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Music Makes You Move Your Feet

Music moves us in every way. It moves our bodies when it’s funky, it stimulates our minds when it’s provocative, and it resonates with our souls when arranged in infinite combinations of harmonies that somehow speak directly to our hearts. Yes, even during exercise.

Music mobilises energy, mimicking the process of exercise, so it’s no surprise that no group exercise class goes without it, and very few ladies tackling cardio equipment are ever seen without the staple workout accessory that is now a pair of white earphones.

Why exactly does music form such an integral part of our exercise routine? According to the research of Terry Karageorghis (2007), music has the capacity to capture attention, lift spirits, generate emotion, change or regulate mood, evoke memories, increase work output, reduce inhibitions, and encourage rhythmic movement.

Music stimulates the imagination and physical energy during exercise; it regulates work output by distracting from the physical activity. The Sports Journal defines this as ‘dissociation’.

In other words, music literally distracts us from the awareness of fatigue and tediousness during a workout, which is especially handy if you are just starting out or don’t traditionally enjoy exercise.

"What’s wrong with throwing a party in your own mind?"

From personal experience, the importance of accompanying your workout with music is most apparent in non-group activities, like when you’re on the treadmill alone running nowhere for 30 seemingly endless minutes.

The quality of my workout will usually hinge solely on my fantasy life for the day, which in turn derives its source from the music I’m blasting into my ears.

Being an admirer of the art of the guitar, my indispensable ‘treadmill’ artists include AC/DC, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin, and I hardly notice my surroundings when I’m transported into the world of stadium rock, where I’m churning out 11-minute guitar solos to shame Slash. In no time, I hear the ‘cooldown’ beep, and can no longer tell if I’m fatigued from the cardio or from the show I just put on in my head.

It pays to be fussy and strategic with your music. What’s wrong with throwing a party in your own mind? Find out what tracks inspire, energise and stimulate you, and build your workout playlist to support your exercise routine.

Dreaming of that holiday in Brazil whilst strutting your stuff on Copacapana beach? Perhaps some Samba or Latin rhythms will help your visualisation technique. Want to give your resistance training a more relaxed feel? Mozart is now available on digital download.

Your music player’s shuffle feature might be spontaneous, but consider that certain music may not actually be pushing you suitably to match your activity. Find out what psychologically motivates you to exercise, find some music that stimulates and inspires that process, and you’re well on your way to making exercise more enjoyable, rewarding and most of all, fun!

Jen S is a musician and freelance writer from Melbourne. The best song ideas always come to her on the stair-master.

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