Tune Into Your Fitness

Last week in yoga, the instructor sequenced the class so half the asanas were choreographed with music, the other half with our breath. When the music shut off we were left with just the inhales and exhales. She asked, "Do you notice a difference in your focus now that the music is off?" She offered us a moment to reflect on whether we have more or less focus with music playing. In her experiment, I discovered that I focus more on my breath with the music off, but more on the flow of poses with the music on. In a recent post by our friends at Fit Republic we learn why tuning in helps us tone up:

Coined by researchers as “synchronicity”, our bodies actually have a natural instinct to match their movements to the beat playing around us. Ever wondered why the coxman on a rowing team beats a drum? Well, it’s because the members of the crew are biologically wired to match their stroke to the rhythm. It’s nature—no training necessary. Connecting the dots, it’s easy to see how certain songs would have the ability to get people “in the zone” so to speak, and keep them there longer, than people working out with no tunes—or worse, the dreaded bad tunes.

So while silence is key in certain modalities, we encourage you to try turning up the music during your workout. If you're in need of good tunes, it's easy to find and share the perfect magical mix. For example, Fitness Magazine shared it's top 100 work out songs via Spotify. What's on your playlist?