How to Pick the Best Workout Music

Listening to music while exercising can make or break your workout plans. It's common to see people wearing headphones while training - walking in the park, running in their neighborhood, participating in a group fitness class or lifting weights at the gym - to help keep them energized and motivated. Many fitness facilities provide an upbeat soundtrack, too. Finding the right music to help you get through your workout depends on the type of exercise - and your personal music preferences.

Step 1

Pick upbeat, positive and fun music to use for cardiovascular and strength-training exercises. In general, high-intensity, endurance and resistance exercises require using a lot of energy and muscular strength. Choose songs that motivate you to keep pushing through an intense workout. Consider "Fitness" magazine's summer 2010 picks: "Break Your Heart" by Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris for cardio, and "Carry Out" by Timbaland featuring Justin Timberlake for strength training.

Step 2

For more relaxing exercises including yoga and Pilates, choose soothing instrumental tracks, nature sounds or classical mixes. Music helps you focus on transitioning from one pose to the next, "Women's Health" magazine notes, suggesting a mix of regular constant rhythms and drum beats to help perfect your poses and deep breathing. Consider "The Sea Morcheeba" or "Sweet Lullaby Deep Forest."

Step 3 
Select songs that are five minutes or longer If you are working out for 30 minutes to one hour, knowing that you have to listen to 10 to 12 five-minute songs versus 20 three-minute songs to get through your workout sounds much more appealing. Also consider arranging your music time according to the level of intensity. Interval training, a combination of high-intensity and low-intensity intervals, is one example. Put together a playlist alternating fast and slow beats to help you know when to switch your interval pace.

Step 4
Organize your music into different categories or folders: cardio, strength training, yoga, Pilates and interval. Whenever you train for a particular form of exercise, you can easily retrieve your workout music without skipping around to find songs.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/212828-how-to-pick-the-best-workout-music/#ixzz1XApo3781