Senior Amelia Iden has been working out for about six years, finding peace and calm within the gym. In her ideal environment, the lighthearted beats of pop singers, like Britney Spears and Rihanna, emphasize the enjoyment she seeks from working out. However, this tempo is not always what is needed to provide Iden with the drive to break personal records and set new ones, requiring a stronger tone instead.
“If it’s a hard day, I’ll listen to some heavier music like Metallica or AC/DC and other rock bands,” said Iden. “It helps me focus and get in the zone to max out.”
Working out has always been a large part of student life for many; however, those who find themselves unable to participate in the culture often struggle with finding the motivation to push themselves towards attaining ideal physiques. In finding this encouragement, many students look to music to give an extra push, allowing them to go further beyond what they may have originally thought possible.
Some students work out to provide themselves with the chance to be alone and take the time to reflect on their day while releasing anger in a productive way. Weightlifting can be the perfect way for students to unwind and make progress towards cultivating a healthy and happy body. Other students, especially athletes, work out to greatly improve their physical strength as well as their ability to compete at higher levels.
For junior Kyle Behlmann, this has been the primary intent of his weightlifting journey: to seek gains toward the attributes he finds important. As a tennis player, he pushes himself vigorously on arm day in order to drive the ball further and faster down the court than his opponents. Without his music, the growth he has experienced would be slowed or stopped, since it is a powerful motivator for him. Music for Behlmann, as opposed to Iden’s choices, can neither be pop nor slow, as he struggles to find the focus needed for him to do well in the gym, preferring almost exclusively metal songs to jam and work out to. The pacing of this genre aligns with the intensity and rhythm of his workouts.
“Whenever I’m feeling low, and I don’t want to go to the gym or do anything, I feel like music keeps me consistent and encourages me to keep going. Without it, I think I would struggle a lot more to find the same motivation,” Behlmann said.
With the differing music tastes between Iden and Behlmann in mind, what if there was no choice of what was on while working out? What if they had to listen to whatever was on the top 100 songs of the month that the gym plays?
Weights teacher Andrew Carter provides insight into what it was like for him growing up without the technology to pick and choose what was being played at any given time. He found himself instead listening to the beat of his heart, concentrating on its steady rhythm. Finding consistency in this, he discovered the key to success when working out over a long span of time. Carter exemplifies what it means to be a lifelong lifter, having done it for such a long time. In order to maintain long-term passion, Carter details the necessity of changing up habits so that they don’t get stale.
“If you get in a rut with your workout, change your workout up. That’s the big thing, so that you don’t plateau. If you’re getting tired of your music, find some other bands that are similar, expand your music genres,” said Carter.
