Music could enhance your workouts?

What is your best workout tool? Your playlist! You heard that right. Aside from reducing boredom, listening to music while exercising could increase your stamina and condition your brain to be in a good mood. Plus you don’t need to have awkward conversations with other people in the gym if you immerse yourself to the music in your ears. It’s somehow a gym etiquette that a person in headphones means he doesn’t want to be disturbed. 

There are different kinds of exercise, and it has perfect pitch songs that go along with it. The types of exercise are: Aerobic exercise also known as Cardio, Strength or Resistance Training, and Stretching. Cardio exercises involves running, dancing, swimming, brisk walking, burpees, jumping jacks, any physical activity that would involve aerobic energy. Resistance training is an anaerobic exercise to increase muscle and bone strength, thus reducing chances of injury. These are usually done by athletes, which includes, weightlifting, bodybuilding, and powerlifting. Stretching exercise is for muscle elasticity, flexibility and improved range of motion. Commonly used for warm-ups or in yoga. 

For Cardio and Strength exercise, it is best to choose songs that has fast tempo with 115-135 beats per minute. These genres may include upbeat pop music, dance music, techno, heavy metal, hard rock. It is also best to choose songs that has repetitive rhythm. Here are some of the best playlists for your cardio and strength exercise

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TABATA SONGS (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/20CQozNnKgyfDrVUTfL2HZ

Tabata songs are formulated for 4 minute workouts with rest in between. This is perfect for cardio exercises like high knees. The upbeat tempo is the cue to execute the exercise, and there are rest of 5-10 seconds in between.

BEAST MODE (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX76Wlfdnj7AP

The playlist ranges from rock to mainstream dance music. This could be perfect for when going out for a run, or doing a deadlift. Usually, these songs would be perfect for moderate to high intensity interval workouts.

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WORKOUT MUSIC (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5njMahLKD1tLJ5bejvqseV

These are usually electronic dance music mixes, 80s dance music and club music. Perfect for dancing aerobic exercises like Taebo or Zumba. 

For Stretching exercises before a game, post-workout cool down, morning yoga or meditation, it is best to choose an instrumental piano, acoustic covers, and nature sounds. Suggested songs are music within a 60-80 beats per minute range. Here are some playlists that you could utilize.

PEACEFUL MEDITATION (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWZqd5JICZI0u

This music with a slower tempo will release all your stress and quiet your mind. Songs by Dreamscape and Intentional vibes will take you to another dimension and soothe your soul.

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NATURE SOUNDS (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4PP3DA4J0N8

This might sound odd, but sounds of thunder, rainfall and chirping birds are perfect for Stretching exercises especially Yoga. Studies found that sounds produced by nature has a calming effect on us.

AFTERWORKOUT MUSIC (Youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aae4JSUb_K0

The peaceful compilation of classical songs combined with nature sounds is widely used for after workout cooldown. Some may be misinformed, but cool down exercise and stretching is important after any kind of physical activity. This might be the perfect playlist for that.

The playlists mentioned above may not suit your taste, there are more tunes you could choose from. You could also create a playlist of songs that you like, and tune in to internet radio stations like MBI Radio (Mega Best Internet Radios) for the best track combination for your workouts.

Our doctors recommend mild to moderate physical activity 30 minutes a day, to avoid sickness and improve your health. Music should be prescribed too, along with the 30-minute exercise. Let’s get physical!