The Complete Guide To Exercise To Music

Working out to music can help you stay motivated and maintain your stamina through your workout routine. By understanding the relationship between a song's beats per minute and how the beats affect your workout, you can create an exercise playlist for each portion of your workout, from warm up to cool down. With the properly timed music, your hour-long workout can fly by while you rock out to your favorite songs.

Why Music?

While music can certainly help pass the time while you workout, it actually offers significant benefits for exercise. A 2010 University of Southern Queensland study found that music helped motivated athletes for better endurance and facilitated a more intense workout. Simply put, listening to the right music while exercising can help you get more out of your workout.

Beats Per Minute

Beats per minute make the difference between a motivating workout playlist and one that lacks motivating power. BPM refers to the amount of beats in each minute of song. Generally speaking, the greater the number of BPM, the faster the song and the more intense the workout. For an effective workout, look for songs that have BPM similar to your target heart rate for particular portions of your workout. A warm-up routine, for example, should have a lower BPM to match the lower target heart rate. Workout to songs with an increased number of BPM as you increase your exercise intensity level and raise your target heart rate.

Creating a Playlist

To reap the benefits of an exercise playlist, arrange your music based on each portion of your workout. During the warm-up period, play slower songs that motivate you to tackle the more intense parts of your workout. A cardio workout requires higher BPM to achieve your target heart rate. The most effective tempo ranges between 120 and 140 BPM, according to Costas Karageorghis, associate professor of sport psychology at Brunel University. For weight lifting, a steady beat that gives you ample time for each rep works best, ending with a slower BPM cool down rate to return your heart rate to normal.

Getting Your Music

Thanks to advanced technology in personal audio and music downloads, it's easier than ever to download playlists tailored to the type of exercise you prefer. If you have an Apple device like an iPod, iPhone or iPad, iTunes has teamed up with Nike to create downloadable playlists to help you stay motivated during your workout. Even if you don't have an Apple device, you can still download workout playlists on the Web from fitness websites and online music services that help you choose music based on the various levels of your workout. If you workout with a portable CD player, use a CD burning program to arrange music and burn it to a custom CD specifically for exercise.