headphones supply a rhythm that can be used to time exercise or indicate a change in movement. A good example is saying to run the length of 5 songs – not knowing the exact time of each.
Ways to use your headphones to improve the timings and structure include:
- Holding a static for a song’s duration.
- Lifting a PB (personal best) once the song’s base drops.
- Timing a rest period with a song’s verse.
While it isn’t as organized as pre-planned timings, it is definitely more fun, and helps to push beyond known limits. For example, I once thought I could hold a plank for two minutes but managed to hold it for the duration of a song lasting two minutes and thirty-four seconds.
It can be argued this can be done with the gym speakers, but I find it too quiet to use it as a tool for exercise.
Do Headphones Improve Confidence During Exercise
Wearing headphones during exercise introduces a psychological switch to feel as in everybody lives in your world. This is because the brain receives signals exclusively from your music. Therefore, you have more confidence and joy during exercise.
It feels like you’re a movie’s main character! There is an instant confidence boost and a rush of energy circulates the body. This aids the workout as it encourages the intensity and correctness of each exercise.
A range of studies has backed the idea that music boosts motivation.
What Are The Drawbacks of Using Headphones During Exercise
When used in excess, headphones during exercise have penalties.
Abusing headphone usage has negative returns in terms of exercise. As well as long-term ear health issues, it can alienate you from everyone, making the gym a lonely place. To add, there are numerous safety concerns when blocking out your surroundings in the gym that can lead to injury.
To explore the disadvantages:
Do Wearing Headphones Limit Socializing When Exercising
Headphones automatically isolate you in the gym because people won’t approach you as they assume you can’t hear them. This constrains opportunities that range from new gym partners to future relationships.
This plays a significant impact in team sport-specific exercising, such as football. In fact, it can hinder team performance as those who use headphones have less chemistry than those who don’t.
The gym can be a very social place. Some individuals go to the gym to train and do nothing else; others enjoy chit-chat and meeting new people. If you prefer not to be approached, wearing headphones works in your favor, but if not, it’s best not to.
Do Headphones Deteriorate Ear Health During Exercise
Regular gym goers who use headphones may see damage to their eardrums, especially when music is at maximum volume for a long session.
The extent to this has several dependencies, such as:
- the type of headphone.
- the volume.
- your current ear health.
- the duration you use them at a time.
Individuals who wear headphones in the gym tend to have their music extra loud to block out surrounding sounds. In this case, long-term usage will lead to reduced hearing ability.
Your ears will always be better off without them. My advice is to be sensible, don’t listen at full volume, and take headphone breaks to let your ears adjust.
Is Exercising with headphones bad in the long-run
Individuals can become dependent on their headphones to the extent that they can’t fulfill a thorough workout without them. This is because they need an external source of inspiration. At this point, the ability to self-motivate has been lost.
There will be times we forget to bring our headphones or earpods to work out. If you can proceed to have an intense and thorough workout, that’s great; however, if you have become reliant on them, the issue has arisen.
This is because you can guarantee an unfulfilling workout anytime you don’t have access to headphones or earpods.
It’s imperative the headphones assist in self-motivation but aren’t the source of your drive.
How exercising with headphones make you unaware of surroundings
Wearing headphones prevent you hearing warning signals or callouts that give enough time to move from potential danger. For example, moving your feet before a weight lands on your feet. In a moment of panic, headphones reduce your chances of staying safe.
The gym is hazardous; the machinery, heavy weights, and rigid objects mean you must be ready if, for example, a weight drops on the floor. Taking away the sense of sound could be the reason you get injured and not someone else.
Moreover, it’s a danger to others. Without hearing what’s going on, the risk of running into someone causing injury increases.
What Are The Differences Between Normal And Sport-Specific Headphones
Normal headphones are designed to be worn sitting (and walking), while sport-specific headphones are intentionally designed for activity. The design, fitting, and material vary to give each headphone the best experience for different user intentions.
Their advantages include:
- Wireless Workout Headphones: Sporting manufacturers know athletes need as much mobility as possible. As a result, the majority of them are fully wireless to enable their customers to move freely and not get themselves in a tangle. In going wireless, you sacrifice some of the quality of the music, but most individuals are content with the trade-off as it’s neglectable.
- Sweat Resistance: Manufacturers make their headphones sweat resistance for the device’s protection and the user’s comfort. This is done through alternate materials like aluminum, titanium, and plastic. Furthermore, some headphones will be designed for a specific sport, for example, waterproof headphones for swimmers!
- Portability and Weight Reduction: Workout headphones are as light and portable as possible. Headphones have multiple hinges to fold, and earpods will be as small as needed. This maximizes athletes’ comfort when wearing them and reduces the space their device takes up in their bag. Furthermore, specific plastic and leather are used to reduce its weight.
- Earpods fitting: Gym EarPods tend to wrap around your ear, like a snake, whereas day-to-day ones are designed to fit in your ear canal. The benefit of this is to prevent the earpods from falling out when jumping. These can be adjusted to fit your ear size perfectly, though they can often rub and become uncomfortable.
Conclusion On Wearing Headphones To Exercise
Overall, as long as headphones are worn maturely (not at full volume, not for long periods, or not worn with an ear infection ), they are a useful tool when exercising. To optimize its benefits, you must be aware of your surroundings while being able to zone in to increase focus.
However; this is only an opinion. It is imperative that individuals try for themselves, as what works for us may not work for everyone.
Thanks for reading…
- Can You Film In The Gym – The Brutal Truth
I run a fitness blog and YouTube channel. And while writing is hassle-free, getting my camera, tripod and microphone out in the middle of the… - Can You Use The Holes In Bouldering
Have you ever seen the holes drilled into the bouldering/climbing wall? When I first went climbing I was confused as to what they are, who… - Does Climbing Increase Testosterone
Muscular, veiny, hairy, tall, and deep-voiced… All of which derive from high testosterone levels. Is it possible they derive from climbing too? Let’s find out……
