Listening to music while working out

[Bellamy]

For the Love of Fitness: Listening to music while working out can up intensity

 

If your workouts are lacking intensity, listen to the sounds gathering in your ears. Are you hearing the gym's standard compilation of good song to mediocre song to song you've never heard?

 

Workouts are rarely the time for the smooth grooves anthology. At least, that's the way it is for me.

 

I'm more of a DMX person.

 

Everything about the mystifying hip-hop artist is vigorously intense. And that's how I like my serious workouts.

 

DMX is angry, seemingly mad at the world or at his place in it, and he wants to get even. DMX's gruff, years-of-smoke-cured voice drips with rage in nearly every line. The first few bars of We Right Here come through the headphones, and I'm transported to another place, an angrier place where it's a fisticuffs affair: me against the weights.

 

It may sound crazy - barbaric even. But I know that's what I need to get in the right mental state for a great workout. Music has tremendous power when it comes to exercising. It invigorates as much as it mellows.

 

I've heard folks complain about gym music too many times. I'm cool with Celine Dion and Sade, but listening to My Heart Will Go On and Smooth Operator just don't get the blood flowing the right way. Don't knock the power of music. Medical professionals have used music therapy for years.

 

A September 2002 study published in the medical journal CHEST titled "Exercise Maintenance Following Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Effect on Distractive Stimuli" showed that music, used as a distraction during a walking program, helped increase and sustain the fitness levels of the music listeners more that 20 percent more than the fitness levels of the non-listeners.

 

While that study remains one of the few direct links between music and physical performance, there is vast anecdotal evidence supporting music's power on our bodies.

 

College fight songs help get teams revved up. Maxwell's Whenever Wherever Whatever was my favorite song about seven years ago, because it had the ability to drape a peaceful sleep over my crying 1-year-old. Everybody has his or her own playlist. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith does little for me, but for a couple of former clients, Smith's ditty was a supreme motivator.

 

Only you know what makes you tap your feet or want to dance or what makes you angry. Think about the songs you're choosing, though, and make them appropriate to your workouts.

 

Find something with a fast tempo if it's a cardiovascular day - for instance, James Brown's I Feel Good or Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. Medium tempo beats with inspirational lyrics work well for weightlifting; examples include anything DMX, Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild or Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight. Abdominal and flexibility exercises can use more mellow music, maybe Soul II Soul's Keep on Movin' or Girl Next Door by Musiq Soulchild.

 

Find your own soundtrack, and the odds are good that you'll also find more intensity.

Source: http://www.theeagle.com/stories/012106/hea...20060121041.php

[Célinefull]

lol! Thanks for sharing..I listen to Lorie when I'm on the treadmill.

[Celine's Wife]

But but... Celine always gets me going if I'm on the treadmill!

[Célinefull]

I like to listen to danse dans ma tete or some quick songs, but Celine distracts me too much..I sing and fall...

[Mozinha]

I coreograhed some sort of a rhythmic gymnastics routine to I'm alive, using hoops and balls. It was last year for some kids who came, it was actually the first class I ever teached. They loved it.

[Célinefull]

I coreograhed some sort of a rhythmic gymnastics routine to I'm alive, using hoops and balls. It was last year for some kids who came, it was actually the first class I ever teached. They loved it.

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Sounds good..I wish I was coordinated!

[Krys]

i asked my friend to listen to TTWII and she loved it soooo much she choreographed some dancing steps to it

[Célinefull]

i asked my friend to listen to TTWII and she loved it soooo much she choreographed some dancing steps to it

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tehehe!

[Celine's Wife]

but Celine distracts me too much..I sing and fall...

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[Célinefull]

but Celine distracts me too much..I sing and fall...

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I know, it's bad

[angel_christ]

I always listen to Celine when I'm excercising or doing some yoga,too. Yes, I agree with Celinefull. I must control myself not to sing along the song. It really distract me!

[Célinefull]

I always listen to Celine when I'm excercising or doing some yoga,too. Yes, I agree with Celinefull. I must control myself not to sing along the song. It really distract me! 

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I hope your more coordinated than I am!

[Clari]

"Reveal", "Sorry for Love", "Just A Little Bit of love" are great working out songs!

[Célinefull]

"Reveal", "Sorry for Love", "Just A Little Bit of love" are great working out songs!

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I don't think I have any of those songs