BBC Music Day: Get Involved - Your sporting soundtrack

By Joel GoldmanBBC Sport
'Shut your eyes & mean it' - the strangest pre-match ritual ever?

We all have those special songs which get us pumped up for sport, right?

From the pre-match tune that gets you in the zone, to the one that helps you dig deep on that final gruelling mile - music is the greatest motivator.

And a piece of research carried out by Dr Costas Karageorghis - a reader in sport psychology from Brunel University - has scientifically proven that music can increase sporting performance.

Which got us thinking...

Ronaldo.
Ronaldo. Pumped.

What's YOUR sporting soundtrack?

To celebrate BBC Music Day, we want you to tell us which piece of music helps or helped your sporting performance:

We'll be updating this page with your comments throughout the day.

Ready... GO!

Everyone loves a montage

Here was our first great shout...

Jack Stacy on the BBC Sport Instagramexternal-link - Training montage - Rocky 4 soundtrack

A picture of Rocky celebrating
Where would Rocky be without a musical montage? Nowhere, that's where.

Way to go, Jack. Like Rocky, you're a born winner.

Now, if anyone else is struggling for inspiration (although the mere sight of Rocky should be inspiration enough) this might help: BBC Music - the 10 best songs to use in spine-tingling sports montages.

This, on the other hand, probably won't. Mind you, when you're as good as Usain Bolt, you don't even need sound to get moving.

Usain Bolt dances behind BBC presenter

Speaking of Usain Bolt...

We're off and running!

Twitter suggestions from BBC Sport usersTwitter suggestions from BBC Sport usersTwitter suggestions from BBC Sport users

Some of your suggestions on the BBC Sport Facebookexternal-link page:

Chris Cook: Arcade Fire on shuffle got me through my first half marathon.

James Watters: The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back/Return Of The Jedi. Moody and menacing.

Sagar Sunar: I listen to Metallica, slipknot, Megadeth, Iron Maiden and 90s and early R&B and hip hop generally during gym and travels.. gets my blood pumping and my energy up...

Slipknot AND R&B, Sagar? Eclectic!

Rapper's Delight

Loads of different genres being represented and there's no denying that a good beat helps when you're pounding the streets or the punchbag. Just a few of your favourites so far:

Jason Grant: When out running, it has to be #fightthepower by #publicenemy #mysportingsoundtrack

Rob Welham: Eminem Lose Yourself is #MySportingSoundtrack #BBCMusicDay #firedup #focussed #racing

Bastos: Shook ones - Mobb Deep. Boxing #BBCMusicDay #MySportingSoundtrack

Our favourite? This...

Watch John Barnes perform Rapper's Delight

Are you not motivated?! Well how about these?

Let there be rock... (and metal.. and Wiggo)

The thump of the drums, the chugging bass lines, the soaring guitar solos - there's a rock song for every sporting occasion.

From these suggestions it seems that the faster, the better. Just don't go too hard too early if you want to be able to actually enjoy 'We are the Champions' as you cross the finish line.

Twitter suggestions from BBC Sport usersTwitter suggestions from BBC Sport usersTwitter suggestions from BBC Sport users

Whilst we're at it, plenty of people have suggested Oasis is great for getting fired up and, in particular, '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?'

Strangely, no-one suggested this cover of 'Wonderwall' from none other than a pre-knighthood Bradley Wiggins

Bradley Wiggins plays Wonderwall

The wall, the climb, the struggle

Whatever you want to call it, sometimes it feels like there's an immovable object which you just don't have it in you to get past. Then *your* song kicks in and you become an unstoppable force and power through.

Here's probably the ultimate example of that:

line

And while we're on that theme:

John McEnerney‏ on Twitter: Jim Telfer - "This is your Everest boys" playing on the loop. Music to my ears!

Harrison‏ on Twitter: I am training for a marathon by playing The Darkness Last of Our Kind, on repeat. Forever.

Tom Elliott‏ on Twitter: #MySportingSoundtrack has to be Not Giving In by Rudimental. Could punch a rhino after the last chorus. Not that I would...

Glad to hear it, Tom. Let's not take things too literally.

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