There are debates surrounding using music while working out.
I think if it helps you then go for it. Some people think it is dangerous to listen to music while working out, while they have a point I think you can mitigate the risk enough to justify using it if it helps you.
I can see how having your ipod going when you are running, or up loud at the gym could be dangerous as you may not hear car’s coming etc however I think if the music isn’t up loud enough to block out all noises in the background (ie. You should be able to hear if someone screamed at you not to cross the road) and you are aware of your surroundings then you will be fine 99% of the time.
The right song can make you feel indestructible and elevate your mood, it also helps to distract you from fatigue so you push yourself harder than you would have otherwise.
Some people like to workout with slow music and some prefer faster paced, for me it depends on the exercise I’m doing, if I’m running or in the gym lifting I want face paced music or music with lyrics that talk about pushing yourself or not giving up. If I’m just going for a walk I don’t mind the slow paced music as it allows me to think a little more and enjoy the scenery rather than just rushing along with the music.
One of my favourite workout tools is obviously an ipod, I also LOVE using rockmyrun which is a website that has FREE mixes available for download:
If you sign up for an account (you can log in with facebook which makes it super easy!) you get one free basic mix every month for as long as you are a member. The basic mixes are under 45minutes and you can search for mixed based on beats per minute (how fast the songs are), length and genre.
If your really keen they have a subscription service as well which lets you access the premium mixes, the pricing starts at $2.99US Per month which must be paid annually – for this you get 36 downloads per year which works out at three a month. There are also options for paying quarterly and monthly and work out a bit more expensive than the yearly option but are good if you don’t need that many mixes.
Last month I paid for a one off monthly membership so I could get three additional premium mixes (one of the ones I got was 1.5hours long), just to add a few more mixes to my workout playlist, I am considering getting the yearly membership as it works out pretty cheap on a per mix basis, similar pricing to one song on itunes in fact. At the current exchange rates a year subscription would be about $44NZD and allows you to have 36 downloads a year.
Do you workout with music?
Have you used rock my run?