Workout Music

I actually find that I don't run to the beat of music. That may be something odd about me, I don't know, but my cadence naturally stays between 175 and 180 and 180 steps per minute is the optimal cadence for running because it shortens your stride and reduces the chance of joint injuries.

I use the Zombies, Run! app in combination with my running playlist and it not only keeps me stepping along it makes me look forward to my next run and the next episode of the story. I know some people who run or walk while listening to audio books or podcasts rather than music.

As far as songs, I try to keep it upbeat and I stick to music I know rather than music at a certain tempo (since the tempo doesn't affect my cadence). My playlist covers music from the 1950s right up to stuff released just this month and my taste leans toward alternative rock. I guess my point is, listen to what you like. If you find that your workout is affected by the pace of your music, try to find music you like that fits the optimal cadence for whatever you're doing. If the cadence doesn't matter, stick to what motivates you most.

Here's a few songs from my list:

Pitbull - Back in Time
The Kooks - Bad Habit
The Griswolds - Beware the Dog
Duran Duran - Careless Memories
Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party
Walk the Moon - Different Colors
New Politics - Harlem
Cheap Trick - Dream Police
Daft Punk - Get Lucky
Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes
Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk
Aerosmith - Just Push Play
Modest Mouse - Lampshades on Fire
Barenaked Ladies - Odds Are
The Offspring - Why Don't You Get a Job
Huey Lewis and the News - Workin' For a Livin'
The Cars - You Might Think
Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round

mrnobodi95 wrote: »

That sounds interesting, I've heard of the Zombies, Run! App but never really understood how the "interactive stories" worked.

The stories aren't what I'd really call interactive in that you don't have a choice of what happens. The story unfolds around you, you're a character called "Runner 5". People talk to you, things "happen" to you during each episode like getting chased by zombies, kidnapped, shot at.... Some episodes end in cliffhangers, some don't. How the app works is that you start off with a story segment that lasts a minute or three. That segment sets up the episode and then your character runs from one place to another. While your character is running, it'll play songs from a playlist on your phone that you specify. (I think you can now use a streaming music app to supply the music instead of songs downloaded on your phone, if you prefer.) Depending on the length of the run you set (25 minutes, 40 minutes or 60-75 minutes), it'll play either one or three songs then it'll play another story segment and repeat.