We all know that putting on a song that has some sweet nostalgia value sends us down memory lane, and that a really unique upbeat piece of music helps to improve our mood. It’s not rocket science. But the benefits of music go beyond making us feel better, especially when we combine music and workouts together.
A recent study conducted at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia confirms that listening to music while you exercise affects how much you enjoy your workout, your actual performance and even the amount of oxygen use.
So now that we know just how beneficial music is when combined with physical activity, the next question is this – what kind of music should we actually be listening to? Well, simply put – it depends on your goal. Let us explain.
If you’re aiming for endurance or workouts that take a bit of time to complete such as distance running or a long yoga class, we suggest finding tunes that have a slower-tempo as this can help you maintain a slower heart rate, so you can endure the whole length as well as distance. Conversely, if you are on a high intensity workout plan that’s on the shorter end time frame wise, such as HIIT, boxing or spinning, we suggest music that is fast – this will keep you moving and your heart pumping.
This article would not be complete without our trusty suggestions of playlists we love. Here are a few we use for a variety of workouts that match duration and beats per music.
- Fun Run 150-165 BMP for long distance running
- I Love My ‘90s Hip-Hop for a 60 minute yoga session
- Low-Fi-Chill Lofi for a 90 minute yoga session
- Run ‘N’ Bass 170-175 BPM for a sprinting session
Do you have a playlist you like to use for your workouts?
This article has been republished with permission from PurelyB