If you are a champion like Michael Phelps, everyone would be watching even the tiniest detail of what makes you tick.
What are his secrets to winning? He must be doping to break all these records. What does he eat? What makes him special?
One interesting question we keep stumbling upon on sports forums is, "What is Michael Phelps listening to on his iPod?" Some must have gotten so sick and tired of this question that you would also come across some who would go something like, "For those of you who keep on asking what Michael Phelps is listening to, enought already!"
Obviously, Phelps has gained much from that all-American swim-team regimen that produced the likes of Mark Spitz. Also, it didn't hurt to be 6'4" in height, with arms that span 6'7" (good paddles!) with size 14 feet that are really extra large enough to propel him like a seal's flippers, with double-jointed elbows, knees and ankles that give him extra flexibility than most swimmers.
We don't have to mention the humungous 12,000 calories he gobbles everyday (that's six times your usual daily diet!) Take this for his breakfast: three fried egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise; two cups of coffee, five-egg omelette, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar, and three chocolate-chip pancakes.
We'd spare you the nausea by skipping his lunch and dinner.
That's basically the portrait of our 23 year-old Michael Phelps, now one of the greatest Olympians ever. His training regimen, his unique physique, and his incredible diet, all worked together to help him get those 8 gold medals in China.
If you still want to know but are afraid to ask lest you get that Enough, already!" snap, here goes: Michael Phelps, Olympic superstar, listens to 
hip-hop music. Thanks to Beijing Blogger for letting us in on the secret. Tracks of Lil' Wayne's, Jay-Z's, Eminem's, Outkast's, Twista's, Usher's, and G-Unit's music (with occasional tracks of techno) populate most of the playlist on his iPod. And no, he didn't say he gets inspiration from these songs. He's just like any other dude on the block who gets by with some cool rhymes purely for the kicks of it.
hip-hop music. Thanks to Beijing Blogger for letting us in on the secret. Tracks of Lil' Wayne's, Jay-Z's, Eminem's, Outkast's, Twista's, Usher's, and G-Unit's music (with occasional tracks of techno) populate most of the playlist on his iPod. And no, he didn't say he gets inspiration from these songs. He's just like any other dude on the block who gets by with some cool rhymes purely for the kicks of it.
So...if you dig rap music, you can now go chill with a smug, "I thought so."
However, numerous studies, such as the ones conducted by Susan Hallam, Ph.D. ("The Power of Music") of the Department of Psychology and Special Education at the Institute of London, have established that "music has the power to energize, soothe, change emotional outlook, boost immunity, reduce pain, speed recovery, lower blood pressure, improve focus and IQ as well as aid weight loss." this scholar states that music can drive changes in our minds and bodies.
Interestingly, as in the case of our Olympic hero, Dr. Hallam says that music can influence physiological arousal like increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rates, muscular tension, motor responses, and skin temperature in response to loud, fast-paced music like Phelp's hip-hops. Ok, now, perhaps you can throw in that iPod music as an added boost to whatever advantages he has as a champion.
Of course, we just can't help but imagine what results he would yield if it was iMusic he was listening to.
