8 Ways Music Can Boost Your Workout

We've all felt it: calm music slows our heart rate; fast tunes jazz us up and motivate us to move.
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I'm nothing without my music. Turn off the tunes and I can't run as fast or bike as powerfully; I can't relax on a plane or enjoy a car ride. We've all felt it: calm music slows our heart rate; fast tunes jazz us up and motivate us to move. And it's scientifically proven to be a powerful fitness tool -- like a jolt of caffeine, with a melody. Here's how the right music can amp up your workout!

8 Ways Music Can Boost Your Workout
Push Your Speed(01 of08)
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Research shows that increasing the tempo of tunes helped cyclists go further and pedal with more power. A bonus: the cyclists enjoyed the pumped up music more as well.
Motivate You To Keep Going(02 of08)
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Studies show that turning on tunes helps you push through your workout for longer. Even better news: research shows that listening to music with phrases like "push it" "with it" and "I believe" can subconsciously propel you even further!
Make The Work Feel Easier(03 of08)
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Music is the secret sauce to breezing through a grueling workout. According to Costas Karageorghis, a music and exercise researcher and author of "Inside Sport Psychology," listening to music can help block feelings of fatigue when you're exercising.
Help You Pump Iron(04 of08)
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According to research from the Journal of Sports Sciences, people held weights up for longer with music than without. The experts think melody and rhythm could help psych you up while hoisting!
Get You Grinning(05 of08)
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On a happy bonus: research shows that workout out with tunes can boost your mood, too.
Make You Want To Move(06 of08)
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Don't forget: beats per minute matter! Aim for a tempo of 120 -140 bpm. According to research, this range is the most stimulating psychologically and physically. The workout sweet spot will fall between Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (120 bpm) and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (140 bpm). The bottom line: this tempo makes you want to move. Use Tangerine! software to get the bpms of your entire music library.
Drive Your Pace(07 of08)
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Pick strong, steady songs: tunes with a driving beat (think hip hop, not experimental jazz) encourage you to move automatically with the music. You'll workout more efficiently and can keep going for up to 15 percent longer.
Keep It Fresh(08 of08)
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There's nothing like an old favorite, but if your playlist is too played out, you might need some new favorites. We asked Harley Pasternak to share some bumpin' songs that he uses to motivate his A-list clients (Kanye West, Lady Gaga and more!). Use his picks to take your workout to the next level.Kanye West's "The New Workout Plan"Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight"Katy Perry's "E.T." (featuring Kanye West)Lady Gaga's "Teeth" Cham's "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" (featuring Alicia Keys)Kanye West's "All of the Lights"Jay-Z's "Lucifer" Common's "The Game"Drake and Lil' Wayne's "Miss Me" Now that's what I call a reason to move -- now! (credit:AP)

A version of this story originally appeared on Self.com.

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