How Music Can Help You Keep Your New Year’s Workout Resolutions

Here’s why music is a great tool to keep your workout resolutions.

We’ve all experienced the effect that music has on us during a workout. Running without your playlist is completely different than going for a run with earbuds in, blasting Ariana Grande’s “Side to Side.” Bigwig tech company LG even studied the effects of music on a workout for further insight. The results proved what we already know.

Ninety-one percent of people surveyed said that music is vital to their workout, claiming that they need it more while exercising than while commuting or even showering. And 87 percent of respondents said listening to music during physical activity helps them work out longer, have more energy and have a more effective workout overall.

Knowing all this, it’s no wonder that so many people flock to dance classes like Zumba® all week, where the workout literally relies on the playlist. Listening to music and dancing along makes you feel more like you’re at a party than at the gym, meaning you can go for longer without even realizing it.

Want to take it one step further? Try music-led, high-intensity class STRONG by Zumba®. Program creators and producers like Timbaland and Steve Aoki reverse-engineered their process with this one, meaning the routines were created first, and then music was produced to perfectly match the moves performed. So, your burpees, punches and squats are synced to a corresponding beat. It’s called synced music motivation, and it helps you learn to let the music be your guide instead of focusing on counting reps. Cool, right?

Tell us: What must-have songs are on your workout playlist?

This post originally appeared on zlife.zumba.com.

Photo credit: nensuria, Thinkstock