Pre-workout music
Headphones on, a set playlist, and a fixed cue to switch into training mode
The same music, or the same kind of music, before every session, so the body learns the cue. Athletes describe it as a way to shut the room out and get into a narrow, wound-up state before competing; in retirement it becomes a lever for shifting a bad mood before a workout. The playlist matters less than the ritual.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Cristiano RonaldoDoes it
Footballer · Portugal captain and five-time Ballon d'Or winner
Always makes sure he has good music before he trains, hip hop and reggae by preference, because he says it gets him motivated to do his best. He frames it as part of training the mind alongside the body.
Source: FourFourTwo: Cristiano Ronaldo's training tips - Dwayne JohnsonDoes it
Actor and former WWE champion · The Rock
Published an Iron Paradise Airwaves playlist on Spotify in 2018, Metallica to Nicki Minaj, captioned as the beats that motivate him through the grind. It launched alongside a headphones collaboration with Under Armour and JBL, so there was a product to sell at the same time.
Source: Billboard: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Launches New Workout-Friendly Headphones, Spotify Playlist - Greg DoucetteDoes it
Coach and IFBB pro · Harder Than Last Time
The playlist shifts week to week, but Pitbull is the one he named as reliable for getting himself worked up before a heavy session.
Source: Fit World Blog: Q&A With IFBB Pro Greg Doucette - LeBron JamesDoes it
Basketball player · NBA all-time leading scorer
Hip hop, always, from the moment he arrives at the arena. There is no fixed playlist; he picks whichever artist he feels will get him going that night, and says the routine only starts once the music does.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show #349 transcript: LeBron James and Mike Mancias - Michael PhelpsDoes it
Olympic swimmer · Most decorated Olympian in history
Puts music on as soon as he gets into the gym. He says that when he is in a bad mood, it is a big part of getting into whatever zone he needs to be in.
Source: Fortune: Michael Phelps does these 5 things every day to be his 'best self'
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under energy or focus.
- HabitFREE, no cost
Napping
Short early-afternoon naps: useful, but easy to get wrong
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 recommends it, 1 has discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Water before coffee
A full glass of water on waking, before the first cup of coffee
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Deliberate cold exposure
Cold showers or ice baths used deliberately, usually a few minutes at a time
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 19 do it, 6 have discussed it - Supplement$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Caffeine
The most-used performance drug in the world, timing-sensitive
On record from 14 of 62 tracked people: 10 do it, 1 recommends it, 3 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Morning sunlight exposure
Bright outdoor light soon after waking, 5-30 minutes and no sunglasses
On record from 10 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it, 3 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Hard thinking before lunch
Book the mentally demanding work for the morning and stop making big calls late in the day
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it
Habit entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.