Pilates is a very popular workout regimen that uses focused movements and breathing techniques to improve body posture, strength and elasticity. It is one of the fastest growing exercise routines worldwide and more than 8.9 million participants use it as an effective training module. As a result, almost every workout studio or gym will offer personalized experiences with Pilates in which specific styles of Pilates like Contemporary, Mat, Fletcher, Stott or Winsor are offered. Routines are also custom-made to suit the needs of sports persons, athletes and celebrities. As a result, no two routines are completely the same. Trainers may combine different routines with innovative workout music and each one will be different. One very important aspect of these workout routines is music selection. Most trainers will have their own playlists for specific routines. But if you are planning on selecting your own music, there are a few things you should know.
Understanding music selection for Pilates There is a very particular science to selecting workout music. According to sports psychologists, tempo or beat is the most important aspect of music or track selection for Pilate's workouts. For example, the ideal beat or tempo for a brisk walk is considered to be around 120 to 140 beats per minute or BPM. Beats per minutes are based on the intensity of your workout . Generally, the faster the workout, the higher the BPM or beats in the track .
If you are looking for specific tracks or are just trying to match Pilates music blends to workouts, here is what you have to do. A base beat of 60 means that one beat occurs every second. In the human body, the average human heart beats at about 70 BPM in men and about 75 BPM in women. Most trainers recommend a beat track of 60 -120 for Yoga, Pilates, warm -- ups, cool -- downs, and stretching. You can use online software like BPM Calculator and BPM Assistant to find the beats of the track. This means that BPM is the main criteria that you can use to select music for your workout. Use the software to analyze the music you already have on your system to find optimized tracks. The software will remove and isolate tracks that do not match your workout routine . If you use Pilates primarily for flexibility, you will require a slower track with a softer arrangement. However, a high intensity workout will need a faster tempo that ranges anywhere from 140 to about 160+ beat per minutes . For example, Glenn Frey's "The Heat Is On" is ideal for fast, high intensity workouts, while tracks like "Candela" and "El Cuarto de Tula" are perfect for warm-ups and cool-downs. Specific routines like Winsor Pilates will require precise tracks that are matched to the intensity and speed of the workout.
After you've understood how to match the beats of a track to your routine, you should try to look through as many playlists or tracks as possible. The internet is a great place to find free music that you can download directly on to your iPod or music system for workouts. We do recommend that you choose a music style that you like. You can use online playlists, Youtube or CDs to find tracks that you really like. A point to note though, most CDs will contain a mix of tracks like free-form jazz, hard rock, soft pop or hard-core punk. This might not match your workout. It's far better to find CDs or albums that are specifically geared for Pilates workouts. For example, music CDs like "Shape Walk - '70s Hits Remixed," is specifically made for walkers. All tracks have a uniform beat and there are no pauses between songs. This allows the walkers to match their walking to the track ensuring a better workout.
If you still want to make your own playlist, you can pick tracks and then download then on to your iPod. Make sure that you set up a low track for your warm-up, follow it up with a high tempo power song and close with a slow track again as you cool down. This type of custom mixed Pilates music blends is great for any type of workout. You can also get a specialized paid playlist from a fitness website. Sites like Running Playlist will do the entire work for you and make a custom playlist that will fit your requirement. There are several websites that you can choose from but they will usually charge you a small amount to make and email you the playlist. Fitness websites also recommend top tracks for the New Year. For example, the Times and Guardian usually recommend the top tracks for the year.
The bottom line Music forms the best support for intensive workouts. It can provide the rhythm for your workout and even encourage you to speed up or slow down your routine for overall tone. The rhythm and tempo encourages movement and actually reduces stress and tension. However, you should know that music is not compulsory during the workout. For beginners, most instructors prefer a studio with no music. Students can hear instructions better and they can understand the directions and explanations provided by the trainer. As the student progresses, music may be used to set the tempo or just to provide a soothing background .Who We Are