Dr. Costas Karageorghis, author of Inside Sport Psychology and a leading expert on the psychophysical and ergogenic effects of music at Brunel University, in London has recommended some songs that help you to exercise harder.
It’s a fact: music can make you work out more vigorously. Of course, there are other ways to improve your motivation to exercise too…
Why should you listen to Dr. Karageorghis?
Well, for one apart from all the academic credentials, he has a pretty impressive track record.
For example, he has created playlists for several olympic U.S. athletes.
One of the reasons is that music can make it seem as if something isn’t as hard, and it can also enhance athletic endurance.
He also conducted studies1 which showed that the right kind of music can increase endurance on threadmills by 15%.
“The optimal tempo range is 120 to 140 beats per minute,” says Karageorghis. “Our research shows this yields the best psychological outcomes.”
By looking up the beats per minute (bpm) of your go-to songs, you can also find the tempo that matches the heart rate you want to achieve during your workout. For example, if you want your heart rate to get to 130 bpm, choose a song whose tempo progressively increases to that beat, Karageorghis says.
He also recommends that you change your play list every couple of weeks so that you don’t become bored by it (which would reduce the motivational aspects of it). And yes, hit shuffle 
And here some tips from the article which has been published in TIME.
Dr. Coastas Karageorghis:
“Eye Of The Tiger” (109 BPM), Surivior
“Don’t Stop Me Now” (154 BPM), Queen
“Beat It” (139 BPM), Michael Jackson
“I Like To Move It” (123 BPM), Reel 2 Real feat. The Mad Stuntman
“Push It” (130 BPM), Salt-N-PepaBryan Walsh, TIME International Senior Editor and Healthland contributor:
“Available,” The National
“Don’t Save Us From the Flames,” M83
“Ready to Start,” Arcade Fire
“Dog Days Are Over,” Florence+the Machine
“All of the Lights,” Kanye WestLiz Ronk, LIFE.com Photo Editor:“40 Day Dream,” Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros“Celebration Day,” Led Zeppelin“Paper Planes ” M.I.A.“No Regrets,” Aesop Rock“I Can’t Turn You Loose,” Otis ReddingLiz Grover, TIME Imaging Desk:“Is Anybody Out There?” K’NAAN feat. Nelly Furtado“Lights,” Ellie Goulding“Wide Awake,” Katy Perry“Domino,” Jesse J“Payphone,” Maroon 5
- J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2009 Feb;31(1):18-36.Psychophysical and ergogenic effects of synchronous music during treadmill walking.Karageorghis CI, Mouzourides DA, Priest DL, Sasso TA, Morrish DJ, Walley CJ.SourceSchool of Sport and Eduction, Brunel University, West London, UK. [↩]
