Sound Advice

There’s a reason Michael Phelps plugs into his iPod before a race and why boxers and baseball closers walk out to the ring and the field to their favorite tracks. If you asked him, Phelps would tell you Lil Wayne helps him get his edge before a race, but there’s even a more scientific reason athletes listen to music when they train and before a big event: Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise can improve results, both in terms of being a motivator and as a distraction from negatives like fatigue.

But this isn’t exclusive to elite athletes: plugging into your iPod while you exercise can pay off big. “Music is a great motivator,” says Israel Allen, a 24 Hour Fitness master trainer in Southlake, Texas. “It can help you stay focused, keep your intensity up, and get you psyched to start sweating. When I get a couple new songs on my iPod, I can’t wait to work out.”

Research confirms Allen’s motives for getting his groove on at the gym: Scientists at Penn State University found that music can boost your mood and chase away negative feelings (great for those days when you have to drag yourself to the club); another study from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia found that when participants listened to music while on stationary bikes, they rode farther and reported less exertion than those doing the same workout sans music.

For Lisa Martin, a trainer and group fitness instructor in at the 24 Hour Fitness in Kaneohe, Hawaii, results like these come as no surprise. “I’ll see someone in spin class who looks like he’s struggling, but then a song he obviously likes will come on, and it’s like a little light bulb goes off and he thinks, ‘Yeah, I can keep going,’” says Martin.

But more than just helping you push through pain, creating a playlist for your next workout can also help you plan ahead—keeping you from getting to the gym and wandering around wondering what you’ll do (and ending your workout early as a result). “When you put a playlist together, you have to think about what your workout is going to look like—it reminds you to warm up at the start, cool down at the end, and decide how long and hard you’re going to go,” says Allen. “Ultimately, music is a simple way to make sure you make the most of your time at the gym.”

Pump Up These Jams
Of course, your heavy metal might be someone else’s hip-hop. But there are some rules to follow when it comes to matching music to the workout you’ve got planned. “In general, you want to make sure your music helps you achieve the intensity you’re going for,” explains Allen. “It’s probably not going to work if you’re running to slow country or stretching to hard rock.”

Cranking out miles of cardio? Think fast-paced songs somewhere between 120 and 140 beats per minute, suggests Allen. If you typically need a little more inspiration to keep you going, choose songs that help you daydream and take your mind of how much longer you’ve got to go. If you’re competitive enough with yourself to make it to the end of the workout you’ve got planned and just want the time to fly a little faster, try a podcast, says Martin. “But be careful with podcasts, because they can be distracting,” she says. “You want to make sure whatever you’re listening to doesn’t make you subconsciously take your intensity down a notch or two.”

Adding intervals into the mix? Coming up with a playlist for cardio intervals takes even more planning, says Allen. Include a warm-up song, followed by tunes that build you up to about 75 percent of your max heart rate and pick up in pace for 20 seconds to a minute at a time. “Song placement is also crucial in these mixes,” says Allen. “If you know you usually get tired 20 minutes in, that’s where you should put a power song—something that’ll inspire you to keep going.”

Hitting the weights? Your options are wide open when it comes to what to listen to when you lift, with one exception: Steer clear of music that’s either so fast or that pumps you up so much that it’ll make you race through your sets, says Martin. A great option? Listening to Pandora.com or Slacker personal radio on your iPhone. Both let you choose an artist and will play the same type of music—typically by similar artists and at similar paces—for as long as you want to listen. This is also a great choice for cardio workouts, especially if you’re time-crunched and can’t plan a playlist before you hit the gym.

""Master Mixes
Allen shares three sample playlists for three types of workouts:

Cardio
The Distance by Cake
Walk in My Shoes by Emily King
Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Lepard
Walk This Way by Aerosmith
Harder to Breath by Maroon 5
Even Flow by Pearl Jam
Lets Get it Started by Black eyed peas

Intervals
Eye of the Tiger by Surviver
It’s My Life by Bon Jovi
Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses
Machine Head by Bush
Soul on Fire by Anthony Hamilton
Fuel by Metallica
Try Again by Aaliyah

Weight Training
Back in Black by ACDC
Forever by Papa Roach
Down In It by Nine inch Nails
Believe Me by Fort Minor
Hate On Me by Jill Scott
Stronger by Kanye West
Ooh Aah by Grits