Can your music playlist affect your cardiovascular health?
Recent research shows that listening to music that brings the listener feelings of joy is enough to dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow.
There is also a psychological benefit of music on sports performance as music has shown to be a great way to regulate mood both before and during physical activity.
Sports psychologist at Brunel University, Dr. Costas Karageorghis, has done studies to see the impact of music on sports performance. Synchronous music (music that has a clear and steady beat) was shown to elevate a person’s performance by 20%, whereas asynchronous music (background music) was shown to calm the nerves of athletes by as much as 10%.
Dr. Costas Karageorghis theorizes that there are 4 main ways that music affects an athlete:
- Music distracts an athlete from fatigue.
- Music can act as a mood altering catalyst.
- Music can synchronize an athlete’s rhythm and movement.
- Music can act as a trigger for learning certain motions and aid with muscle memory.
From the evidence provided, there seems to be a correlation between music and performance.
The triathlete spends countless training hours swimming laps and covering many miles by bike and foot. In addition to making triathlon training more enjoyable, listening to music may even give you a slight training edge.
Perhaps you already listen to music while you bike and while you run. Why not listen to music while you swim?
When it comes to swim training, there are waterproof mp3 players to help you pass the laps by.
Swimman Waterproof MP3 Players
Swimman is the originator of waterproof personal audio players, producing them for over 10 years beginning with the first Swimman waterproof audio cassette player and Swimman waterproof headset.
Then came the first waterproof digital audio (MP3) player, the Swimman Waterproof MP3 Player models 1.0, 2.0 and 2.1. And finally, the first and only waterproof iPod, the Swimman waterproof iPod shuffle 1GB generation 2 and 3.
Because Swimman’s proprietary waterproofing technology is made inside the iPod Shuffle, no case or covering over the iPod is required. It is available in a variety of colors — light green, light blue, purple, or the original silver. It comes with a 1-year warranty. The cost of the Swimman Waterproofed iPod Shuffle is $250 with the headset.
The On/Off button and the shuffle button are stationary. The functions of these 2 buttons are controlled either by iTunes on your computer (shuffle feature), by simply disconnecting your waterproof headset (Off), or pushing the center button of the wheel for On. All the buttons including the forward, reverse, volume increase and volume decrease buttons are slightly stiffer than your non-waterproofed iPod. This helps prevent song interruption from added water pressure and from accidental bumping of the buttons.
Swimman can also waterproof an iPod you already have. In 2007, Swimman began accepting existing 2nd generation iPod shuffles, and waterproofing them from the inside-out. In 2008 Swimman began accepting 2nd and 3rd generation iPod shuffles (both 1GB and 2GB) for applying their new and updated waterproofing technology to waterproof them from the inside-out. The cost of doing this is $115.
Other Waterproof Audio Players For Swimmers
There are other popular choices when it comes to waterproof audio players, such as:
New and improved versions of waterproof audio devises are constantly being made like the LZR Aquabeat Racer. Speedo and iRiver teamed up to create the LZR Aquabeat Racer, a rubberized and ergonomic MP3 player that you strap around your head while you swim. It has 2GB of memory and a depth limit of 10 feet. The downside is that you only get 30 minutes of music per charge. The LZR Aquabeat Racer is currently only availa
ble in Japan.
If you have any of these or other waterproof audio devices, leave a comment and let us know what your experience has been. Thanks!
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- How To Listen To Music While Swimmin
- Waterproof MP3 Players – Do They Work?
- Swimming Songs & Lyrics
- Electronic Gadgets For Swimmers
- Swimman iPod Reviews & Opinions
I’m over 40 years old, but I don’t give up easily. It wasn’t too long ago that I was exploring the idea of doing my first triathlon. If I can do it, you can too! I’m proof that with a little determination and training, you can get a great deal of fulfillment participating in marathons, triathlons… even ultramarathons.
