I should not admit this but I find most exercise boring. After 5 minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike I find myself checking the time and imagining that at least 30 or 40 minutes must have passed. But, if I exercise to music, the time flies by. At least if it is "my" music.
My problem is that my tastes in music are woefully out-of-date. When I Google "Top 25 workout tunes", I don't recognize anything on the list. So I can't expect to hear my music at my local gym unless I bring it with me.
I like some classical music, light pops, music from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's, some Disco, some opera and some marching music. There is nothing like "Java Jive" recorded by the Ink Spots (1940) to practice footwork and balance while using a resistance band attached to a pole or door. And listening to "I Will Survive" recorded by Gloria Gaynor (1978) may get you through a treadmill workout. Or when your energy is fading, you can "Put Another Nickel in, in the Nickelodeon" with Teresa Brewer (1949) to keep you going. And, marching music is a great a motivational tool when you really don't want to start that 30-minute walk around the neighborhood.
I finally mastered an iPod and set up playlists ranging from 20-45 minutes long. I still have some old cassette tapes that I use from time to time. I recently attracted a group of very interested teenagers when I showed up with an old, yellow Walkman tape player. They thought it was something brand new.
If you are tech savvy, you might help an older adult by loading an iPod for them or perhaps better by burning a DVD with some of their favorite tunes.
For a classy approach to using music as an exercise aid look at the page for Conductorcise in the Programs section of this website. Dr. David Dworkin has developed an unique program using some really old "oldies" by Beethoven or Rossini.
And finally, although my daughter will cringe when she sees this in print, I love all the Richard Simmons' DVDs in the "Sweatin' to the Oldies" and "Tonin' to the Oldies" series and have bought several of them. I like them so much, I've decided to give him his own page on this site. To go to that page, click here. I think he has done a great job in helping people stay active.
My problem is that my tastes in music are woefully out-of-date. When I Google "Top 25 workout tunes", I don't recognize anything on the list. So I can't expect to hear my music at my local gym unless I bring it with me.
I like some classical music, light pops, music from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's, some Disco, some opera and some marching music. There is nothing like "Java Jive" recorded by the Ink Spots (1940) to practice footwork and balance while using a resistance band attached to a pole or door. And listening to "I Will Survive" recorded by Gloria Gaynor (1978) may get you through a treadmill workout. Or when your energy is fading, you can "Put Another Nickel in, in the Nickelodeon" with Teresa Brewer (1949) to keep you going. And, marching music is a great a motivational tool when you really don't want to start that 30-minute walk around the neighborhood.
I finally mastered an iPod and set up playlists ranging from 20-45 minutes long. I still have some old cassette tapes that I use from time to time. I recently attracted a group of very interested teenagers when I showed up with an old, yellow Walkman tape player. They thought it was something brand new.
If you are tech savvy, you might help an older adult by loading an iPod for them or perhaps better by burning a DVD with some of their favorite tunes.
For a classy approach to using music as an exercise aid look at the page for Conductorcise in the Programs section of this website. Dr. David Dworkin has developed an unique program using some really old "oldies" by Beethoven or Rossini.
And finally, although my daughter will cringe when she sees this in print, I love all the Richard Simmons' DVDs in the "Sweatin' to the Oldies" and "Tonin' to the Oldies" series and have bought several of them. I like them so much, I've decided to give him his own page on this site. To go to that page, click here. I think he has done a great job in helping people stay active.
Another site that you might find of interest is Power Music. Power Music blends songs with background beats. You can buy CDs or download music from the site. It is a big website. You can find music sorted by genre; so you could look for music of the 50's, 60's 70's 80's, etc. or holiday or classical music. You can also look for music based on the beats per minute in the background and find tempos for treadmills or cycling, or step aerobics. I find their new website a bit confusing but have enjoyed some of the CDs I've purchased. One nice feature is that you can listen to samples of each CD before you make a decision to purchase. I have not explored their new premium digital music subscription that allows unlimited digital downloads. If you are a fitness instructor this might be useful. You can get details here.
And, if music does not help speed up your exercise session, try reading. You might want a reading rack like the ones discussed here.
And, if music does not help speed up your exercise session, try reading. You might want a reading rack like the ones discussed here.