Feel the rhythm, not the burn!
Last night I decided to take the buddy approach to getting back into the swing of things after falling ‘off track’ from a less than healthy weekend trip to Daytona. When calling a third workout buddy, the response from whether they would join was “Well…I charged my ipod…that’s the first step”. What seems like a really lame excuse happens to play a big part in whether anyone will make that trip to the gym - you have 45 minutes of cardio which seems like 2 hours when you don’t have your favorite tunes to keep you going. I am guilty too; as I have often skipped workouts or at least cut them short just because I didn’t have my trusty ipod in tow.
However, as lame as the excuse might be, studies have shown that listening to music during exercise can improve results, both in terms of a motivator (to go faster and longer) and to add as a distraction from fatigue. The real question is are your playlists working for your workout? It is important to choose songs with the correct Beat Per Minute (BPM) for your choice of exercise. In an article from the New York Times, many specialists ranging from sport psychologists to music professors examine the perfect workout mix.
Many of our guests, myself included, are looking for that special song to get you moving and motivated. After time well spent in search for the perfect tunes, I have found a few really helpful websites that might just have what it takes to get you moving in the right direction!
Nike+ Sports Mixes on i-Tunes- Download playlists mixed especially for intervals, endurance and speed work - complete with cues and encouragement throughout!
Shape Magazine, Fitness Magazine and Self Magazine - Visit these magazine websites complete with celebrity playlists, 80’s mixes and more.
PowerMusic.com - These mixes give you the BPM - perfect for matching to your workout. Much of the fitness class music here at the Health Institute comes from this site.
So, with all of the new jams to be added to your mix, it’s doubtful you will ever have the “dead i-pod” excuse again!
1 comment February 20th, 2008