Each person has a unique relationship with both music and exercise. This makes creating a 30-minute, aerobic music playlist for an iPod is intensely personal. It’s up to each of us to find the right mix of songs is what will motivate us emotionally, and help us keep our bodies moving for 30 minutes.
While each individual’s iPod music playlist may be different, there is a basic format to follow. This format includes set times for for warm up, getting your heart rate up and reach the right pace for aerobic exercise, as well a time for cooling down the body. Here is a tutorial for creating your own
30-minute, aerobic music playlist for an iPod.
This iPod music playlist tutorial is best suited for anyone who exercises at home, or exercise alone. It can be used for an exercise regiment of vigorous walking, or for indoor gym equipment including cross trainers and stationary bicycles.
Note: The tutorial for creating a 30 minute aerobic iPod music playlist is intended for anyone who engages in regular exercise activity, or can start regular exercise with the okay of their doctor or health care professional.
Tutorial: Create a 30 Minute Aerobic Music Playlist for an iPod
What you Need:
A copy of the free iTunes from Apple.com
a library of music
an iPod (or MP3 player of choice)
the desire to exercise!
How to Create a 30 Minute Aerobic Music Playlist for an iPod
The same basic elements that you find in any healthy and safe aerobic work out should be Incorporated into your 30 Minute aerobic music playlist for an iPod. Those basic elements include a stretch, warm up, the essential 10 minutes, the aerobic stage, and the cool down.
Instructions follow for how to time each section of the music playlist, why each section is essential.
Part 1:
Stretch and Warm Up for the iPod Exercise Music Playlist
Use the five minutes of your 30 minute iPod exercise music playlist to stretch and warm up. Choose songs which make you happy. Also pick songs which are slow to moderately paced. Stretching and warm up should not be rushed. Choosing songs that purposefully slow you down will encourage you to get a complete stretch.
Go to iTunes. Go to File > New Music Playlist. Name the Music Playlist. Begin dragging songs form your library to the music playlist. Keep tabs on the minutes used. At the end of each section, play the list to see if the songs fit with each other.
Part 2:
Essential 10 Minutes for the iPod Exercise Music Playlist
The next part of the iPod play list is essential to your exercise routine. The next eight to ten minutes, which are the first minutes of your work out, can be the most difficult. This is when the exercise seems hard, and you may feel slightly sore in some muscles.
For these reasons, the next eight to ten minutes need to include songs which are upbeat and make you want to move. For a long time I had songs from Green Day’s “Dookie” in this portion of my music playlist.
Believe it or not, that is half of the iPod music playlist for your your 30 minute work out.
Part 3:
Aerobic Work Out
The next portion of the play list is when you’re heart rate will be up, you should be exercising at a steady pace, and you should still be able to talk, even with big breaths. This portion should be a solid 10 minutes of the 30-minute work out.
The music to add to the iPod music playlist should be music with a fast and steady pace.
The second to the last song in the aerobic work out portion of the iPod music playlist should be a song that is fast-paced and it includes bursts of energy. For example, listen to Salvation by The Cranberries.
Finish this portion with a song that is slightly slower then previous songs.
Part 4:
Cool Down Portion of the Work Out
The cool down portion is when you slow down your exercise pace and become more leisurely. Do not immediately stop moving, because the body needs to cool down. Include slower paced songs that also make you feel relaxed. For the 30-minute exercise program, this is the last five minutes of your work out.
Part 5:
Edit and Snip the iPod Music Playlist for Exercising
Keep in mind that it may take a couple of trial runs to get the music playlist exactly right. The only way to know if your songs will work is to test it out. After trying it out, edit the music playlist by rearranging songs in each group.
You may also need to remove songs that don’t fit or replace them with other songs.
