Music during personal practice

[Coach Flanagan]

I am curious about what those of you who train to music find is most conductive to practice in each 3 wings. Especially regarding music that you prefer during training in a specific wing that may differ from what you would prefer normally. I've been making some discoveries lately in my own practice but still havent found the right balance, and I'm curious what everyone else has discovered.

[Chuck Kechter]

For myself, if I listen to music, it is almost always something racous, or that has some "move" to it.

I am already somewhat "meditative" when I train, I don't need music to lead me in that direction. For me music helps me "up the tempo" of my training sessions. So it is (almost) always something like the Who, the Stones, Cowboy Junkies, the Clash, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Limp Bizkit, Hole, KMFDM, Garbage, White Zombie, Cherry Poppin Daddys, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, et cetera... :eek: :thumbup1: :D

Even with that, the music rarely intrudes very deep into my consciousness when I train...

[Coach Flanagan]

Chuck,

What about during Prasara practice?

[Pablo]

Angel Eyes: Like a little music with your meal, Tuco ?
Tuco: Music ? Yeah, it's very good. It's very good for the digestion. (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)


Sorry... couldn't resist.

When I work out, I usually have MP3 downloads or Podcasts of some business leader or preacher or author that I like streaming in the background. Helps me work on the issues I need to work on, but don't necessarily WANT to work on... when I'm working out, I have divided attention... listening to the speaker helps me to take my mind off of the ardor of the work, and working out lowers my defenses so the speaker's message can penetrate straight into the subconscious.

I find the idea of a double-edged sword to be quite useful a weapon in keeping me in check!

Paul

[KD Jones]

In general, music during training just irritates me. However, it can occasionally have the effect taking my mind of the ardor or bumping up the intensity as Chuck and Paul have said. In limited doses, that's helpful.

But... for a person who has to stay in touch with the ardor because of meat-headed tendencies to overdo it, and who has a tendency to sacrifice everything - including technique and discomfort - for intensity, neither of those are good across the board.

The other difficulty I have is the rhythym. If my state, or current needs regarding technique require special attention (which they often do) the MY rhythym is going to change. Unfortunately, the music isn't going to be so responsive. So I'm either keeping up with something that's our of sync with ME, irritated by the discrepancy, or just plain distractmoflated.

BUT... given something I might (someday) be doing for reps, for which the technique is seriously ingrained and some degree of trancelike focus is required, I'd ramp up some Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Stevie Ray, Weather Report, Mercan Dede (which I would probably use for Prasara. The first CD of the "Sufi Traveller" album is spectacular, but them I'm a sucker for Middle Eastern/Turkish influenced stuff).

More and different than you wanted to know, really, but I started typing and couldn't stop. Send help.

[Pablo]

Help inbound, KD!

Wonder when we'll hear the results of the TC II. I'm VERY curious ( I stop short of saying, "anxious" but I'm "anxious'" neighbor!)

[Chuck Kechter]

Sean,

If my Prasara "work" is done directly after a CB session it will be the same. I don't changethe music in the middle of of my movement -- as that'll take me out of my "head-space" almost instantly.

If Prasara is at another time during the day -- which it usually is for me (usually not long before bed). Then I rarely have anything playing. The house is quiet. my wife and daughter are in bed and I have the house to myself.

[KD Jones]

Wonder when we'll hear the results of the TC II. I'm VERY curious ( I stop short of saying, "anxious" but I'm "anxious'" neighbor!)

I'm SOOOOO over that.

Ha.


Actually, I think it would be cool if we found out that it came down to an all-hands-tie, and we all get a nice box of Girl Scout cookies. Somehow, that would be a relief.

[Coach Bentz]

:)

I used to play really rousing scores for Clubbell work, esp from movie soundtracks King Arthur, Gladiator, stuff like that. It got me moving when feeling lethargic. But over time, I found I was not only using more effort in my practice, but I was staying more aroused through the day. I suspect because I rarely listened to the softer tracks from those same soundtracks which tend to balance the moviegoer's experience.

Now if I have anything playing at all, its much softer stuff from artists I really like. Not arousing, just something to get me started moving on a sluggish day. Lots of times I'll pop old Sting or Bruce Hornsby tracks. For Prasara, I've been listening to Oliver Shanti, some flute music I brought back from China, and lately i've been into some tibetan stuff. Nothing too fast, no words, so I stay as much as I can with the internal experience.

[Christopher]

I love www.Soma.fmgroove salad and secret agent are their best stations.

[Coach Gostnell]

If I really need an audio jumpstart to get going, it's Tom Petty's Wildflowers, but then I wanna dance between sets instead of resting. :wiggle:

I do like the Prasara soundtrack when I'm doing that and have it going in the background sometimes.

[Coach Tran]

No music for me. I have found music messes with my concentration. I hate gym music. For me I need my own peace and quiet and focus on my biological music as I train. If I am feeling tired or unmotivated, then I remind myself why people pay me to coach them. After that reminder, I man (motivate myself in non gender way)* up...


* (political correctness)

[Coach Flanagan]

For me music helps me "up the tempo" of my training sessions. So it is (almost) always something like the Who, the Stones, Cowboy Junkies, the Clash, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Limp Bizkit, Hole, KMFDM, Garbage, White Zombie, Cherry Poppin Daddys, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, et cetera...

Even with that, the music rarely intrudes very deep into my consciousness when I train...

Where I find the music affects my consciousness during training is moreso in the rest periods. Once I start Heavy Clubbell®® trainining, as long as its something I find tolerable and at least medium tempoed, I can maintain perfect focus. However, I find having the appropriate amount of intensity of music for me is relative to rest periods.

For example, a few months back when I was training at the gym for my power development pre-FlowFighting™ the time of day I was in at the gym the radio station they had on was a lot of mainstream alternative/hard rock. As my rest periods were 3-5 minutes, I was able to shake off excess tension, relax a little bit , and it had enough drive to it so I could stay pretty focused . Now that I am working on a more burst-recover-burst Freedom of Movement cycle, I find I need some moderatly fast metal with pulsing low end sounds to keep me ready to jump back into the fires so to speak very quickly after my previous set.

[KD Jones]

After that reminder, I man up...

How sexist of you, you hunk of burning love.


(Actually, I kinda liked that. I mean, not in a "weak in the knees" way of course... you know, like... DOOOOOD. A DOOOOOD way.)

[Coach Tran]

KD,

"Man up" is what we say when we want to reclaim our vigor. I hope the ladies weren't offended by this and of course you too need to "woman up" (exert more vigor)* when you're just being (unmotivated)*.


*(Edited for political correctness)

[Coach Flanagan]

I do like the Prasara soundtrack when I'm doing that and have it going in the background sometimes.

I've yet to find good Prasara training music as most "relaxation" music for yoga classes seems to be for more still-bodies meditative practices. The prasara soundtrack is definatly the perfect mix of soothing sounds but with enough full sound to it to move to it. Too bad I cant bring a dvd player and tv to the gym though :embarassed:

[Coach Gostnell]

You could talk to Tony about that little thingie he showed me at the SF Path, with FlowFit - video & sound - downloaded on it. (He has it only for personal use, of course.)

[KD Jones]

"Man up" is what we say when we want to reclaim our vigor. I hope the ladies weren't offended by this and of course you too need to "woman up" (exert more vigor)* when you're just being (unmotivated)*.

*(Edited for political correctness)

Re: the asterisks... I laughed so hard I scared the maid. And she doesn't even work in our neighborhood.

I understood completely, and the cool thing is that it has some meaning coming from you.

[wiggy1]

For Prasara I enjoy something with a Native American feel to it, with lot's of percussion. Lately I have been enjoying Drum Prayer by Steve Gordon I picked up last year when in New Mexico. I find the tempo fast enough to remind me that I am supposed to be moving, not still, but peaceful enough to allow me to stay focused.

[Ryan Murdock]

I listen to The Church or Steve Kilbey. That's about it.

Well, been listening to a bit of other stuff these days. Tom Waits, The Catherine Wheel, The Arcade Fire, Hawkwind, The Go Betweens, Echo and the Bunnymen, Brian Eno, Lou Reed. Funny, much of that stuff was recommended by Steve Kilbey...

Some of the athletes that I coach listen to raging heavy metal at deafening volumes. I think so that they don't have to hear my "cues" ("you call that a Mill??? That was S***!"). ;)

[Matthew Barnes]

I generally just tolerate the music at the gym. When I am at home it is the fan im my room or a recorded track of waves crashing on a pebble beach (oh so nice).
I used to use loud music that makes you want to smash things (I still like that), but I dont feel like that when I train anymore. So I prefer something that blends in to the background so I can focus more on my breathing, structure and movement.

[Aaron Mcgrath]

I like to listen to white noise music.
I've got some audios that induce theta waves that I like to play.
Those are particularly good for Intu-Flow® and Prasara type stuff.

I've been working on Frog Hops from Flow Fit lately. I like to do incantations because they help me to stay focused when the going gets tough. And it amounts to an emotional workout on top of the physical one. "Every day in every way I'm getting stronger and stronger." Is a personal favorite...to counter the mind gremlins that are telling me to stop cranking.

[Geoff Dixon]

I generally go with something with a beat that also has meditative qualities to it. I've been working out to
Tabla Beat Science a lot lately, as well as using it for my Prasara classes. It is classically trained tabla players with break beats and electronic stuff underneath. Other times I listen to super aggressive prog-metal stuff or underground hip-hop.

geoff

[Coach Flanagan]

Geoff,

I've actually found prog-metal to be way too distracting. Once the time signature changes, too much attention is demanded. I've found I need much more simpler music during training than during any other times.

[Geoff Dixon]

Hey Sean,
It all depends on what I'm doing. If I'm training something that requires a steady beat, I definitely don't use any metal stuff. But if I'm training combat type stuff, or anything else where I can use something other than a 4/4 beat, I'll throw on some Messhugah 'cuz it's very driving and the jazz signatures keep me altering rhythms.

geoff

[Connie Brown]

I can't do music as background, it inserts itself into the mind-body mix. For example, if there's a strong beat then my movement entrains to it.

Sometimes I use that on purpose - like doing Going Ballistic to celtic dance music which can be really fast, now that is fun. But it also doesn't allow for microscopic tempo increases as GB demands.

Most of the time I don't put it on because switching to just the right music for the moves is too much trouble.

But I do like the meditation-with-a-beat for Prasara. Like the classic "Shamanic Dreams."