Use music to pump up your workout

Fitness Feeling sluggish about exercise? It could be time for some new music.

For me, nothing motivates like a good song or two (or 10 or 20, depending on how long the workout lasts). And with today's iPod and MP3 devices, putting new tunes in your exercise routine is fairly simple and inexpensive.

How do you figure out what songs will get you moving? Here are some pointers.

• Consider the speed of the music. If you're running to it, you'll want some upbeat songs, probably sticking to ones with at least 120 beats per minute. If you're lifting weights to music, you might be fine with slower songs.

• Ask for recommendations. Friends and fellow exercisers often have songs they can't do without. Those might be good ones for you, too. Several of my friends have asked me for song recommendations in the past couple of years. I'm always happy to share my favorites from the iPod running and cycling playlists.

• Check the Internet for ideas. Several Web sites offer workout playlists from trainers, celebrities and fitness organizations.

• Try something new. If you're stuck in the '80s, pick some new songs to add to your mix. Or break from your favorite genre -- rock, country, whatever -- to add some variety.

• Be aware of your music tastes. While it's good to dabble in other types, you'll probably want most of your tunes to be the music you most enjoy. If that's jazz, find some faster jazz songs. If it's country, look for a good beat. Nearly every music genre contains songs that will get you moving.

• Don't be afraid to delete it. If you put a song in your exercise playlist that ends up being a dud, take it off. Don't force the issue. If the song is not working for you, get rid of it.

Stephen P. Sowulewski, assistant professor and chairman of the department of health and physical education at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, teaches indoor cycling at least once a week at American Family Fitness in Short Pump.

"It's all about the music," Sowulewski says of his class. "When people come up to me afterwards and say 'I loved your music,' then I know they worked hard and enjoyed the class."

Music alone can take an unmotivated participant and turn that person into the hardest worker in the class. "It engenders behavioral influence," Sowulewski said.

For him, the instructor, picking the music is just as important as leading the class. "I use a mix of'80s,'90s and today," Sowulewski said, sounding like an ad for a local radio station. He laughed. "It's like being a DJ."

A few of his favorites for a cycling ride are Van Halen's "Jump," Erasure's "A Little Respect," C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat, and INXS's "Pretty Vegas." He often throws in some Jamaican beats during the height of the workout and then cools down to smooth jazz.

"The music is very important," Sowulewski said.

That's true even outside the gym. Let's say you're a homemaker who's moving slowly on the household chores. Turn on the radio or listen to your iPod. It will probably make you move faster and get more physical benefit from your daily work.

And if you like to work out in the water, you might want to consider a water iPod. A neighbor of mine got one recently. She's never been able to make herself swim on a regular basis, even though she knows lap swimming is a solid, joint-saving exercise that she could continue for years. Now, thanks to the water iPod, she's swimming much more.

So get your music-playing device and put some good stuff on it. Use it to enhance your health.

Some of my best finds on iTunes have been purely accidental. For instance, I like Ricky Martin's beat for cycling classes. I've found a couple of great songs -- "It's Alright" and "Loaded" -- just by trying different ones in his lineup. And I bumped across another motivator for cycle class by chance. It's called "Bond on Bond, adapted from The James Bond Theme, Hectic Mix." It gets everyone pushing harder every time.

So put on your DJ hat and dive into some new music. Your workouts will be better for it.

Maria Howard is a group exercise instructor for the YMCA of Greater Richmond. Her column runs every other week in Sunday Flair.