Bose Headphones for Exercise Review:  Over the Ear vs On the Ear vs Earbuds vs In-Ear Headphones

There are days when you just don’t feel like exercising. You know you need to lace ’em up and go for that 5-mile run or drag yourself into the gym because it’s leg day. But for some reason, you are just not feeling it today, but like the beast you are, you will put on your headphones and complete your workout; you just hate going through the motions.

There is an idiom that says, music calms the savage beast. But before you go off thinking I am all deep and insightful; I learned this from a Bugs Bunny cartoon as a kid. However, I do believe music will motivate you and bring out the savage workout beast within you.

Attention all men over 40 who are committed to living their best lives! Join my Best Men’s Health and Lifestyle email community today and gain access to exclusive content on topics such as nutrition, fitness, heart health, lifestyle and more. I will provide you with the latest research, tips, and tricks to help you optimize your life. Don’t wait any longer to start living your best life. Read more of my blogs at Best Men’s Health and Lifestyle and take the first step towards a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

If you’re interested in checking out some of the great products that I use and recommend, click on the links below to find some amazing deals! Please note that if you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

It has happened to us all when we hear our favorite song or a beat that is so hypnotic that it makes you want to move. Research shows that no matter how tired you are, music can motivate you to move, work, and be more productive. This holds true for when you need that little added boost to get that last vein-popping set in; that final push to exhaustion rep, and feel like the beast that you are.

No matter your music preference, when you are fatigued and you have one mile left to run, or you are staring at a bar stacked with more plates than a china cabinet, the first thing you do is turn up the volume on your music as high as it can go as if your name was Radio Raheem.

When you turn up the music and it gets louder and louder with the bass thumping in your ear it gets your blood pumping rushing all throughout your body, your heartbeat increases with every beat of the song, driving more oxygen to your muscles ultimately blowing the roof off your energy level and motivating the savage workout beast within you.

The Best Workout Headphones

Music while motivating can’t put you into the zone without the right headphones, I recommend Bose headphones. Headphones are broken out into four different categories.

  1. Over the Ear
  2. On the Ear
  3. Earbuds
  4. In-ear

Depending on the type of exercise you are performing and the intensity; each headphone has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons for each and you will be able to determine which headphone is best for your workout needs.

1. Over the Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones are a type of headphones that feature large ear cups that fully enclose the ears. They are designed to rest comfortably over the ears, creating a seal that isolates external noise and provides a more immersive audio experience.

Workout Advantages

  • Comfortable
  • Snug fit
  • Great sound
  • Noise-canceling headphones
  • Wireless

Workout Disadvantages

  • Traps sweat
  • Blocks ambient noise (if you need to be aware of your surroundings)

Bose Headphones Choice:

Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Noise-Cancelling, with Alexa Voice Control

Product Description:

  • Quiet comfort 35 wireless headphones II are enabled with Bose AR — an innovative, audio-only take on Augmented reality.
  • Unlock Bose AR via a firmware update through the Bose Connect app.
  • Alexa-enabled.
  • Adjust your level of noise-canceling between three settings using the action button or the Bose Connect app.
  • Volume-optimized EQ gives you balanced audio performance at any volume, and a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system provides clearer calls, even in noisy environments.
  • Easy Bluetooth headphone pairing, 20 hours of battery life, and a durable, comfortable fit.
  • Carrying case, Charging cable, Audio cable.

2. On the Ear Headphones

On the ear headphones are a type of headphones that rest on the outer ear without fully enclosing or covering it. Unlike over the ear headphones that encompass the entire ear, on the ear headphones have smaller ear cups that sit on the ears.

Workout Advantages

  • Comfortable
  • Good fit
  • Great sound
  • One size fits all
  • Wireless headphones

Workout Disadvantages

  • Not very snug with vigorous movement
  • Very little noise isolation with open-back design

Bose Headphones Choice:

Bose SoundLink On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones with Microphone

Product Description:

  • Crisp and powerful Bluetooth headphone sound.
  • The first on-ear wireless headphones from Bose.
  • Crisp, powerful sound in a wireless headphone package advanced 2-way microphone system for clear calls in windy or noisy places.
  • Bluetooth Control buttons on the right earcup adjust volume, change tracks and take calls; play up to 15 hours with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
  • Full charge in just 1.5 hours by plugging the included USB cable into any mobile device with a powered port or wall charger.
7-minute meditation

3. Earbuds

Earbuds are a type of headphones that are designed to fit snugly inside the ear canal. Unlike over the ear or on the ear headphones, earbuds do not have ear cups or headbands and are generally more compact and lightweight.

Workout Advantages

  • Produces good sound
  • Portable

Workout Disadvantages

  • May not work well with vigorous exercises
  • May not isolate sound very well

Bose Headphones Choice:

Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Product Description:

  • Designed with breakthrough acoustic innovations.
  • Crisp, clear audio, and rich, deep bass over a bed of virtual silence.
  • Bose QuietComfort Earbuds allow you to personalize your listening experience with 11 different levels of noise canceling.
  • Easy to wear all day long because every surface that touches your ear is made of soft silicone.
  • Instead of buttons, these true wireless earbuds feature a capacitive touch interface. Tap and press the surface to control your content — just like you would with your phone.
  • The instant you take a wireless earbud out of your ear, your music, podcast, or video automatically pauses so you don’t miss a second.
  • They’re also IPX-4 rated so sweat, water, and weather won’t get in the way of your music.
  • Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are compatible with iOS and Android and optimized for Bluetooth 5.1 so you’ll enjoy a strong and reliable wireless signal as long as you’re within 30 feet of your paired device.
  • On a single charge, you can expect up to six hours of playback time, and the wireless charging case gives you up to 12 more hours of listening time.
  • For your convenience, the charging case is compatible with any Qi-certified wireless charging mat.

4. In-Ear

Bose in ear headphones sport

In-ear headphones, also known as in-ear monitors (IEMs), are a type of headphones that are designed to fit directly inside the ear canal. They are compact and lightweight, offering a portable and convenient audio solution.

Workout Advantages

  • Produces great sound (great isolation)
  • Portable

Workout Disadvantages

  • It may not fit everyone well
  • May have wires

Bose Headphones Choice:

Bose in ear

Product Description:

  • Proprietary Stay Hear tips conform to your ear’s shape.
  • Lightweight carrying case stores and protects headphones.
  • Energize your workout with a full, balanced sound that conventional sports earbuds can’t match.
  • BOSE Sound Sport in-ear headphones are sweat-resistant and stay comfortably—yet securely—in place during vigorous exercises.
  • Sound Sport headphones for Apple or Samsung and Android devices.

Final Thought

Music is the conduit to bringing out the workout beast within you. When you need to maximize your workout and hit your personal best, turn your volume up and watch your gains go through the roof.

No matter how great the music is from Rock to Rap or R&B to Country, it means nothing without the proper headphones, and I highly recommend Bose headphones. With four different types of headphones to choose from—over the ear, on the ear, earbuds, and in-ear—it is important to choose the right style for you and the beast inside of you.

Go to the comment section and let us know your thoughts.

Subscribe, like, and share my blog and begin living your best life now.

Sign up for health & wellness stuff that really matters delivered to your inbox.

Follow Earnest and Best Men’s Health and Lifestyle on

Earnest Robinson Jr Coach and Author
Earnest Robinson Jr

Website: BestMensHealthandLifestyle.com

Pinterest: @BestMensHealthandLifestyle

Facebook: BestMensHealthandLifestyle

Twitter: @BestMensHealth1

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Best Men's Health and Lifestyle

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading