Workout with the Right Music

Listening to your body when it comes to working out is important so you don't hurt yourself and  listening to the appropriate music depending on how you're feeling, physically as well as mentally can play an important role in getting through any given workout regimen. 

Try something with a fast tempo that's up-beat and fun to get pumped for an energized workout! Before I start  my warm up and streches I get ready and set to go by choosing only a couple of songs from a particular artist, doing this can ensure stretching for the recommended time which is  10-15 minutes. Some of my go-to's of fast tempo up beat tunes during my warm-ups include: Gwen Stefani's Holla Back Girl and What You Waiting For, Carry Out By Timbaland feturing Justin Timberlake,  a handful of various Beastie Boys tracks and Beyonce's Single Ladies, Diva and Video Phone.

Misery does love company so if you're at the gym (good job!) but still feeling down don't drown your sorrows with the Smiths put on your favorite good-mood grooves and get ready to get your endorphins flowing!

Strength training and weight conditioning can be stressful and they should be a challenge, now match that with angry, aggressive music and you'll find the strength to power though that last power lift! Nine Inch Nails, Eve, Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP Master  and Die Antwoord are just a few heavy hitting artists that I turn to and turn up while I'm pumping up.

 Maybe you had a bad day, you're stressing out and you need to get out some aggression, in that case this genre of music will make you push harder, sweating  that negativity right out and leaving you clear headed after your grueling workout!

Endurance activities such as running and cycling can push you to limits you didn't know you had and beyond! As with every type of exercise plan proper training, nutrition and adequate rest are key but being able to keep going when you've already gone an incredible distance takes a strong mind set, and  a good set of headphones won't hurt. Before I hit the ground running I decide what album I feel like listening to: some days the raunchy Teaches of Peaches makes my 3 mile run a breeze, other days M.I.A's Maya, Kala or Arular keep me going and those LPs aren't the only ones! I have number of albums and all sorts of genres of music I listen to when I go out for a run.

Playing an entire album during an endurance activity makes sense because you'll be focused on reaching you goal and you won't want to think about what song you're going to listen to next.
Choose an artist, album, press play and you'll be back in no time, or at least it will seem that way!

"When I workout I like to listen to Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder and The Rolling Stones." - P.O.T.U.S Barack Obama

The distance of your runs or bike rides will vary which is perfect because all albums are different lengths, too! Listen to a 16 track album like The End from Black  Eyed Peas on those long hauls or something like Treats from Sleigh Bells which has 11 tracks when you're not going all out, either way you're still going the distance!

Getting the results you want means changing up your exercise routine rather than doing the exact same exercises over and over, so why listen to the same music over and over? Chances are you'll get bored listening to the same playlist every time you hit the gym which could subconsciously cause you to cut your exercise routine short. There's a plethora of great music out there so there's no reason why the soundtrack to your workouts should sound like a broken record!