Let the Music Move You

There is nothing fun about it for me when I run, because everything hurts: my calves tighten like they are being strangled by a boa constrictor, my shinsplints burn from rising levels of lactate in the muscles; my ankles go numb, stomach cramps becomes inescapable, and hyperventilating is inevitable. But worse then the physical pain is the repetitive step counting I do in my head…”1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…”

Recently I was gifted wireless earbuds. At first, I began jogging to the Pink Floyd’s, “The Final Cut.” So good news, I was no longer counting! But then I realized that my cadence was as slow as the tempo of the song. I changed the music to something more up beat. Before I knew it, my stride increased and I was able to finish my run mostly pain free.

Here is what I figured out: through the release of the body’s “feel good” chemical dopamine, music distracts people from pain and fatigue, elevates mood, increases endurance, reduces perceived effort, and may even promote metabolic efficiency. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer, and swim faster than usual—often without realizing it.

But don’t take my word for it. Research on the interaction of music and exercise dates to at least 1911, when Leonard Ayres found that cyclists pedaled faster while a band was playing then when it was silent. Since then psychologists have conducted around a hundred studies on the way music changes people's performance in a variety of physical activities, ranging in intensity from a slow stroll to a quick sprint. In a 2012 study, Costas Karageorghis, one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of exercise music, found that participants who cycled in time to music required 7 percent less oxygen to do the same work as cyclists who did not synchronize their movements with background music.

Music, it seems, can function as a metronome, helping to maintain a steady pace and decreasing energy expenditure. He wrote that music can be thought of as "a type of legal performance-enhancing drug...that can improve athletic performance in two ways: it can either delay fatigue or increase work capacity.”

How to create an optimal workout playlist

Looking at music research as a whole, a few clear conclusions emerge, but the two most important qualities of workout music are tempo (speed) and rhythm response (how your body reacts). But selecting the most effective workout music is more complex than just queuing up some fast, high-energy songs. Memories, emotions, and associations that different songs evoke should also be considered: for some, the degree to which they identify with the singer's emotional state or viewpoint determines how motivated they feel; and in some cases, the cadence of the lyrics is more important than the rhythm of the melody.

The right music will elevate your mood and persuade you to ride out the waves of exhaustion. Start your warm-up with a slower song (120 to 126 beats per minute “bpm”) and gradually increase the speed according to the type of exercise you will be doing. For weight lifting and general cardio, choose music that is between 128 to 135 bpm. When running on a treadmill, however, music at around 160 bpm is better. For therapeutic relaxation wellness activities like yoga, music that is less than 100 bpm works best.

Song Suggestions

Music can’t magically push you beyond your physical limits. Still, from better performance to increasing your recovery, the right songs can have real effects on your mind and body. Recently, Spotify teamed up with Dr. Karageorghis and the creator of the INSANITY workout program Shaun T., to create specially designed playlists "scientifically constructed to keep you sweating longer.” We don’t have these playlists, but below are a few song ideas to get you started. Check out www.getsongbpm.com for more suggestions.

Between 128 to 135 bpm: Moves Like Jagger: Maroon 5, Low: Flo Rida, Get the Party Started: Pink, Beautiful Day: U2, Jump Around: House of Pain

Around 160 bpm: Handshakes: Metric, What I Like About You: The Romantics, Shake It Off: Taylor Swift, Everlong: Foo Fighters, Paint It, Black: The Rolling Stones,

Less Than 100 bpm: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: U2, Starman: David Bowie, Float On: Modest Mouse, On the Turning Away: Pink Floyd, Give Me One Reason: Tracy Chapman

Does music motivate you when you workout? Want to learn how to build endurance and get your heart raised and not totally hate it? Exercise doesn’t have to be torture! Let us show you how fun working out with our Personal Trainers can be!