By Storm Sebastian Staff Writer
It's a weekday afternoon and you've just finished class- time to hit the gym for some stress relief. When you walk into the gym, you see several people getting in some cardio on the treadmills, working up a sweat on the ellipticals and toning up with weights. While each workout is personal and different, these fitness enthusiasts all have one thing in common: each one is wearing a pair of tiny ear buds that connects them to the music flowing from their iPods. But what kinds of songs help to get the majority of these gym rats pumped up and ready for an intense workout? According to RunHundred.com, a Web site that surveys and polls multitudes of gym regulars, a good deal of the songs on the average workout playlist are also songs that one may often hear while out on the dance floor. The Web site's administrator, Chris Lawhorn, has recently prepared a list of the top 10 workout songs of 2009, based on the data collected from the site's polls. Some of the songs that made the top 10 include Beyonce's "Diva" (the Karmatronic Club mix), as well as Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" and Lady Gaga's "Pokerface." Katy Perry's "Waking Up in Vegas" (the Calvin Harris Remix) and the Black-Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" also made the list. All of these songs are popular radio hits and club music of 2009, so it doesn't seem quite that surprising that many people would have these songs on their iPods. What is it that links these so-called "party" songs with working out? The RunHundred ?Web site seems to suggest a correlation between the pace of the songs and the popularity in the world of fitness, as the songs that are the most favored have fast tempos between 120 and 132 beats per minute. It makes sense that these fast-paced songs would be successful in guiding people through a high-intensity work out. In a study published in the February 2009 isue of the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, researchers found that participants who listened to "motivational" music- pop and rock tracks from recent Billboard artists- had greater endurance and were less likely to get fatigued than those listening to slower-paced tracks. And those who listened to no music at all received no increase in their endurance level. It is clear that upbeat music helps to foster physical activity. But could there be another reason why songs like Jay Sean and Lil Wayne's "Down" are popular choices for the average active youth? "When I go to the FAC, I want to hear these songs because they have fast beats and they help to pump me up," says Loyola junior Caitlin Bryan. "And they make you think about going out, looking good and having a good time, which is a great motivator to get in shape." Perhaps even the lyrics of such songs play a factor in pushing people through a difficult and exhausting workout. Imagine that you're down to the last five minutes of a fast run on the treadmill, and you feel like giving up for the day. Suddenly a loud, club-like beat blasts in your ears, and you hear a voice singing, "Don't stop, make it pop / DJ blow my speakers up tonight / Tonight, Imma fight / Til we see the sunlight." You now have someone instructing you, telling you "don't stop" and "fight," all motivational words which may help you get through that painful but rewarding final five minutes of your workout. Lyrics like this may be the reason why Kesha"s "Tik Tok" is also one of the top 10 workout songs on the RunHundred list. Even a list of exercise tips provided by the American Heart Association seems to advocate this kind of positive, upbeat music. The list, posted on AmericanHeart.org states, "Put on some music you love, pretend you're out for a night of fun and dance! It will cheer you up and keep you fit." So, next time you're headed to the FAC, you may want to be conscious of the songs that you choose for your playlist. You could find that these popular dance beats are just what you need to help you make it through the strenuous activity. Or, you may prefer fast-tempo songs from other genres. If you find yourself struggling through a workout, just remember that the more rapid and motivational the music, the easier itíll be for you to work those buns. For more ideas on good workout songs, check out the posts on RunHundred.com.
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