It\u2019s no coincidence that when you exercise, you feel more motivated if you\u2019re listening to music. It can make your workout a little more enjoyable, and research has shown that music can even help you exercise harder and longer.<\/p>\n
But not all music has this magical effect. In fact, different songs motivate people for different reasons. \u201cA fast pace might be key for some, while for others it might be a song they love or the lyrics themselves that are motivating,\u201d says Lexi Bellassai, vice president of FIT Radio, an app that provides over 45 channels of professionally deejayed music designed for specific workouts.<\/p>\n
There is one factor that makes a particular difference when it comes to your workout playlist, though: beats per minute (BPM). Slower songs have a slower BPM, while faster songs have a faster BPM, and matching BPM to your specific activity can help make your workout more effective. \u201cThe BPM should set the pace of whatever activity you\u2019re doing, as it\u2019s more natural to move with music versus against it,\u201d says Bellassai.<\/p>\n
In fact, there are actually guidelines for what BPM you should use for different workouts, which can be helpful if you\u2019re making your own playlist, says Jessica Smith, a Florida-based trainer and creator of the Walk On: Walk the Weight Off 30-Day Program. For instance, look for songs with a BPM of 135 to 150 for power walking, 150 to 175 BPM for running, 95 to 130 BPM for cycling, and 145 to 160 BPM for kickboxing. For example, \u201cBeat It\u201d (139 BPM) by Michael Jackson would be a good song to put on when going for a power walk. \u201cOn Top of the World\u201d (100 BPM) by Imagine Dragons would likely rev up your energy while cycling. \u201cWe Got the Beat\u201d from The Go Go\u2019s (152 BPM) is a great tune to play during a kickboxing session or a run.<\/p>\n
So how do you know the BPM of songs? Websites like SongBPM make it easy to figure out the BPM of your favorite songs. You can even alter the BPM of songs with apps like TempoMagic and RockMyRun.<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t think you have to stick with the same BPM for the entire workout, especially if you\u2019re doing interval training (where you might alternate between moving faster and moving slower), or if you\u2019re doing a walk or run where you want to start slow and finish at a faster pace. Simply put a few faster songs in your playlist at strategic places where you know you\u2019ll want to pick up the pace.<\/p>\n
Another important aspect to consider: variety. \u201cHaving new playlists and songs every time you exercise helps your workouts feel fresh,\u201d says Bellassai. Don\u2019t feel like making a new playlist for every single workout? Having even a handful of playlists that you can rotate between can help boost your motivation, as can playlist apps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s no coincidence that when you exercise, you feel more motivated if you\u2019re listening to music. It can make your workout a little more enjoyable, and research has shown that music can even help you exercise harder and longer. But not all music has this magical effect. In fact, different songs motivate people for different […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-move-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n