A Merry Life

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Music and Exercise – Your Suggestons

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First off, thanks for all the replies on Foods I Loved, Love, and Hate. It was nice to know I wasn’t completely alone in the foods I hate. And there are more tomato haters out there than I thought! I’m not unusual! A few of you even did it yourselves on your blogs! How fun! Thanks to Michelle for the idea.

Today I’m thinking about music.

Because it’s one thing I’ve realized I don’t like about my gym. I haven’t paid much attention to the music during most workouts with other people, but when I’m alone I’ve noticed that I don’t like it. Unfortunately before I left for New Zealand I sold my iphone for moola and haven’t replaced it yet. So I don’t have anything to play tunes of my own and am forced to listen to whatever is playing at the gym. They play a lot of music I just don’t love (um, mainly Nickleback). Everything else about the gym is great.

The thing about music is that it can affect your workout. There is almost nothing more motivating than great music. And when I’m trying to run? Music would probably make the whole experience a lot better. I’m not just making this up. There are reliable sources that say music makes exercise easier:

According to Kargeorghis [a sports psychologist at Britain’s Brunel University], there are four factors that contribute to a song’s motivational qualities: rhythm response, musicality, cultural impact and association.

The first two are known as “internal” factors as they relate to the music’s structure while the second two are “external” factors that reflect how we interpret the music. Rhythm response is tied to the beats per minute (bpm) of the song and how well it matches either the cadence or the heartbeat of the runner. A song’s structure such as its melody and harmony contribute to its musicality. The external factors consider our musical background and the preferences we have for a certain genre of music and what we have learned to associate with certain songs and artists.

Additionally…

Syncing beats per minute with an exercise pace increases your efficiency. In a recent study, subjects who cycled in time to music found that they required 7 percent less oxygen to do the same work when compared to music playing in the background. Music can also help block out the little voice in your brain telling you its time to quit. Research shows that this dissociation effect results in a 10 percent reduction in perceived effort during treadmill running at a moderate intensity.

Ah!  There is actual science behind all of this!  (I know, there are probably studies that say the exact opposite, which is how it always goes.)  Music DOES make a difference.  And I need some music.  So does my friend Candace, which is what sparked this post.  She sent me a text asking for YOUR help.

Ask people what music they like to listen to when they run.  I need new zoning music.

She needs your suggestions and so do I.  I’ll take anything I can get to make trying to run easier and shut up that little “time to quit” voice.  It can make it seem 10% easier…. which sounds fabulous.  So help us both out.

What do you listen to when you exercise?  If you are a runner, what do you listen to?  I need your playlists guys!

Comments

  1. I get on iTunes and go to pod-casts. There you can find different workout mixes. It usually is uptempo and sound a bit like club mixes. They do keep you going throughout your workout.

    I can not stand these mixes when I am not running but when I am running — the beats keep me upbeat.

  3. I listen to rock and metal stuff…Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, a whole bunch of stuff. Although I surprised myself yesterday, I forgot my tunes on my desk and work and not having music didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. It definitely helps though.
    .-= Lauren´s last blog ..Emotions and Eating =-.

  4. I usually like something fast paced either metal or techno type stuff. I’ve got an ipod touch and i can connect using my gyms free wifi and usually i will type in something on pandora and it plays similar music to watch I’m interested in for that moment.
    .-= Mary Beth´s last blog ..Healthy You Challenge Week 9 =-.

  5. I really like running to the song Proud by Heather Small, makes me feel good and makes me forget how hard i am breathing!

  6. I do podcasts too..funny fast ones. But sometimes I do need music..Ben Folds, Mika, Lily Allen, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, misc hip hop.

  10. No music for me- perhaps when I begin running and have the extra money I’ll start listening to podcasts though! I’m just catching up on reading posts from the last few days and I loved your post from yesterday but I can’t believe you don’t like mushrooms, tomatoes, or pickles! I probably eat these at least every other day!

    It’s alright- still think you’re pretty great!

  11. I would recommend going to iTunes, too. There are podcasts like PodRunner, that has upbeat house music that keeps you going. The best part? They’re free.

    The main music I listen to is Alternative, Grunge, or 80’s New Wave, and those songs keep me moving. Lately I’ve been enjoying “Heavy Cross” by Gossip, “Kryptonite” by 3rd Eye Blind (I know it’s a little cheesey, but the beat keeps me going!), and “Celebrity Skin” by Hole.
    .-= Bella´s last blog ..HYC Update – March = Hope =-.

  12. I don’t listen to music often when i’m excercising but if i want to, i would listen to rock/pop music, my favorites are from Simple Plan for rock music and pop music come from korean/japanese/chinese singers. ^^
    It gives me more joy and motivation to make sport. ^^
    .-= Sushie´s last blog ..Soup diet =-.

  13. Yeah Nickelback sucks ass big time IMO. And they are always playing that at my gym too! LOL

    I listen to EVERYTHING (but country). But when I’m running (or attempting to) I like something hard or fast. I’ve been into Alice in Chains, Seether and lately I’ve revisited 2Pac. Love, love, love 2Pac.

    I also have some Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa, Alice Cooper, you name it. (Basically everything BUT Nickelback.)
    .-= Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..HARD WORK. PERSISTENCE. PATIENCE. KNOWLEDGE. =-.

  14. Great topic…I must have music to work out, especially for cardio. I always wonder what people are listening to, and I wonder if they would be surprised at what I’m listening to.

    I’m all over the map everything from Alanis Morisette (great angry music for kickboxing) to Jay-Z to U2. Not a huge fan of autotune so just about half of the songs on iTunes top 100 repulse me. 80’s music is also a good choice.

  15. Yes again and again – can’t run without it…
    Should I try?
    Nah – I’ll get into the Zen of my own footsteps later.
    Right now – ?????? is just what I need!

  16. Drat – the little music notes turned into question marks.
    So much for me trying to be fancy!
    Om…..

  17. I can totally relate to what you said about listening to music while running..”And when I’m trying to run? Music would probably make the whole experience a lot better.”
    There are times when I run without listening to music.However, on long runs, music is a must. I usually listen to SIRIUS ( using their app for iPhone ) and have noticed that my running actually slows down if they are playing a song I dont like and also notice an extra spring in my step if my favorite song comes on.
    I tried downloading the workout/running podcasts but the music gets pretty repetitive on those and I can do better not listening to any music as opposed to those podcasts.
    Usually the top 10 songs ( and even faster remixes ) do the magic when running…since you want to listen to upbeat and fast music to keep your HR up..
    .-= Harshathlete´s last blog ..Jillian Michaels sued! =-.

  18. I’m weird when it comes to listening to music while I exercise. I’ll usually listen to the Savage Love Podcast. It’s about 40 minutes long, which is perfect for me. I do notice it’s tougher to listen to a podcast than music though. I’ve been known to listen to things like a Mahler Symphony or the soundtrack to Pirates of Penzance while exercising. My absolute favorite band is Cake. They put a real spring in my step. I also like Ben Folds for working out. Any musical theater is good. That way there’s a plot and I stay engaged. I think I’ll listen to Everclear tonight. Maybe if I listen to something that came out when I weighed 80 pounds less than I do now, I’ll lose 80 pounds. I can only hope.
    .-= 100 Pounds in a Year´s last blog ..Weigh-In Results =-.

  19. Ugh. Nickelback.

    I love 80’s music to workout to. Here’s a sampling:
    Tenderness-General Public
    Sidewalk Talk- Jellybean Benitez
    Pump Up the Volume- MARRS
    It’s Tricky- Run DMC
    Some Like it Hot-Power Station
    Panama-Van Halen
    Never Say Never-Romeo Void
    Holiday Road- Lindsey Buckingham
    Our House- Madness
    Break My Stride- Matthew Wilder
    Turning Japanese- The Vapors
    Rebel Yell- Billy Idol
    Goody Two Shoes- Adam Ant

    Okay, I’ll stop. I’m nowhere near done but that’s a good start!

  20. For some reason I’ve really been digging older music for the gym lately – 80s (& some 90s) rock stuff. Maybe it gets me moving more because they are songs I loved in their time, but haven’t heard in awhile. Black Eyed Peas & Lady Gaga work too. :-)

  22. Well, I am 52…. I like the older rock – 70’s and 80’s! There are some newer rock songs I like but the older stuff is my fav. On Bon Jovi, I can think about his butt! :-)

    My gym used to play the techno stuff all the time. Not any more thank god! I know people like it but it made my workouts horrible before I had my little shuffle!
    .-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Workout Towel GIVEAWAY!!!!!! =-.

  23. I don’t do music – I do DVDs. I have a portable DVD player I keep balanced on the elliptical or treadmill (which is usually pretty secure) and I’m currently watching Alias. Music just doesn’t cut it for me the way a t.v. show I’m into does.
    .-= Jeremy Logsdon´s last blog ..Twittering Again =-.

    • I can’t even imagine how you do that. Do you run and watch? I’ve tried watching stuff on the tvs there when I run and trying to read the subtitles makes me dizzy. I def can’t focus on it. Walking and doing that sounds fun!

  24. OK, try not to laugh but I listen to a lot of Bollywood music cause I like to imagine myself belly dancing! Someday :D I all so listen to a tun of hardcore and punk (love Token Entry, Youth of Today, 7 Seconds, Bad Brains, Dag Nasty, Gorilla Biscuits and so many more)they all really pump me up.

    Here are some other songs…

    Distance – Karsh Kale
    The String Thing – Soul Ascendants
    Because I Do – X
    Freak Scene – Dinosaur Jr.
    Don’t Rain on my Parade – Barbara Streisand (ok stop laughing now)
    Mundain to Bach Ke – Panjabi MC
    I n I Survive – Bad Brains (cool down song)
    Intergalactic – Beastie Boys (a must have)
    The Violent Hour – Sea Wolf (just like the lyrics)
    Street LIfe – Randy Crawford (it makes me feel like I’m a bad ass chick)?
    Cherry Bomb – The Runaways
    Beat Your Heart Out – The Distillers (pushes me to go harder)
    Cannonball – The Breeders
    Alseep at the Wheel – Porkers (aussie ska band)
    Empire State of Mind w/ Alicia Keys
    New Direction – Gorilla Biscuits
    Arabian Song – Livin’ in Da Ghetto

    I can go on and on so I’ll stop now :D

  25. Being the Music Therapist that I am, I can tell you music affects most everything we do. Most studies also suggest we like the music from our late teens/early 20’s.

    I like Guns ‘n Roses, Van Halen, Whitesnake, most of those 80’s/90’s rockers. I do like Michael Jackson too. Nothing gets me moving like “Thriller!”

    Love talking music!!
    .-= TB-Milwaukee´s last blog ..Unexpected Packages =-.

  26. To get going I love Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve and Mother, Just Can’t Get Enough by The New Radicals and Gimme Some Lovin’ by Spencer Davis Group.

    I love anything from MuteMath, and Switchfoot’s newest album has some great workout songs.

  29. I’ll be honest, I listen to a lot of Gaga when I’m running. The beat is so perfect!

    I also love Queen (Killer Queen, Havin’ a Good Time) and AC/DC. There’s just something about Highway to Hell that will make me run a little bit longer.

    And Kanye West’s Gold Digger has a pretty solid hook that my feet like.
    .-= Tara´s last blog ..The Hockey Song =-.

  30. THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS!!

    Candace and I now have a ton of music to look through and buy. ;) Running is going to get fun! . .. Okay, maybe not “fun” but definitely better.

  31. When I’m working out I like Punk or Hip Hop, I’ve never really been into dance music so that doesn’t drive me. Another thing that I like to do if I’m doing a long semi boring workout is listen to podcasts of various radio shows. That gives me something to focus on and think about that isn’t how bored I am.
    .-= chrissie´s last blog ..The End… =-.

  32. I mainly listen to songs that I’ve heard through Body Jam, RPM, all of the Les Mills programmes that I hear at the gym.

    At the moment I’m digging:

    What Is Love – Reloaded (Haddaway Remix) – Haddaway
    Holiday (Laidback Luke Remix) – Dizzee Rsascal
    How Soon Is Now – David Guetta
    Lala Song (Tocadisco Remix) – Bob Sinclar & the Sugar Hill Gang
    My Life would Suck without You (Bass Force Remix) – Kelly Clarkson
    Ecuador (Bad Behaviour Remix) – Sash
    For Your Entertainment – Adam Lambert
    In My Head – Jason Derulo
    Pro Nails (Rusko Remix) – Kid Sister
    I Can Transform Ya – Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne
    Evacuate The Dancefloor (Wideboys Remix) – Cascada
    Dangerous – Cascada
    Million Dollar Bill (Freemasons Remix) – Whitney Houston
    Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls
    She Got it – VanDalism & Angger Dimas
    The Black Pearl (Dave Darrel Remix) – Scotty
    Scared Of Me – Fedde Le Grand
    Take Your Shirt Off – T-Pain
    Piranha – The Prodigy
    Right Hand Hi – Kid Sister
    Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer – Sophie Ellis Bextor

    Heaps of people have given some great suggestions!
    .-= Marshmallow´s last blog ..Oh my god people… =-.

  33. I HAVE to listen to music when I run. If I don’t, I just won’t make it. I keep telling myself, ONE MORE SONG and it works most of the time. But I don’t listen so much when I lift.

    Anyway, my guilty pleasure run songs (yes, I never listen to this outside of the gym) are:

    Young Money – Bedrock
    New Boyz – Tie Me Down
    and Justin Bieber – One Time

    That makes for roughly 10 minutes, which is how long my mile warm-up is. Guilty, guilty pleasures make for great running companion.

    As for being in Onederland, ANY TIME NOW!
    .-= Jess´s last blog ..MARCH (MADNESS) GOALS =-.

  34. this is what i prefer to advice people when they ask me some motivating thing while they opt for running and jogging,, music really makes you go… i agree with others thoughts

  36. I usually listen to podcasts or audiobooks, so I’m a bad example. Those help distract me, though, and I push harder and for longer periods of time since I’m not thinking, “How long is left in this interval?” and instead it’s “WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT I MUST KNOW.” David Sedaris audiobooks are great for this (but they must be read by Sedaris himself). See also the PRI Selected Shorts podcast.

    But there were a couple of songs that have helped me out… mostly bippy pop songs.
    Cartoon Heroes – Aqua
    Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger – Daft Punk

    Those two both made me go LET’S DO THIS THANG, AWW YEEEEEEAH” instead of “Is it over yet? Is it over yet?”
    .-= Stephoodle´s last blog ..My Beef With Bariatric Surgery =-.

  41. I am lucky that my best friend and I share almost the same taste in music and for years, he has filled up my ipod for me. He is finally getting his dj career on track (DJ Tristan Jaxx), so my suggestion to you guys is his first demo, which has some songs I love. Its house music, by the way. You can stream it here to see if you like it: http://www.letsmix.com/mix/29475/from_the_ashes
    And then if you do, you can download it here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/72251696e55a4408/
    I absolutely cant work out without music. Sometimes my kickbox class has bleh music and on those days I work out way worse than the days when she has songs I like. Lift class has great music (house again!) and the other days I use my ipod. :) Music releases endorphins, just like exercising does, so both together is YAY!! Enjoy.
    .-= merri´s last blog ..San Diego Trip: Days 0 and 1: Getting our Bearings =-.

  42. Of course it depends on the kind of exercise that you are doing. But if it’s lively – try out Jay Chou’s “Huo Yuan Jia”. It’s Chinese rap, but I bet you will love it. Just type in Youtube and you’ll find it immediately.

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