fi tbody
WorkoutMusic.com, offers thousands
of compilations from a music library
that encompasses most musical genres.
Exercisers can create their own playlist
via MP3 downloads or buy ready-made
BRING ON THE
CDs appropriate for each activity and
suited to their preferred style of music.
National fitness guru Tracey Staehle
BEAT!
is partial to upbeat, popular Top 40
tunes when she’s walking outdoors or
on her treadmill. “I like songs that are
happy and have a great beat to keep
me going,” advises Staehle, whose
exercise DVDs include the bestseller,
Workout music
Walking Strong, and her new Walking
Stronger. Some of her current favorites
pumps up motivation,
are Rihanna’s Please Don’t Stop the
Music and Usher’s Yeah!—which she
says are a great help in moving uphill.
while building fi tness. “I like songs that have a beat I can
focus on,” she explains. “That way, it
helps keep the workout fun and pushes
me to work harder.”
Much commercial dance music
and numerous pop-rock songs bounce
along at 120 to 140 beats per minute,
a rate that coincides with the average
person’s heart rate during a routine
workout or fitness walking. These lists
by Joan McCutcheon of suggested tunes all fall within that
range. They’re a ready-made, fun way
to listen for the magic beat that helps us
get a move on.
W
ho can keep their feet still (useful for vigorous exercise) or calming
and their body-motor idling (helpful for Pilates, yoga and cool-down
Classic Rock & Disco
while listening to Steppen- sessions). Karageorghis concluded that
Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
wolf’s Born to Be Wild? Or, for post- music is “an often untapped source
Dancing Queen – ABBA
Boomers, AC/DC’s T.N.T.? As Sonny of both motivation and inspiration for
Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker
and Cher sang succinctly in The Beat sport and exercise participants.”
Help Me, Rhonda – Beach Boys
Goes On, “Drums keep pounding a Karageorghis further emphasized
Listen to the Music – Doobie Brothers
rhythm to my brain.” Music is, indeed, the importance of synchronizing music
Love Gets Me Every Time –
the magic that can boost with activities. He advised,
Shania Twain
our heart rate, energy levels
“The melody
“For a piece of music to truly
Turn the Beat Around – Gloria Estefan
and mood—it’s a perfect
and harmony
inspire the listener, it must
workout buddy.
of the music
have strong rhythmic quali-
Tracey Staehle’s Personal
During the late 1990s, ties that match the activity
noted sport and exercise
should promote
Playlist
at hand, and also a tempo
All Summer Long – Kid Rock
psychologist Dr. Costas
a positive mood
that matches the predicted
Bad Girls – Donna Summer
Karageorghis conducted
state; that is, they
heart rate.” In addition, “The
Don’t Change – INXS
studies to determine if
should energize
melody and harmony of
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
listening to music aided the music should promote
the physical performance
the listener and
Love Story Taylor Swift
a positive mood state; that
Pocketful of Sunshine –
of athletes. His research
increase vigor.”
is, they should energize the
Natasha Bedingfield
revealed that it could re- listener and increase vigor.”
So What – Pink
duce our perception of effort and divert One of the largest music-exercise
fatigue; positively affect mood and matchmakers in the world is Power
Sources: Dr. Costas Karageorghis,
motivation; enhance the acquisition of Music, a leading source for fitness pro-
Brunel University, UK; WorkoutMusic.
motor skills; and be either stimulating fessionals and the public. Its website,
com, FitByTracey.com
www.MichiganHealthyLiving.com December 2009 13
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