Having the right music for your workouts is very important in keeping you excited and motivated during your exercise session. Studies have shown that the rhythmic speed of your music influences your athletic performance. Researchers found that people who listened to music during their workouts pushed themselves harder than those who didn’t listen to music. Researchers also found that songs with tempos between 120 and 140 beats per minute (BPM) are best for exercising. The right song can give you that rush of energy and momentum to help you push forward. For many people, music is essential to a good workout. Thus, here are some tips on creating the best playlist for your workout.
It’s a Science
A study published last year discovered a direct correlation between fast-paced music and athletic performance. British researchers asked 12 healthy male college students to ride stationary bicycles while listening to popular music at the time. For the first ride, participants listened to the songs at their normal tempos. In the subsequent rides, some of the volunteers heard music that was slowed down by 10%, while the others heard music that sped up by 10%. The riders were not informed of the tempo changes, but their performance changed nonetheless. When the temp slowed, participants’ pedaling, heart rates and mileage decreased. On the other hand, when the tempo of the songs was increased, the men covered more miles in the same period of time, produced more power with each pedal stroke and increased their pedal cadences. The men reported that they enjoyed the up-tempo music more and that it motivated them to push themselves and put worth a greater degree of effort (Waterhouse, Hudson, and Edwards 1).
The Music
Researchers have found that the best songs for exercising fall between 120-140 beats per minute. You can calculate the BPM of a song by counting or you could use a software program to help you out.
Organizing Your Tracks
Determining the order of the tracks on your playlist depends on your workout. If you’re running, organizing your songs by BPM is probably the easiest option. That way you’ll pace yourself to gain speed as you gain distance. If you’re dealing with varied incline you might want your highest BPM songs when you’re hitting a hill (or greater resistance on the treadmill/stationary bike/elliptical/etc.) to give you that extra boost of energy to get through your workout.
Finding Your PowerSong
According to Nike+, the PowerSong is “your psych-up anthem.” it’s the track that gets you out the door and up a steep hill with a burst of adrenaline. It may seem like a simple concept, but a Powersong is very specific and intensely personal. Everyone has a different idea of what a good PowerSong is. Some people need a PowerSong with uplifting lyrics. Others might disregard lyrics completely and choose a PowerSong based on its energy. Others might rely solely on a PowerSong with a specific BPM that matches their stride. But the best PowerSongs tend to combine all three elements of lyrics, energy and BPM.
Sources:
http://lifehacker.com/5622382/creating-the-ultimate-exercise-playlist
Woman running (photo): inside.nike.com; http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_sportmusic-en_US/2010/01/22/anatomy-of-a-powersong
Playlist (photo): dailyspark.com; http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=habits_of_fit_people_create_a_workout_playlist
Women running (photo): ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793214
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793214