SOUNDTRACK TO FITNESS SUCCESS

Exercise is so good for us, but actually getting it done is far from easy, according to a survey by Deep Freeze and Deep Heat. Nine out of 10 people struggle to find the motivation to exercise more, with 35% saying this is ‘often’ a challenge. Plus, now the evenings are darker and the weather is colder, you may be finding it even harder to haul yourself off the sofa. So what’s the solution? More than a third of people turn to music. And it works.

Those who listened to their favourite tracks as they cycled clocked up more kilometres than they did without music in a Brazilian study.

‘Music can be an incredibly effective motivational tool, particularly for activities like running where it’s important to settle into a rhythm,’ says personal trainer Chris Ruxton. ‘It also has an impact on your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE),’ so when you’re listening to tunes that you like, the same effort may feel easier, so you can push yourself more.