Keeping Fit with Lucy Johnson

09 September 2008

Lucy Johnson.

HOW hard is it to keep up that gym routine with the summer ending, the weather getting colder and your summer holiday now out of the way?

One of the best ways to keep you motivated to exercise is the use of music.

There are three ways in which music can aid motivation and performance in exercise.

First, music is beneficial because of the similarities between rhythm and human movement.

The synchronisation of your body movement with music during exercise significantly increases levels of output and endurance.

Did you know Haile Gebreselassie synchronised his stride rate to the song Scatman when he broke the indoor 2000m world record in February 1998?

Second, during repetitive exercise - such as long-distance running - music can narrow your attention and divert it away from your aching limbs or pounding heart.

This is why you'll see at least half of the Reebok gym floor littered with people exercising with iPods.

People can pack their iPods full of tunes relevant to them and what they are doing in their training program.

Last, music can affect arousal levels and can therefore be used as a stimulant prior to strenuous workouts or as a sedative to calm the body after a tough workout.

As cheesy as it sounds, I have never seen a person fail to become psyched up (even if it is tongue-in-cheek) and have increased adrenalin levels after listening to the Rocky soundtrack.

With iTunes and iPods now widely available, it's never been easier to make your own personalised soundtrack to accompany you through your next workout.

Music is the soundtrack to our lives, inspirational and uplifting, and it can easily become the boost you need to get back into the gym and take it to the next level.