Music can beat any blues away; you name it and music has a solution. But did you think about including it in your exercise routine?
There’s nothing like a great workout accompanied by music . It’s all about tuning into the right beat.
We’ll show how you can sync an energetic workout with some energetic music.
The key to this is to phase out your music as per the stages of your workout – beginning with pre, moving to through the routine and finally post workout.
Before you begin your workout, sort your playlist. If your know your songs well, categorize them based on mood, energy and speed. The next step would be aligning them with the different phases of the workout.
Pre-Workout
Before any exercise, it is important to do a good warmup. This can vary from stretches to activation exercise which helps with flexing your muscles and joints, activating your nervous system and increasing your body temperature for maximum results. Although, you shouldn’t go too hard with the warm-up itself.
This is also the case with music. Choose music that gets you to be positive without going too fast or hard with your playlist. This brings your body into the mood for exercise and helps to get your body moving fairly fast to begin with.
An ideal start would be to include songs that are between 115– 120 beats per minute (bpm).
During
In this phase, it is good to tone up your music based on the intensity of the workout. The right kind of music can work to keep you motivated even in the most difficult and tiring routines.
Hence, it is advisable to use fast-paced music during high-intensity workouts as it gives you that extra push.
Post-Workout
Taking a shower, doing quick stretches or drinking a protein shake, is this what your post-workout cool-down looks like?
Then you need to reconsider. It is very important to get the right cool-down routine as it can be effective in helping you relax your body and your nervous system and initiating the process to your normal state.
It is better to pick slower, soft music including instrumentals and soft rock. Listen to this music while you do some relaxing exercises – stretches, yoga and more.
Still wondering how you can tune your music to fit your precise training needs?
Here are some recommended music tips for your precise exercise needs:
- Cardio exercises
As per Brunel University Professor Dr. Coastas Karageoghis, when runners listened to their favorite music, their performance increased by 15 percent.
If your choice of cardio exercise is cycling, then start with any song between 100-120 bpm. If you choose running, then it is great to start with a song between 150-170 bpm depending on the pace.
- Weight Lifting
Doing a high-intensity fitness workout like weight lifting? Then play music that is more intense and motivating and then make sure that you know the lyrics of the song. According to a St. John’s University study, listening to music with uplifting lyrics helped participants lift weights up to 2.4-lb for 10 percent longer.
- Stretching and Yoga
Indulging in some meditation or yoga? Then it’s time to slow down the music so that your heart rate also relaxes. As per research, when you want to relax your mind and muscles, bring down the beat count to 120 bpm or below. For a relaxing exercise such as yoga or stretching, try a playlist between 60-90 bpm.
So exercise-lovers, what’s that cool beat playing on your device?
