Whilst you probably put a lot of effort into your running playlist, have you ever thought about the music you listen to as you try and recover? According to a new study published by the bpm: Albatross, Fleetwood Mac, slow music – think easy-listening soul or jazz – helps your muscles speed up the recovery process.
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The study looked at the effect of music on the time taken for post-exercise recovery following an intense run on the treadmill. 30 volunteers (15 male and 15 female) were subjected to treadmill work on three consecutive days. On the first day, they rested in silence, on the second, the rested by hearing slow music and on the third day their rest had a fast music soundtrack.
Parameters such as pulse rate, blood pressure and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at predetermined intervals. Results showed that recovery from exertion was significantly faster when listening to the slow music, compared to silence or fast music. This was true for all of the runners on the test, and individual music preference made no significant difference in the relaxation time.
So, here’s the relaxing post-run playlist to bring you heart rate back down to normal:
136The warm-up rule that every runner should follow
119bpm: Albatross, Fleetwood Mac
