Track the Miles

The tracks of my miles

Do you have a workout soundtrack?

It is well known that listening to music while exercising can benefit training and performance: a good track can push your performance on, distract your mind, lead you to accept – even prefer – a greater degree of effort. It’s the power of carefully chosen tunes…

So, in what ways can music affect your performance?

Well, a recent study claimed it can lower your perception of effort by as much as 10 percent, tricking your mind into feeling less fatigued during a workout and also encouraging positive thoughts – which ultimately means you feel less pain.

I know this from my own experiences. For a really hard session I use RnB and Rap music, maybe something like 50 Cent, The Game or Jay Z its usually a playlist I have made. It makes the session go easier and helps me push to a higher level of effort and hold it for longer. And when the sessions are long, great workout tracks can help the time pass quicker.

Matching the beat of the music to the tempo of the exercise is known to regulate your movement and even reduce the oxygen required. You feel the beat of the music and instinctively adjust your heart rate to the tempo. And with many of my clients I’ve found that faster tempo music motivates them to work harder and that they enjoy it even more.

But the tracks you listen to are a personal choice. I tell all my clients to experiment with different types of music and to find what works for them.

So what are the tracks of your miles? Tell me what you are listening to when working out. Share your workout soundtrack with us all.

We’ll get to my own personal favourites further down but what are yours ?