Training with music

[Aefibird]

Do you ever use music to train with? Either at home or in the dojo.

Not in the sense of musical kata but as background music or as something to provide a 'beat' to work to.

[random]

My first Sensei used to like training to Kraftwork and he would also dub over videos he had bought with their ‘music’. He also used to where a stripy tank top his gran had knitted for him, boy did he think he looked cool.

[Aefibird]

Sounds, erm, great.

I tend to slap a bit of music on at home when I'm working on the heavy bag. Early Metallica is a personal fave, but I also like Terrorvision to work out to as well.

I don't like music on when I'm training kata.

[random]

I cannot train too often with music playing, I tend to tune into the music and find myself just listening not throwing anything.

Without wanting to sound over critical, but I think it is a symptom of the world today that we need the extra aural stimulus, we do not deal very well with silence, especially when we are busy, we expect it to be noisy, busy and loud. The difficulty we have is dealing with the emptiness of our own thoughts, at a pure level without stimulus.

Having said this when I do it is loud and banging, and usually when I am using the heavy bag, or sparring with a trusted friend who doesn’t mind mixing it up a little.

[AngelaG]

We do all our kata to "Eye of the Tiger" at my dojo











;D

[random]

Interesting…I thought it would only be good for bag work, running through the streets and hitting dead animals in the meat processing plant. ;D

[Aefibird]

random said:

Without wanting to sound over critical, but I think it is a symptom of the world today that we need the extra aural stimulus, we do not deal very well with silence, especially when we are busy, we expect it to be noisy, busy and loud. The difficulty we have is dealing with the emptiness of our own thoughts, at a pure level without stimulus.

I think after years of dealing with depression, I don't like being 'alone' with my thoughts any more, if you know what I mean. I find that I need that background noise, especially to be able to focus more on what I'm actually doing.

EDIT: I don't mean that I have to have background noise all the time, nor do I mean that I can't train at home without it - I can. I never can train kata with music (for example). I was just meaning that music in the background gives me a good 'boost'.

[random]

Fair point, as much as I hate generalisation I, as many others do, fall into the trap. I suppose it is more important to find the right peace (deliberate mistake) of music to meet your needs.

[Aefibird]

Well, it was a generalisation, but in my case it's true. I just like background noise!

[random]

Aefirbird, I was slapping my own wrists not yours.

[Aefibird]

lol, I know.

[random]

I trained in Muay Thai when I first got into MA, the music was very important and increased in tempo and volume as fights progressed and the excitement level grew within the crowd.

I had forgotten (or perhaps blanked it from my memory, my knee still hurts) the importance of this music, what, if anything, would be good music to have playing during competition sparring? Or would it detract from the event, and just fuel the argument of those who think it is more like dancing than anything else.

Part of the problem would be the stop start nature of sparring, perhaps it just wouldn’t flow…

[AngelaG]

Seriously this time, I don't think I'd like to train to music. I think it would be too easy to get into the beat and become predictable, you may also find that it becomes an ingrained habit and that you can ONLY train when there's music.

I do think there could be some benefit to doing sparring whereby 2 people spar and the others make sudden loud noises, or fast movements etc. to help increase zanshin and concentration.

[Aefibird]

random said:

I trained in Muay Thai when I first got into MA, the music was very important and increased in tempo and volume as fights progressed and the excitement level grew within the crowd.

I had forgotten (or perhaps blanked it from my memory, my knee still hurts) the importance of this music, what, if anything, would be good music to have playing during competition sparring? Or would it detract from the event, and just fuel the argument of those who think it is more like dancing than anything else.

Part of the problem would be the stop start nature of sparring, perhaps it just wouldn’t flow…

That'd probably work for full-contact/continuous sparring, but I think the stop-start nature of a lot of karate sparring competitions would mean that music just wouldn't be applicable.

Plus, "good" music is a relative term.
I'd always vote for Metallica, Black Sabbath, Queen, Iron Maiden etc, but others would rather die than spar or train to that.

It's good music for me but...!

[Mr. Precision]

aefibird said:

Plus, "good" music is a relative term.
I'd always vote for Metallica, Black Sabbath, Queen, Iron Maiden etc, but others would rather die than spar or train to that.

Sounds almost like my playlist. Couldn't train to it though.