SONGS THAT GET ME PSYCHED
Most of us can influence our moods with music. I’ve grown up in a family where everyone plays some kind of instrument or sings. In the right situation and with the right music, I can get motivated to push myself harder. Likewise, I can use music to calm down.
Being able to control our mood can be very helpful – especially in passion and emotion rich sports. We all have our different strategies for controlling our emotions because we all respond in our unique ways. Being able to control our emotions can particularly be important in competitions or other stressful situations. Music can be one useful strategy to handle negative emotions like distress, nervousness, anxiety. It can calm us down, or on the other hand, pushes and motivates us to increase our activity level. Generally, we need to find out on which activation level we perform at our best - are we already really activated and psyched, and need to calm down? Or are we super chilled and need to push ourselves? Depending on that, it makes sense to create different playlists which put us in the ideal state in different situations. It is scientifically proven that music influences our emotions and motivation. We can enjoy the moment and movement. Moreover, if the rhythm of the music fits the rhythm of our sport/ movement, it can have a supportive effect as it reinforces the impetus of the movement.
Did you know that if you're a beginner, music can enhance your performance for up to 20%? The better you become the less music plays an influencing role on your performance. With that said, top athletes still have a lot to gain from music, and booming the right tunes can give you that extra motivation and push that will possibly make the difference. If you compile your personal track list make sure different songs and their pace fit different moments and situations. Faster beats for pushing you beforehand, slower beats for calming down. Maybe you find a song that fits the exact rhythm of your climbing style? Have you ever tried to climb in this rhythm?
So here's a personal list of the top 10 songs that get me psyched. I apologise in advance if my taste in music offends anybody. With that said it's not always about what other people think – it's about being motivated and in control of our mood so we can perform better.
My motivational songs:
1. Sia: The Greatest, Never Give Up, Alive, Unstoppable,... (I find most of Sia's song really motivating!)
2. Dark Horse - Katy Perry ft Juicy J (This was my favourite song at the Bouldering World Cup in Innsbruck, 2014. I remember bouncing up and down to this song before the qualification started.)
3. Rise - Katy Perry (goose-flesh!)
4. Final Countdown - Europe (classic, always good for a bit of drama)
5. Whenever Wherever - Shakira (My primary school friends and I were already dancing and singing along to this one at the age of 10 - we thought we were super cool back then. 😅 I still find her Latin American beats very motivating. Waka Waka, Loca or Try Everything are just a few other good songs that put me in a really good mood)
6. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor (classic, old & awesome)
8. Simply the Best - Tina Turner
10. You're not Alone - From Dawn To Fall (The official song of the Wings for Life Run 2014 was written by my cousin and performed by his former band "From Dawn to Fall". This song is awesome and the lyrics are actually meaningful, too! Their new band is called Hunger. They make incredible music and are just on the edge of getting super famous around the world 😉 )
Cool Fact: Studies show that stimulative music can enhance our grip strength. 💪🏻
Which songs get you psyched? Write me a message or on Facebook - if you want, your recommendations will be anonymously shared on Facebook to collect a wide range of motivating songs over the next few weeks!