Fuel Your Workout with Music

Why Do a Workout with Music?

Music and exercise go together like peanut butter and jelly. Do you have a favorite workout playlist? It’s worth putting one together. Exercising to music has some big, scientifically-proven benefits:

• Music can boost your mood and stamina during a workout, which could make your sweat session last longer
• Faster-paced music can increase your performance, whether that’s your pace, the number of repetitions you complete or the distance you travel
• Music can distract you from the physical activity, making you focus less on fatigue

How to choose songs for your playlist:

• Select songs that you enjoy – these will boost your levels of serotonin, putting you in a good mood
• Pick songs with a fast-paced, steady beat; you may naturally begin to synchronize your workout with the tempo, and exercise harder
• Add music that you have an emotional connection with: Not only will the song be inspiring, but it can also transport you to another

Some tools to help:

• fm can help you find music that matches your ideal pace on a run, walk or bike ride
• PaceDJ organizes music you’ve already downloaded into playlists that match your pace goals

To get you started, here are the top 10 songs about an active lifestyle:

1. Take a Walk on the Wild Side through your local park.
   Click here for a list of Decatur’s parks.
2. Hit the Road Jack and relieve all that stress you have.
3. These Boots Are Made for Walking up a mountain.
4. Running Down a Dream, toward a healthier weight.
5. Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay after a good swim.
   Click here for a list of Decatur’s pools.
6. Life is a Highway and it’s great for biking.
   Join Guild+Journeyman for Friday & Saturday bikes rides – March through October.
7. Born to Run, especially if it’s a Monday.
8. Walk This Way to a healthier lifestyle.
9. I Get Around…because I like to bike.
10. Let’s Do the Twist, with some yoga.
    Check out all our yoga offerings at all 3 recreation centers!