To create playlists for professional athletes, including Great Britain‘s track and field captain, Dai Greene, Karageorghis films them working out at different intensities in order to identify tracks from their music libraries that fit their workouts. Try digitally altering your music to boost motivation ( MORE: 5 Common Mistakes You’re Making at the Gym) “Change your playlist at least every couple of weeks so you don’t listen to the same track over and over.” “This is why radio stations promote songs by playing them repeatedly, but then play it less and less, so listeners don’t develop a negative response to it,” says Karageorghis. If you’ve had your playlist on repeat for the last two weeks, you may be desensitized to the songs’ motivational qualities. One of TIME’s own staffers, photo editor Liz Ronk, who is training for a half-marathon in October, says this strategy has already worked for her: “Sometimes I hear songs that are played at races that I would normally never listen to, and I’ll download them specifically for my runs just because the song will remind me of that energy.” So you’re conditioned to feel stimulated, inspired and motivated.” When you hear it, it conjures images and thoughts of overcoming adversity and striving towards a goal. “We’ve made an association with this song and characters doing heroic feats. The “ Chariots of Fire has been used extensively at the London Olympic games,” says Karageorghis. We tend to favor songs the more often we hear them, so pick a song that’s already in your music library.Īdding songs you associate with moments of perseverance, either from movies or your personal life, can also give you an extra edge. “There’s a strong relationship between exposure to a song and you liking it,” says Karageorghis. For example, if you want your heart rate to get to 130 bpm, choose a song whose tempo progressively increases to that beat, Karageorghis says.Ī song’s cultural impact is a key factor in what makes it motivational. “Our research shows this yields the best psychological outcomes.”īy looking up the beats per minute (bpm) of your go-to songs, you can also find the tempo that matches the heart rate you want to achieve during your workout. “The optimal tempo range is 120 to 140 beats per minute,” says Karageorghis. Upbeat music increases activity in a part of the brain called the ascending reticular activating system, which “psyches” you up when you’re running. Jamming to rhythmic songs also lowers your perceived effort, making you think you’re not working as hard as you really are. Compared with those who worked out in silence, those who synchronized their pace to the songs’ tempo improved their endurance by 15%. For the study, the researchers compared 30 participants working out on a treadmill - some listened to high-energy rock and pop tunes and some did not. In a 2009 study, Karageorghis and his colleagues found that matching training with music significantly boosted exercise efficiency and endurance. Synchronizing your strides with an upbeat song can subconsciously increase your effort during a workout. ( MORE: It’s Not Too Late to Start: Tips for Training for a Distance Run) Here are Karageorghis’ guidelines for putting together a runner’s mix that will get you across the finish line: Whether you’re a casual runner or training for a distance event (if the latter, first check out our tips on training from last week), the right playlist can optimize your performance. athletes competing in the London Olympics. “It reduces perceived effort, and training to a musical beat can enhance endurance.” “Music has the propensity to elevate positive aspects of mood such as vigor and excitement, and reduces negative aspects such as tension and fatigue,” says Karageorghis, who has created custom workout soundtracks for several U.S. Music has specific motivational qualities that can make you work harder and faster, even when you feel spent. Costas Karageorghis, author of Inside Sport Psychology and a leading expert on the psychophysical and ergogenic effects of music at Brunel University, in London. Follow you need an extra push to hit the pavement or treadmill - or to make it through that last grueling mile of training - and the key may simply be loading right songs on your iPod, according to Dr.
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