The legal performance enhancer: Why your playlist is more important than your pre-workout
Most people think music is just background noise. But if you use it right, it’s a legitimate performance enhancer
You walk into the gym. Maybe you had a long day at work. Maybe you’re tired. You are thinking about emails, or bills, or that awkward conversation you had with your boss. You are physically in the gym, but mentally? You aren't there yet.
Then you put your headphones on. You scroll to that track. You hit play.
Suddenly, the world shuts off. The emails don't matter. The fatigue fades into the background. It’s just you and the iron. If you think music is just "background noise," you are missing out on one of the most potent tools you have for growth.
The "Pavlovian" Switch
Most of us live in a polite, civilised world. We sit in meetings, we smile at strangers, we act calm. That is NPC mode.
But NPC Mode doesn't hit 0 RIR lifts. To move heavy weight, you need a certain level of controlled aggression. You need to tap into something a bit more primal. Music is the fastest way to flip that switch.
It’s basically a Pavlovian response. If you always play the same aggressive, heavy, or high-energy tracks when you are about to lift heavy, your brain starts to associate that sound with maximum effort. The second the beat drops, your central nervous system primes itself for violence against the barbell.
It’s not just a vibe, it’s physics
There is actual science here. Studies have shown that listening to high-tempo, high-intensity music can increase force production. It helps with something called disassociation.
When you are grinding through that last rep - the one that actually triggers muscle growth - your brain is screaming at you to stop. It hurts. It’s uncomfortable. Loud, driving music drowns out that inner voice of weakness. It lets you squeeze out one or two more reps than you physically thought you could.
Save your "Red Zone" songs
Here is a pro tip: Don't burn out your best songs.
If you listen to your absolute favourite, most hype-inducing track while you are foam rolling or warming up with an empty bar, you dilute its power. It becomes background noise.
Save the heavy stuff for the heavy sets. Curate a playlist specifically for your top sets - the "Red Zone." When those specific songs come on, it’s a signal to your body that it is time to go to war. Treat your playlist with the same respect you treat your programming.