In my never-ceasing quest to lose weight and get into shape, I have tried nearly every form of exercise that exists, save for a select few that I deemed "too hard" for a dough girl like me. I felt this way about spin classes for a long time until the day came when I couldn't ignore the thumping music any longer, and I had to hop on a bike and try it for myself. Most people say that the first day of spin is the absolute worst, but I loved it and began spinning regularly a few times each week. Running was another feat that I didn't think I was capable of, but recently—inspired by friends who also thought they could never do it—I took the plunge and decided to give running a try.
I started running on the streets near my house, which worked out pretty well except for the traffic. I studied the "Couch-to-5K" program, which encourages walking, then running a little, then walking some more—alternating until eventually you find yourself running the whole way. It wasn't long before I got bored with running on this one particular street, and I was concerned that I had no idea how far I was going. I decided to take to a running path, and I realized with glee that, since I would not have to worry about oncoming traffic, I could also listen to my iPod while I ran. I quickly got to work on a playlist that would have the perfect sound and beats-per-minute to accompany my workout. It would be nice to have a soundtrack to listen to—something to drown out the sounds of passing cars and squawking birds. But what I hadn't counted on was the sheer motivational power of music. When I got to the running path, I plugged in my earbuds and began my warm-up walk. James Brown's "Get on the Good Foot" started up, and my feet instantly picked up the pace. My breathing was even, and my mood was high. I ran a full lap without stopping, and the entire workout had a different feel.
Some runners recommend taking off the headphones in order to hear your feet hitting the pavement and to connect with your breathing and pace. But for right now, as I am training to run three miles without developing a hernia, it is better that I can't hear my rapid breathing and questionable pace. Music drowns out the unpleasantness of the activity and spurs me to keep going.
In a January 2008 New York Times article, Dr. Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Brunel University in West London, England, recommends working out to songs with 120 to 140 beats per minute. Karageorghis found in his research that up-tempo music corresponds with a person's heart rate while exercising, and that the faster the music, the more intense the workout can become.
I prefer a lot of dance music on my workout soundtrack because of its natural tendency to be up-tempo. But the right rock song can also fit the bill. I may start out with Jimi Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic" (100 bpm), then move on to Common's "Universal Mind Control" (120 bpm), and then Elvis Costello comes along with "Pump It Up" at about 138 bpm. By this point in the soundtrack, I am usually getting a taste of "runner's high." (To be honest, I thought that was total b.s. until I finally experienced it for myself. At this point, though, I would describe the feeling as "I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore," rather than a "high.")
This is not to say that you aren't burning enough calories if your favorite workout music does not fall between the 120 to 140 bpm range. In testing out my playlist with an online metronome (http://www.metronomeonline.com), I found that several songs on my playlist were between 100 and 120 bpm. But my ears don't really know the difference if the song is motivating enough. And it's good to include some slower songs on your list for warm-ups and cool-downs. I like to keep my headphones on while I stretch after my run, and I switch to a slower song like "Punchbag" by A Band of Bees, which is about 88 bpm. That pace tells my body it's time to chill.
If you haven't been exercising but would like to start, consult your doctor first. I am certainly not a fitness expert. I am running a little more than a mile per workout these days, though, and I think the music has made all the difference.
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