Enhance your workouts with this science-based run playlist

What you listen to while running can affect the quality of your workout. (Photo: Maskot / Maskot / GettyImages)

If you have ever doubted the power of a good exercise song, you will want to hear this story: Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie broke [ These world records of 2,000 meters and 10,000 meters are the popular technology song "Scatman" played by Scatman John in the background.

This is no coincidence. Gebrselassie has encountered this situation throughout his career and has actually requested it.

As more and more evidence shows, what he is doing. According to the British Sports and Sports Science Association, music can help runners work harder and last longer.

So what can be a good song? According to Costas Karageorghi, there are several things, the professor of sports and sports psychology at Brunel University in London,

music applications in sports and sports . Here are four tips for organizing your final playlist.

1. Go for Get-'Em Lyrics

"Lyrics can produce a weighting effect," Karageorghis said, suggesting that players choose positive songs. Professor Andy Lane, a sports psychologist at the University of Wilmington, agrees with his own marathon runners. He picked the Queen's "We Are Champions", Tom Petty's "I won't back down", and the survivor's "The Eye of the Tiger" as an example.

Songs emphasize physical exercise, running or other means, and can also be motivated. Think of Melissa Etheridge's "I run for life", House of Pain's "Jump Around", or Ciara's "One, two steps."

Lane also recommends choosing the music you personally contact. "We Are the Champions"Perfect for a 50-year-old young man, he recalls the thrill of seeing Freddie Mercury live at the Wembley Stadium. But an 18-year-old has never heard of it might be better compared to Kanye West's "champion."

Lyrics can connect you with powerful memories, and Lane says it may be helpful to remember these memories when doing something that requires strength or endurance.

2. Think fast but don't be too fast

Research on 16 casual runners published in

Sports Medicine in 2015 - Open to find out how fast a song affects Running speed. Unsurprisingly, participants ran slow, music was slow, and music was faster - but only Karageorghis said it could be expected.

This is to be expected. “Music only reduces the perception of fatigue during low to medium intensity runs,” he said. Your playlists can distract you from the fatigue of running, but at high speeds, it feels so intense that it overcomes the music buffer.

Karageorghis says the ideal rhythm is at least 120 beats per minute (BPM). When the music is used asynchronously (the background is not aligned with the running stride), the optimal range is 120 to 145 BPM. When used synchronously (each run step is timed to beat), the range is increased to 150 to 180 BPM.

How do you find out the BPM of a song? Various websites, such as SongBPM.com, can be calculated for you. Just enter the song title and artist (for example, "Run ning Free" by Iron Maiden to get BPM (in this case, 171).

3. Select the appropriate sound

One factor is the tone, the specific quality of the sound. That is to say, the notes played on the piano are distinguished from the same notes on the saxophone. “For running, the sound must be bright and vibrant to match the high level of force required. ," said Karageorghis. Think about synthesizers and electric guitars or Pitbull and Ke $ haHarmonica "Timber."

The drum can also work. In a study conducted in April

at the frontier of psychology , the effects of timbre and rhythm on 60-person movement were studied. Its findings suggest that high levels of percussion make people move faster.

4. Sync your songs to your workout

"Get music synced with ac Ryan said: "If you are doing a marathon, then you don't need a 180-BPM Rap open playlist. Stepping on your own is the key, so start with slack and choose Eminem's "Till I Collapse".

By contrast, if you drag your door around 6am, you may need to make a quick prompt immediately. For those who struggled, Ryan suggested creating a playlist that was played the night before. The prospect of a try will make it easier to get up in the morning.

The perfect soundtrack for the film is on track

You can now understand why "Scottman" serves Gebrselassie well. Its lyrics are very energetic and inspiring ("In fact, don't let nothing stop 'you / if Scatman can do this, brother, then you can"). Its rhythm (13) 6 BPM) is within the ideal parameters, and its tone mixes zippy synth and pulse percussion. In fact, this is his favorite song and he was not injured.

You may not have set a world record, but you may also benefit from carefully selected running music. To do this, check out the playlist below. It is based on the principles just discussed and mentions a few songs. Feel free to use it, build it or ignore it - no matter what your activity goal is syncing.