Creating an Exercise Playlist
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Music can make your workout better by helping you last longer and enjoy it more.
Depending on the activity you are doing, and even how you are feeling, your exercise playlist can change. Here are some tips to help you create the best playlist possible for your activity.
Step 1: Choose your activity
When looking for good workout songs, find those that have a distinct rhythm and appropriate tempo/beats-per-minute (bpm) for your chosen activity.
- Weight Training: 80 bpm to 130 bpm
- Brisk Walking: 110 bpm to 130 bpm
- Running: 130 bpm to 170 bpm
- Cycling: 130 bpm to 170 bpm
Step 2: Determine your Target Heart Rate
The song’s bpm should correspond to the heart rate you would hope to have during the workout. You can use an app such as “BPM Detector” or a website such as www.bpmdatabase.com to find out a song’s tempo.
Target Heart Rate Zones (60-85%) by Age:
- 20 years old: 120–170 beats per minute
- 25 years old: 117–166 beats per minute
- 30 years old: 114–162 beats per minute
- 35 years old: 111–157 beats per minute
- 40 years old: 108–153 beats per minute
- 45 years old: 105–149 beats per minute
- 50 years old: 102–145 beats per minute
- 55 years old: 99–140 beats per minute
- 60 years old: 96–136 beats per minute
- 65 years old: 93–132 beats per minute
Step 3: Play Around with Different Songs
Try out different songs, remixes or your favourite songs to increase the tempo, or different genres or music until you create the perfect mix. You can even take a strong song with a slower tempo and hit every half beat to double tempo.
Here are some of our wellness teams’ favourite songs that help keep them motivated!
- Eminem – Till I Collapse (86 bpm)
- Avicii - Wake me up (124 bpm)
- Trapt – Headstrong (92 bpm)
- Drake – Energy (172 bpm)
- Major Lazer – Light It Up (180 bpm)
- Christina Aguilera – Fighter (95 bpm)
- Drowning Pool – Bodies (130 bpm)
- Beyonce – Countdown (167 bpm)
- Mudvayne – Happy? (100 bpm)
- Kat DeLuna – Whine Up (130 bpm)
Step 4: Watch the Volume
If you use headphones when you work out, follow the "80 for 90 rule." This means that it is safe to listen to music on a portable device, such as an iPod, at 80% of the maximum level for no more than 90 minutes a day. Any more than that, and you risk overworking the ears. Some consequences of overworking the ears include: ear pressure, ringing in your ears, temporarily hearing loss or even permanent hearing loss.
