Please Don't Stop The Music

There is a reason people like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West are making millions. Aside from the antics they pull with the media and the great shots the paparazzi sneaks of them, they do have quite a bit to offer. Music plays such a vital role in our lives. Singers who produce a great song can make enough money to sustain them, even if they are just a one hit wonder. Those responsible for creating movie soundtracks are well paid, too. People across the country are fighting to keep music programs in schools. Music matters.

Many of us have a favorite go-to playlist when we’re ready to hit the town for a night of shenanigans with our friends. You might have a separate playlist for long road trips. Some of us have a playlist that helps pump us up when we’re feeling blue. We create these playlists because music speaks to us; it motivates us and gives us a different perspective on life. That’s why it’s so important that fitness class instructors create awesome playlists for their classes.

Making great playlists is no easy task. There will be a vastly different playlist for Zumba than there is for step aerobics. Cycling music won’t be the same as a boot camp style fitness class. We know that music helps boost our moods. If you’re putting yourself through a challenging workout (as you should be!), there will be points where you’ll want to give up. Playlists for fitness classes are meant to keep you going through that last little bit of the workout when the instructor knows you’ll be drained. Another benefit of having great playlists in fitness classes is that, if done correctly, the playlists are intended to match the workout. The beats per minute of the song should match whatever activity you’re doing. That’s why playlists differ so vastly by class. You may hear the same song remixed in different ways so that it matches the goals of the fitness class.

So who is responsible for making these great playlists? Surely, fitness instructors just order them off the Internet or something, right?

Quite the opposite, in fact. Good fitness instructors will spend the hours it takes to create the perfect playlists for each of their classes. Most would probably outsource the work if they could, but the intricacies involved in making great playlists are those that only the fitness instructors can be responsible for. So the next time you find yourself jamming to your favorite song while sculpting your heart out, be sure to thank your instructor.