And The Beat Goes On…

Beautiful Readers,

After years of exercising and thinking about exercise, I am increasingly sure that any fitness challenge goes off much easier with good music on your ipod. And it just so happens that almost every fitness professional I know thinks so too.

Long before I became the fitness maven that I am today I used to carry my walkman around in my hand when I enjoyed my occasional .3 mile run in the park (yes, that’s a decimal point before the 3– I was much more nerd than jock) but way back then I really didn’t understand the power of music in making sure exercise stays a regular, evolving, part of life.

The right playlist can be the magic ingredient that makes intolerable workouts, tolerable, gets you up and out of the house on dreary days, helps you get through 40 minutes of cardio when you’d rather spend 4 minutes on cardio, and adds sexiness to even the most uninspiring workout environments.

I have been known to turn around and go home to get my i-pod when I forget to bring it to the gym.  I definitely can’t imagine going running without one (unless you have a great coach full of helpful advice (www.beautifulfitness.com ), and working out at home with only the sound of street noise, or my kids fighting over the t.v. remote for ambiance—is inconceivable.

There’s so much great music to choose from too. But be aware that even objectively awesome music is not all equal when you are using it for fitness purposes. Here are some tips on successfully using music to keep your workouts grooving:

***Rock is king. I love classical music, and have occasionally tried working out to jazz, and while you might think mellower music would keep you cool while you sweat—most people who have tried it seem to find quieter music more pacifying than motivating. Stick with rock. The driving beat really helps.

***Although, after many years of wrinkling my nose at most music played in most gyms, I have come to accept that even a pop beat I don’t love can equal a fun, pumped-up, cardio workout. Having said that, why listen to bad music when good music can offer such great motivation? Don’t listen to music you don’t like just because it has “cardio workout” written all over it.  Keep shopping long enough to find upbeat music that gets your heart rate up while it thrills you with its brilliance.

***Experiment. I have discovered that there is certain music I particularly love to work-out to, that I don’t normally listen to at home. For me, classic rock, seems perfect for exercise, but is generally a little ‘deep’ for regular background listening at home. I also really like to work-out to certain techno tracks to which I would never subject my family.

***If you have a family (or roommates) to whom you must cater your music tastes while at home, it can be really fun to listen to something more raucous with a lot of swear words in it when it’s just you and your i-pod.

I hope you are all looking forward to a bright and exciting 2010. A lot of change is coming this year. I promise. Some bad things will happen and some good things will happen too. And I bet if you look back, honestly, on 2009, you’ll find the same was true. Everything changes. And the more things change, the more they stay the same, as they say. So stay focused, healthy and sane in the New Year! and get ready for whatever is coming your way.

Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for reading,

Alix Florio               president; Beautiful Fitness