Working Out to the Beat Within

Yesterday, I was running down a California beach boardwalk in a running bra and name-brand shorts and shoes. The beating sun brought out the highlights in my swishing ponytail as I flashed a smile at those I passed, my long bronzed legs stretching gracefully in perfect stride. I felt absolutely like a fit celebrity with the beat of Jay Sean blasting through my ears, invigorating my body to keep a calorie-roasting pace. I thought to myself, “Yes, Jay Sean, I am down, down, down, down, down.”

As the elliptical machine hit “0:00,” I stepped off and grabbed a sanitary wipe, my dream and my run over. I was again a college student just trying to stay on top of my fitness while stuck in snow-riddled Ohio. I have always found it difficult to exercise indoors, surrounded by the sound of whirring machines and the miasma of body odor and dust. However, when my headphones go in and the music starts, I’m not at the gym; I am in a place where exercising comes easy and my body image improves significantly.

The use of music while exercising is linked to higher endurance and a more positive fitness experience, according to part of a continuous 20-year study by Dr. Costas Karageorghi at Brunel University in London. His initial study involved thirty participants exercising on treadmills while listening to upbeat music, including tracks by Queen, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Madonna. Participants kept their pace in strict time with the beat. The results show that select music can increase endurance by 15% and improve the ‘feeling states’ of exercisers, creating a more positive exercise experience, especially in times of high physical exertion.

In October 2008, Dr. Karageorghi paired up with electronics giant Sony Ericsson to launch the Sony Ericsson Run To The Beat half-marathon in London. 7,600 runners were entertained by live music scientifically selected by Dr. Karageorghi to improve performance. The half-marathon has now become an annual event.

On the Run To The Beat website, suggestions for pumping up your heart rate include looking up the beats per minute of your favorite songs and organizing playlists accordingly. Typically, music in the range of 130 to 150 beats per minute is ideal for high-intensity exercise. Think “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers or “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. The website also suggests that lyrics can make a difference. Phrases that include the word “run” are usually a good choice. Anything positive or inspirational works as well, with power phrases such as “moving on up” or “I believe.” I had tried some of the suggested music before I found out about the study, namely ABBA tracks. Dance music really is great for its consistency. I also like Gloria Estefan for this reason.

Former D.J. Richard Petty suggests dance songs over rock songs due to their consistency in beats per minute. For those of you who suffer with me through the verses of “Living on a Prayer” just to get to the kick-ass, key-changing chorus, you can appreciate this.

For me, it’s about getting on that elliptical trainer, a place I really do not want to be, and letting music take me somewhere I want to be, where the scenery and the feelings are so right, exercising just can’t be wrong. And there is certainly nothing wrong with a trimmer body. It’s these times when I turn to my silly island music repertoire, including tracks by Jimmy Buffett and Elvis Presley. Though these songs may not having me going as fast as Dr. Karageorghi’s suggested 150bpm pop music, they have me going somewhere consistently and enjoyably.

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