How to choose the perfect jogging music

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you are running with headphones, choosing the right playlist is not an easy task. For the music to really help you run, it is important to choose the tracks with the most appropriate tempo. For a few tips on choosing music for running, see this article.

Music gives you extra motivation, helps you focus on the sensations, and just makes running more enjoyable. If we try to proceed from the running parameters when choosing music, then we have three main indicators at our disposal:

cadence - cadence;
breathing rate;
Heart rate.

Music tempo and cadence

As the analysis of the running of professional athletes has shown, the most effective cadence is 180 steps per minute (with both legs). Running with a metronome is probably not handy, but music can perfectly fulfill its function.

You can find some good tracks at such a high tempo.

However, it will mostly be hardcore.

Not everyone can listen to something like that for the entire run, so you can try to take music twice as slow - 90 bpm. Although, in my opinion, it is too slow.

Music tempo and breathing rate

In addition to cadence, breathing rhythm is also important for running. Breathing to the beat of the music comes out quite naturally if you are not devoid of a sense of rhythm, and music with an inappropriate tempo can even interfere with your breathing.

There are different opinions on how to breathe properly. One option is to inhale two steps and exhale three steps. For four beats of a 144 bpm track, there are just two inhalation steps and three exhalation steps for optimal cadence.

Another breathing option fits well with 120 bpm music: one step for inhalation, two for exhalation. The breathing cycle takes two bits.

Music tempo and heart rate

Considering that sound has a rather profound effect on physiology, the combination of the rhythm of the music and the pulse can give a good result. Here the value may vary depending on the purpose of the run. For example, for running at a low heart rate (120-140 beats per minute) progressive breaks are well suited.

Summing up, let me remind you that there are already a number of studies that confirm that music helps you run faster and better. And while there are runners who are against running music, it seems to me that if you love music as much as I do, their arguments won't convince you. In this case, it makes sense to experiment with bpm in search of the ideal rhythm. I would be glad to hear your suggestions in this regard in the comments!