The Triathlete Blueprint Newsletter #103-Earpods Off, Mind On, Rediscovering Boredom in a World of Noise

Read time: 3min.

By Coach Yan Busset

Disconnect to Reconnect: The Case for Silent Training

We live in a world of endless stimulation. Our brains are bombarded from morning to night with sounds, notifications, and voices—sometimes even during sleep. So it's no surprise that many of us use music or podcasts while training. It's a habit that feels normal. But maybe it's time to ask: is it actually helping us?

I've been there too. I love my AirPods Pro. I even use them at the supermarket with noise cancellation on, no music, just to block out the world. It's a bubble I enjoy. But it's also a habit that became addictive. And eventually, I started wondering what I was missing.

At some point I became so overstimulated that I forced myself to go for my walking without anything. No music. No podcast. Just me.

At first, it felt super awkward. Like I had forgotten something. My brain was looking for stimulation, and not finding it, started to loose patience a little. But after a few sessions, something shifted. The silence became a space, not a void.

That space? It’s where I now find most of my ideas. Business, coaching, content creation. The kind of clear, deep thoughts that rarely happen when you’re distracted. Being alone with your thoughts during training is like a daily meeting with yourself. A moment where you face your own mind, your body, your sensations, your surroundings. A moment of presence.

And here’s the surprising part: I started sleeping better.

Why? Because I stopped overfeeding my brain during the day. In our hyperconnected lives, most people only give their brain "free time" when they hit the pillow. That’s when thoughts rush in, sleep gets delayed, and we end up mentally exhausted but physically awake. Giving the brain a break before bed, during training, during walks—helps calm it down when it’s time to sleep.

There’s science behind this too. The brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN), the part of the brain active when we're not focused on the outside world, is linked to creativity, memory, and self-awareness. It’s also highly active when we’re “doing nothing.” If we always fill that space with input, we miss out on its benefits. Silence, or low-stimulation moments, gives the DMN space to work.

Training without external stimulation, sharpens awareness of your own movement. Whether you're swimming, biking, or running, this acute presence helps you tune into the quality of your execution. You start to notice internal cues, the rhythm of your breath, the balance of your stride, the fluidity of your stroke, the tension in your grip. This awareness is essential for improving your gesture and technique. Without distraction, you naturally begin to correct inefficiencies and reinforce good patterns. In the end, it’s not just about doing the session, it’s about doing it well.

Learning to “be bored” again is also training for the brain. It sharpens attention, unlocks ideas, and reduces mental fatigue. It’s not just good for athletes, it’s good for all humans.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should never listen to music or a podcast. But maybe,start with once or twice a week, try going without. Let your brain wander. Let your body speak. At first, it might feel uncomfortable, but over time, you might find that it becomes the best part of your training.

Let your training sessions become a date with yourself. No noise. Just movement, thoughts, and clarity.

References

Andrews-Hanna JR, et al. (2014). The brain's default network and its adaptive role in internal mentation. Neuroscientist.
Immordino-Yang MH, et al. (2012). Rest is not idleness: Implications of the brain’s default mode for human development and education. Perspectives on Psychological Science.

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