There’s something different about people who lift heavy weight to the sound of heavy guitars. Something darker. Louder. Hungrier. This isn’t about “good vibes” or “gym bangers” – it’s about turning your brain into a war drum and metal is the battlecry. Let’s get into this…
Ever wonder why some people seem to train like animals?
Why the squat rack turns into a battlefield?
Why the guy in the pump cover and hat pulled down low over his eyes is bobbing his head in a steady rhythm?
That’s because there’s an inner battle going on inside that man’s head. A battle that comes to a crescendo when the riff drops and all hell breaks loose.
There’s a reason metal dominates the playlists of so many serious lifters – and it’s more than just personal taste.
It’s primal.
There’s something about metal or hardcore music that hits something deep in our medulla oblongata that turns us into monsters.
The driving beat… the heavy guitar… the guttural voice – it triggers something animalistic…
Because when that beat hits, you both lose yourself and find yourself at the same time.
And that’s not my opinion – it’s science.
Metal Is The Battlecry
People think listening to metal makes you angry – that’s why it’s so good for lifting…
But that’s not true at all – in fact, it may do the opposite. Now, I’m not just pulling this idea out of… um, thin air.
Research published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience showed that listening to aggressive music like metal doesn’t actually make people more angry – in fact, it helps them regulate emotions and increase focus under stress.
That’s right. The growling vocals, relentless drums and distorted guitars don’t just make you feel tougher – they wire you to handle chaos with clarity.
When you’re under a loaded barbell – that’s exactly what you need. Clarity. Focus. Controlled aggression.
Metal music triggers your fight response – your sympathetic nervous system lights up, your blood pressure rises and your brain dials in like a predator stalking prey.
Because that’s what you are when you lift…
You’re not a casual broccoli-headed, pajama pants-wearing tourist looking for a little pump to a pop beat.
You’re a war machine trying to rip the damn floor apart.
And let’s be honest – can you really max out a deadlift while listening to bubblegum pop or worse – EDM?
Doubtful. But crank Pantera, Kublai Khan TX or Gojira – and suddenly you’re not just lifting – you’re unleashing the f**king Kraken.
Ties To Our Ancient Bloodlines
There’s also a rhythm to metal that connects to something ancient in us.
Tribal, even.
The drums mimic a heartbeat under stress.
The guitars mimic chaos.
It puts you in a mental space where the only thing that matters is the set in front of you. Everything else fades into static.
It’s the soundtrack to rebellion…
And rebellion is exactly what lifting is – a rejection of weakness – a refusal to stay small.
So if you’re still trying to PR to pop tracks… you might be missing the point.
Lifting isn’t pretty. It’s not clean. It’s blood, sweat, iron and steel (and sometimes chalk).
And the sound that goes with it?
Metal is the battlecray…
And it should hit like war.
“Music is the weapon of the future.” – Fela Kuti
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