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Your Shape Fitness Evolved For Xbox 360 And Kinect: A Review

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I mentioned last week that I had purchased the new peripheral for the Xbox 360, the Kinect. The Kinect is basically a motion sensing and tracking device that allows you to control your video games without holding a controller in your hands. To me it’s one of the most exciting advancements in gaming technology in years, probably since the Wii came out with the motion tracking Wiimote.

While the Kinect is priced a bit on the high side ($150), after having a week or so with the device I have to say that I’ve been thoroughly impressed and I feel like it was worth it for me. In my few tests so far in using the device it has been extremely accurate in sensing my motion, and the only real glitches I’ve seen are due to the fact that my play area probably isn’t large enough. That is the biggest con I’ve found of the device so far – that the Kinect needs you to have a play area 8×8 feet or larger to really enjoy it to it’s full potential.

So far I’ve got two games that I’ve been able to test out, Kinect Adventures (which comes with the Kinect), and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved – a fitness title that aims to take full advantage of the Kinect’s motion sensing capabilities, and really take the fitness video game genre to a new level. Today I’m going to do an initial review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Before we get too far into the review, let’s start with a quick look at what Your Shape is supposed to be from the Amazon.com description:

Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

So Your Shape aims to give the player a totally immersive experience where they’re able to actually be in the game, not be distracted by feeling like the game isn’t a real workout and be challenged by a variety of workouts, classes and mini-games.

For me the game so far has done that – when I’m playing it I feel like I’m really at the gym taking a class or getting a one-on-one personal training session. To me it’s probably the only fitness video game (or video) that I’ve done that makes me feel like I’m actually getting a tough workout, the right way. Because of the Kinect sensor, the game also is able to give you correction and make you feel almost like you’re actually working out with a real instructor!

So let’s jump in and talk about what you’ll find in this product.

Playing The Game

When you launch the game for the first time, the first thing it will do is do a quick scan of you to figure out how tall you are, your body proportions and then ask you some simple questions as far as your age, weight and a couple of other data points.  Based off of what you answer – and the body scan, a somewhat personalized workout plan will be created for you.

They say the camera adds 10 pounds, and Kinect has two cameras. So when Ubisoft’s upcoming Kinect title Your Shape: Fitness Evolved put a somewhat stout-looking projection of me on the screen, I shouldn’t have been surprised—especially given that the game’s success depends on players wanting to melt away those love handles (source)

Depending on what your goals are as well you can choose a variety of programs tailored to your needs.  Just had a baby?  Choose a program tailored to new moms.  Trying to drop some weight?  Choose the weight loss regimen.   Toning up?  Choose the toning program.

Menu Systems Very Intuitive

While I was beginning this process the first thing that I noticed was that the menu system for the game is very intuitive.  Basically, the Kinect sensor camera recognizes you, scans you as you stand there and inserts a full body image of you in the game.  Then as you stand there in game if you reach your arms out you are able to choose different menu options with your hand outstretched, and once you’ve chosen something it always asks you to confirm.

I wasn’t sure how well this was going to work when reading about it online, and whether or not there was going to be a lot of lag from when you do something to when it happens on screen.  I have to say I noticed very little if any lag in this game.   I played a couple of other demos, and kinect adventures – and Your  Shape was by far the most responsive of the games I’ve tried so far.

The menus were very easy to use, and after doing it a few times I found I was controlling the game and menus with little or no thought to it. It just works very well in my opinion.

Workout Options

After being scanned the first time, every time after that you’ll be logged into the game automatically, and the in game hostess will welcome you back  with a “good evening” or “good morning”.    Once you’re in the main menu you can do a variety of different things.  First, you’ll see a customized home screen for you, showing how many calories you’ve burned so far and any challenges you’ve got pending with other users.  You can also change your in game appearance or view any news or updates by simply stepping on one of two small  circles in your play area on screen.  If you don’t want to do any of those things, you can simply begin your workout by choosing either “personal training”, “gym games” or

Personal Training

One of the first options you have in-game is to do the personal training – customized training sessions that are tailored to your fitness level and fitness goals that you chose when you first signed on.  To me this is the heart of the game.  For me I chose a weight loss goal and started right in with the cardio workouts.

You can either let the game guide you through workouts, or choose a specific one that you want to do. When choosing workouts it will tell you what it is, how long it takes, and how advanced the workout is.

The first one I chose was a cardio workout.  The clock starts and the game begins by showing you how to do a couple of the moves that will be included in the workout.  The Kinect sensor tracks you and shows you on-screen – and will tell you when you’re not doing the exercise right.   Think you’re going to dog it when working out?  Think again!  The game will recognize when you’re not lifting your legs high enough, or your arms aren’t going up all the way, and will tell you to pick it up and improve.  For example, I was doing lunges at one point, and getting tired.   I started not dipping close enough to the ground. The game recongized that and told me to dip lower.  I did, and felt the burn!

The first couple of cardio workouts that I did were up to an intensity level for me right now (where I’m out of shape) where I felt challenged, but not like I was going to fall over and die. While you’re working out the game tracks the number of calories you should be burning – and will keep track of that for you every time you workout.  While I can’t vouch for how accurate that part of it is (there is some debate about that), I can tell you it’s a useful yardstick for yourself when working out.

The day after doing the cardio workouts I did a brief Men’s Health upper body weights workout (there are several Men’s Health and Women’s Health sponsored workouts in the game).  The weights workout was effective as well, and I found myself getting a great workout, while getting useful feedback from the game when my form wasn’t up to par.  To me, the feedback you get from the game is extremely helpful because it helps you to get a better workout, all while having better form than you might otherwise have had.

I’ve only been doing the personal training workouts for about 3 days now, but so far I’ve been pretty impressed with how much of a workout I feel like I’m getting, and how effectively the game uses the Kinect sensor to improve your workouts.

Gym Games

Another part of the game that can be fun, although I haven’t found it to be overly exerting, is the gym games.   You may have seen some of the gym games on the commercial, especially the virtual smash game (show below)

The games found in the title include:

  • Virtual smash:  In this game you are trying to punch and kick as many blocks with your hands, knees and feet as you can before the time runs out.  In more advanced levels you’ll also need to avoid swinging pendulums.
  • Light race:  You stand in a circle and have to have fancy footwork in order to copy the pattern of lights appearing on the circle around you.  Reminds me of that old handheld game where you hit the buttons in the same pattern the game does, or you’re out.
  • Loop-a-hoop:  You do the hula hoop for a set period of time and try to get the balls lifted and out the hole in the ceiling based on the intensity of your hula-hooping.
  • Stack em up:  You hold your arms in the air and catch blocks and balls on a platform as fast as you can, and dump them into holes in the floor when they open up to get points.

The games can all be played with anywhere from 1 to 4 players, one player at a time.  They’re fun, but I can’t see myself playing these games over and over unless we had others over at the house and needed some laughs.

Fitness Classes

There are also currently two fitness classes that you can take in-game.  Yoga training and cardio boxing.

So far I’ve taken one of each class, and they do what they’re supposed to. The yoga class takes you through a progression of yoga moves over the time period, scoring you on how well you do. I’m not a big yoga guy so I can’t see myself doing this too often. I had heard it suggested that you do a yoga routine after working out as a cool-down, and i can see how that might work well, that’s how I did it this time.

The cardio boxing is more enjoyable for me. I did this routine the other day and it does give you a good workout.  My only thing is that I have a hard time following along sometimes – although part of the great thing about this game is that it helps you to fix what you’re doing wrong.   You can see yourself on-screen  and compare to the instructor – and the game tells you what you’re doing wrong.  I love that.

Conclusion

After playing Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for the past few days, I’ve been very impressed with the game, and would highly recommend it to anyone.  Among the high points.

  • Great utilization of Kinect:  The game’s use of the Kinect sensor in the game’s menus, workouts and games is done really well. The menus are responsive, there is hardly any lag, and it really does give you an immersive experience.   I especially love how the game gives you feedback and helps correct you when you’re not doing the exercises correctly.
  • You will break a sweat:  While the novelty of Kinect will certainly sell the game, the fact that the workouts actually make you sweat will keep you coming back.
  • Good variety of workouts: There are a good variety of workouts that will keep you entertained for weeks to come.
  • It’s fun!:  The game is just plain fun – never mind the fact that you’re getting a good workout!

The game isn’t without it’s faults.  Some cons:

  • You need a large play area:  One of the downsides for the game is that you need a pretty big area to play the game in, in order for it to track you correctly.
  • Environment is kinda plain sometimes: The white backgrounds on the game can be kind of plain and vanilla at times.  more colorful backgrounds might have been nice.
  • Number of workouts isn’t exhaustive:  Although the game does come with quite a few workouts, the game isn’t exhaustive.  They do plan on releasing more as downloadable content, however.

I’m loving Your Shape: Fitness Evolved so far, and look forward to dropping some pounds using it over the next few months!

Get more details and your copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved at Amazon.com

Have you tried out Your Shape: Fitness Evolved?  What was your experience?   Considering getting the game? What’s holding you back? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

There are affiliate links in this post. If you purchase something through my link, I will receive a small commission. Thanks in advance if you do!

Fitness Games For The Xbox 360 Kinect: A Review

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I haven’t mentioned it much here, but I enjoy video gaming. Maybe a bit too much, it may be part of what has gotten me into such bad shape – sitting on the couch vegging out all the time. Well now, you can enjoy still enjoy playing video games, but get a workout while you’re at it!

If you’re into video games at all you know that next week the Xbox team will be launching a new peripheral for the Xbox 360 that will allow controller free gaming, motion capture, video chat, voice commands and a host of other  functionality. It’s  going to be called the Kinect ($149.99).  Part of what makes the Kinect so great is the motion capture and controller free gaming that allows a whole host of new options to be opened up – one of them being a great opportunity for new fitness games.  While fitness video games aren’t anything new, what is new is the fact that you won’t have to be holding a controller while you workout – like you do with a Wii or Playstation.  Instead, you ARE the controller.  You can workout along with virtual trainers on the screen, get instant feedback as to how you’re doing and in general feel like you’re getting a true workout experience.

The Kinect hasn’t launched as of this writing, so the jury is still out as to just how well Kinect will work.  Will it really be as immersive as they claim?  Will there be lag time from when the camera picks you up to when it responds?  Will it have a hard time picking you up in different environments?

Initial reports are that the Kinect performs rather well, and I for one am excited at the prospect of controller free gaming, and am interested to see how well these fitness games work.  Will they really be an intense enough workout to lose weight?  We shall see!

Fitness Games For Xbox Kinect

So what fitness games will be available for Kinect at launch? There are 4 Kinect fitness titles that I see on the launch list.  Here’s a quick rundown of them here.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Read a full review of the game that I’ve now done. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Review

From Amazon.com: Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

EA Sports Active 2

From Amazon.com: EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will include the innovative EA SPORTS Active heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Additionally, it will utilize the full body motion tracking ability of the Kinect Motion Camera, providing users complete freedom of motion. Users will also be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected console to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile. 70+ Exercises and Activities – Create unlimited customizable workouts with over 70 exercises and activities to choose from, including foundational exercises like squats, lunges, and bicep curls. Enroll in the 9-Week Program – Designed by certified personal trainers, the EA SPORTS Active 2 9-week program provides total body conditioning using progressive exercise.

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout

From Amazon.com: The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is an exercise simulation game for Xbox 360, based on the popular The Biggest Loser television series. Utilizing seamless physical player movements only possible with Kinect for Xbox 360, The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is designed to evolve along with the player’s exercise routine. Featuring the cast and trainers from the TV show, the game’s 125+ exercises, 2-4 player support via Xbox LIVE, new challenges, customization and more the game provides a fun and healthy exercise outlet suitable for every member of the family, regardless of their weight, physical ability or age.

Zumba Fitness

From Xbox.com: Join the party with Zumba Fitness®, a one-of-a-kind, dance fitness workout set to sexy, high-energy Latin and international music! Find your rhythm and let go as Zumba instructor fan favorites Gina Grant, Tanya Beardsley and Zumba’s creator Beto guide you through 30 routines that will work you into a sweat and make you forget you’re even exercising. Featuring exclusive music and choreography, Zumba Fitness® for Kinect lets you see yourself on screen and naturally dance controller-free in an ultra fun interactive fitness party that’s focused on the joy of movement!

Conclusion

I have already pre-ordered my copy of the Kinect sensor, and  since I’ve decided to get back on the weight loss train – i’ve decided to buy one of these fitness games. After looking over the detailed descriptions of each of these games, I ended up ordering a copy of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved because according to the few pre-launch reviews I’ve read it seems to be the one that takes advantage of the Kinect sensor the best.  It has a ton of workout routines, availability of future downloadable content and workouts, and in general just seemed to be the most polished product.

I’m sure the other games will be pretty cool as well.  I was tempted to get The Biggest Loser game because I’ve done their workouts in the past, and was humbled by how tough they were, but I wasn’t convinced they were using the sensor to the best of it’s ability. Zumba Fitness doesn’t appeal to me, although my wife may like it as she’s taking a Zumba class at the gym.  Even though it included a heart rate monitor, EA Sports Active 2 was just too expensive for me to even consider it ($99.99).

I’ll be getting my Kinect Sensor and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved next week, so stay tuned for a full review at that time!

Have you considered buying the Kinect sensor, and would you consider using it for the fitness games that are available at launch?

Read my full review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved

My Fat Butt Is Back On The Workout Wagon

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Ok, if you’re a regular reader of this site you may have noticed that I have pretty much dropped off the face of the earth the past few months (probably longer).   I haven’t been exercising regularly, and my diet hasn’t been one to be proud of either.

I’ve been full of excuses as to why I haven’t been working out, and why I’ve been consuming a steady diet of fast food garbage.  Among them:

  • Family Health Issues:  My wife has been having a ton of health issues the past 2 years. She’s been in and out of the hospital several times, and has had 2 surgeries for unrelated problems.  She’s also now pregnant with our first child, and I’m taking on an extra load at home because of it.  As a result I haven’t been focusing on myself as much.   Yes, I know it’s an excuse.
  • My Blogging & My Day Job:  I work an 8-5 day job, and also blog at night at my personal finance blog.  Focusing on all those things takes a lot of time and effort!
  • No Motivation: I just haven’t been motivated to work out or eat healthy.  I’ve been tired.  I’ve been focused on other things, and I’ve been lazy.

I know I’ve just been making rationalizations for my own laziness, and it’s time for this all to change.

Re-starting My Workout Regimen

As of yesterday I’m restarting my workout and health eating regimen.   After realizing that many of my clothes are no longer fitting me – I decided that it’s time that I take some of the weight off, and get back on track to living a healthy life.  After all, with my first child on the way I want to be here for a long time – for him and for my future grandchildren!

My workout plan that I’ll be engaging in:

So basically I’ll just repeat this pattern week in and week out until I reach my goal weight of around 200 lbs.   I’m currently a little bit over 270, so I’ve got a long ways to go.

I’ve lost weight in the past using this same workout plan, and on average I was able to lose 10-15 pounds per month.  Last time I did this plan for about 4 months and lost over 40 pounds.  That was back in 2007.  Here we are in 2010 and I’ve gained it all back and then some.  Time to lose it and keep it off for good this time.

Update: I just bought the Xbox 360 Kinect sensor and Your Shape : Fitness Evolved workout video game as well, so I’ll e adding this to my workout regimen once it arrives.

I Started Last Night

I started my workout program last night with a upper body weight lifting routine.  It was tough, and I could tell it’s been quite a while since I’ve worked out.  I know I’ll be extra sore tomorrow.

Tonight I’ll be doing some running using interval training as discussed in yesterday’s post.  Hopefully I don’t pass out,  have a heart attack and die. We shall see!

This post is my way of keeping myself accountable, and putting an end to the excuses. It’s time to get moving!

Have you ever been to the point where you just get sick of it – and end the excuses?  Are you still in the excuse making phase? Tell us your thoughts on beginning a weight loss plan, and what it takes to get started in the comments.

For A Better Workout Don’t Stretch Beforehand

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One thing I can often remember doing in high school physical education classes is stretching before we did any vigorous exercise.  We had to “stretch those muscles out!” they said, or we might hurt ourselves. Now there are studies showing that just the opposite might be true. From MSNBC


Want a better workout? Then don’t stretch beforehand, some experts say.

Many people take it for granted that they should start their exercise routines with some stretching on the spot, perhaps hoping it will loosen them up for their workout. Most fitness experts now agree this kind of static stretching before exercise is not just counter-productive, but potentially harmful.

Traditional stretches, like when people bend over to touch their toes or stretch their legs on a fence, often cause the muscles to tighten rather than relax — exactly the opposite of what is needed for physical activity.

Experts say it is like extending a rubber band to its limit. When people stretch to the maximum, they are more likely to pull a muscle.

“We have developed this idea of static stretching at exactly the wrong time,” said Kieran O’Sullivan, an exercise expert at the University of Limerick in Ireland, who has studied various types of stretching and their impact on athletes.

When you stretch before exercising, your body may think it’s at risk of being overstretched. It compensates by contracting and becoming more tense. That means you aren’t able to move as fast or as freely, making you more likely to get hurt.

I know at times I have done exactly what they’re saying, stretching my legs out before I go running in the hopes that I’ll be a bit more loose. Guess I know why it didn’t completely always work as I had hoped now. Stretching can actually cause your muscles to tighten.

The article goes on to talk about how stretching hasn’t really been shown to decrease injury either.

experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combed through more than 100 papers looking at stretching studies, they found people who stretched before exercise were no less likely to suffer injuries such as a pulled muscle, which the increased flexibility from stretching is supposed to prevent.

So what are you supposed to do if you’re not supposed to stretch before working out?

Instead of stretching, many experts recommend warming up with a light jog or sport-specific exercise, like kicking for football or a few serves for tennis. That type of light movement increases the heart rate and blood flow to the muscles, warming up the body temperature.

“This allows you to approach your full range of motion, but in a very controlled way,” said Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery and spine surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center and former physician for the U.S. Tennis Open. Cohen said elite athletes in all sports are increasingly ditching static stretching and using other warm-up techniques instead.

But the message has yet to trickle down to legions of joggers and recreational athletes. “This is classic, old-school stretching that has been done for generations,” Cohen said. “It’s going to be very hard to convince people to start doing something different.”

So start out with a jog, or other moderate physical activity to get you warmed up.

What do you think of this updated news? Do you still stretch? Will this news change your strategy?

Creative Commons License photo credit: Tobyotter

Interval Training Can Cut Your Exercise Time

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In the past when I’ve tried to lose weight I’ve found that one of the things that works best for me is when I workout using high intensity interval training in combination with some form of resistance training (along with eating healthier of course).

Now they’re finding that by using interval training you may be able to cut the amount of time that you’re exercising as well!

From MSNBC:

People who complain they have no time to exercise may soon need another excuse.

Some experts say intense exercise sessions could help people squeeze an entire week’s workout into less than an hour. Intense exercise regimens, or interval training, was originally developed for Olympic athletes and thought to be too strenuous for normal people.

But in recent years, studies in older people and those with health problems suggest many more people might be able to handle it. If true, that could revolutionize how officials advise people to exercise — and save millions of people hours in the gym every week. It is also a smarter way to exercise, experts say.

One of the most common excuses that I hear people make for not exercising is that they don’t have enough time. I may have even used that excuse myself from time to time.   High intensity interval training can help you to cut down the amount of time you’re exercising, and jump start the weight loss!

“High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise,” said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. “This is like finding a new pill that works twice as well … we should immediately throw out the old way of exercising.”

Intense interval training means working very hard for a few minutes, with rest periods in between sets. Experts have mostly tested people running or biking, but other sports like rowing or swimming should also work.

Helgerud recommends people try four sessions lasting four minutes each, with three minutes of recovery time in between. Unless you’re an elite athlete, it shouldn’t be an all-out effort.

“You should be a little out of breath, but you shouldn’t have the obvious feeling of exhaustion,” Helgerud said.

In Britain and the U.S., officials recommend that people get about two and a half hours each week of moderate exercise.

My favorite way of engaging in the interval training is by running. Normally I’ll run for around 20 minutes, starting with a warmup and then doing several sets of varying intensity. I’ll start out with a slow jog and continue for five minutes increasing my intensity and speed with each minute, ending each cycle by running fast.   I then go back down in intensity to a jog and work back up to a sprint by the time the five munites is done.  I repeat the cycle 4 times.

Experts say that’s because intense bursts of activity are precisely what the body needs to build stronger muscles. Traditional workouts lasting an hour or more simply don’t push the body enough.

“A lot of the (benefits) from exercise are due to a stress response,” said Stephen Bailey, a sports sciences expert at the University of Exeter. “If you disturb your muscles, there’s an imbalance created and your body will start signaling pathways that result in adjustments.”

Bailey said intense bursts of exercise help the body to convert one type of muscle fiber into another type that uses oxygen more efficiently and is capable of exercising a lot longer. Even though interval training only takes a few minutes, its effects last for hours.

“You’ve exercised at such a high intensity that you’re going to create a massive disturbance in your muscles,” Bailey said. That creates a higher metabolism for several hours afterward, which the body will bring down by burning fat and carbohydrates.

I think I’m going to re-start my workout regimen tonight because I’ve been letting myself slide over the past year. Time to get back into the interval training, and working off some of my excess weight!

Have you tried interval training? If so, what type of exercise do you do? How has it worked for you? Do you do it in combination with anything else? Tell us your experience in the comments.

Creative Commons License photo credit: jontunn

Alternative Exercises For Those Who Don’t Like Running

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If you’re going to be attempting a weight loss regimen and getting fit, you know you’re going to have to start doing some sort of cardiovascular workout. Most often people will use running as their workout of choice, however, it isn’t for everyone. Running can carry some risks along with it, and for some people it’s just not an option. For others like myself, running just isn’t fun!

I won’t go into the benefits and downfalls of running in this article. Instead today I thought I’d list  some alternatives to running that people can do to get in shape.  There’s no excuse for getting bored with your workout!

Alternatives To Running

  • Going for a brisk walk
  • Swimming at the local club
  • Doing a workout video
  • Playing basketball
  • Rowing machine
  • Hiking on local trails
  • Spin classes
  • Stationary bike
  • Roller Blading
  • Cross country skiing
  • Mountain bike riding
  • Elliptical machine
  • Treadmill
  • Jumping rope
  • Circuit training
  • Ultimate frisbee
  • Step Aerobics
  • Handball/Racquetball
  • Rock climbing
  • Kickboxing

Do you have your own exercises that you enjoy doing (that isn’t running?)? Tell us about it in the comments!

Creative Commons License photo credit: kimdokhac

Choosing The Right Music For Your Workout Can Increase Your Efficiency, Endurance And Lessen Fatigue

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When I go running, or workout with weights, I’ve always found that a powerful motivating factor can be the music that I listen to. If I listen to upbeat music that sets a good pace, I’ll often have an extremely good workout. If I don’t listen to music or the music just isn’t as upbeat – the workout isn’t always as good.

Now new research is showing why music helps to motivate us when we workout, and looks at the key elements in music that can get us pumped up for our workout.

For the last 20 years, Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Britain’s Brunel University, has been setting the research pace for understanding our need to groove and move… According to Kargeorghis, there are four factors that contribute to a song’s motivational qualities: rhythm response, musicality, cultural impact and association. The first two are known as “internal” factors as they relate to the music’s structure while the second two are “external” factors that reflect how we interpret the music.

  • Rythm Response: Rhythm response is tied to the beats per minute (bpm) of the song and how well it matches either the cadence or the heartbeat of the runner
  • Musicality: A song’s structure such as its melody and harmony contribute to its musicality.
  • Cultural Impact: The external factors consider our musical background and the preferences we have for a certain genre of music.
  • Association: We associate good things with certain songs and artists, and that music can help to motivate us.

Choosing The Right Music  Can Increase Your Efficiency, Endurance

Another thing the researchers found in their studies was that syncing beats per minute with an exercise pace could increase the efficiency for their subjects:

In a recent study, subjects who cycled in time to music found that they required 7 percent less oxygen to do the same work when compared to music playing in the background. Music can also help block out the little voice in your brain telling you its time to quit. Research shows that this dissociation effect results in a 10 percent reduction in perceived effort during treadmill running at a moderate intensity.

Not only did they find that their efficiency could increase, but they found that the right music choice could increase endurance and lessen the impact of fatigue.

“The synchronous application of music resulted in much higher endurance while the motivational qualities of the music impacted significantly on the interpretation of fatigue symptoms right up to the point of voluntary exhaustion,” Karageorghis reported.

What Is The Conclusion?

So what is the conclusion that we can reach from these studies?  To me it means that I should be making my workouts better by being careful about the music choices I make.  If I choose the right music that has an upbeat tempo (high BPM), has a good association for me, and that can be in sync with my workout, I can expect to have more effective and even longer workouts because of the motivational effect of the music.

So, how do you go about finding the right music for the workout?  There are a variety of softwares out there that will analyze your music library and categorize songs into different playlists according to beats per minute – and some even will create playlists so that you have a warmup, exercise and warm-down.  One example of that is the Tangerine plugin for Itunes.   Use one of those softwares to create your optimal playlist for your workout!

Have you found that music helps you to have a better workout?  Do you have playlists for certain types of exercise, or for certain goals?

Want To Lessen The Pain Of Working Out? Coffee To The Rescue!

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The initial results from a new study have suggested that caffeine may have the effects of lessening the pain from intense exercise.  From MSNBC.com

That cup of coffee that many gym rats, bikers and runners swill before a workout does more than energize them. It kills some of the pain of athletic exertion, a new study suggests. And it works regardless of whether a person already had a coffee habit or not.

The study looked at how caffeine helps to block  a certain biochemical that is important in pain processing.

Caffeine works on a system in the brain and spinal cord (the adenosine neuromodulatory system) that is heavily involved in pain processing, says University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Robert Motl. And since caffeine blocks adenosine, the biochemical that plays an important role in energy transfer and thus exercise, he speculated that it could reduce pain.

What they found was that the caffeine did in fact help with reducing the pain of exercise, both in people who regularly drank coffee or caffeine filled drinks, and in those who didn’t.   Details of the study:

An hour prior to each session, cyclists — who had been instructed not to consume caffeine during the prior 24-hour period — were given a pill. On one occasion, it contained a dose of caffeine measuring 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (equivalent to two to three cups of coffee); the other time, they received a placebo.
During both exercise periods, subjects’ perceptions of quadriceps muscle pain was recorded at regular intervals, along with data on oxygen consumption, heart rate and work rate.
“What we saw is something we didn’t expect,” Motl said. “Caffeine-naïve individuals and habitual users have the same amount of reduction in pain during exercise after caffeine (consumption).”

So what is the conclusion  that they’ve reached, and what is the practical application?

We’ve shown that caffeine reduces pain reliably, consistently during cycling, across different intensities, across different people, different characteristics.    One of the things that may be a practical application, is if you go to the gym and you exercise and it hurts, you may be prone to stop doing that because pain is an aversive stimulus that tells you to withdraw,” Motl said. “So if we could give people a little caffeine and reduce the amount of pain they’re experiencing, maybe that would help them stick with that exercise.

So drink up!  Starbucks here we come!

Being Active Gives You Hope And Reduces Depression

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Have you ever found that when you’re living an active lifestyle, your mood and temperment tend to be better than when you’re more sedentary?  I know I tend to be in a better mood when I’m working out.

Now a new study has found that men who aren’t active are more likely to “feel hopeless”.

More active men seem to have a rosier outlook on life, new research from Finland shows.

Dr. Maarit Valtonen of Kuopio University Hospital and colleagues found that men who spent less than one hour a week doing moderate to vigorous leisure-time physical activity were 37 percent more likely to report feeling hopeless than men who logged at least 2.5 hours weekly.

The men who got at least 2.5 hours of moderate activity each week were significantly less likely to be hopeless than men who were active for an hour or less weekly, and this association remained even after the researchers adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, smoking, and other relevant factors. Vigorous physical activity had a particularly strong effect.

When the researchers adjusted for depression, the link between hopelessness and activity remained. But while low levels of fitness were also tied to greater likelihood of feeling hopeless, further analysis found depression was the responsible factor.

Many people, including those who aren’t depressed or otherwise mentally ill, feel hopeless, the researchers note. The current findings, they say, suggest that “hopelessness and depression are overlapping, but distinct entities.”

The findings also suggest that being active can help “ameliorate or protect against feelings of hopelessness” even if a person’s fitness levels don’t improve.

So once again, being physically active is shown to be good for your health – both physically and psychologically.

As for me? I’m still waiting for that study that says eating hamburgers and pizza – and being a couch potato are good for your health. I’m still waiting.

Weight Loss Success Doesn’t Have To Cost A Lot, But It Depends Upon Your Level Of Motivation And Willingness To Change

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In talking with my wife, we often have conversations about losing weight, getting fit, and finding the “right plan” to help us to lose weight. My wife will talk about how if she just finds the right fitness plan, things will be different. I sometimes feel the same way, thinking if I find just the right workout and nutrition plan I’ll be able to turn the corner.

Over the years I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight (40+ lbs) more than once, and on different plans, but never spending a lot of money.   The problem is that I haven’t been able to completely turn things around, and change the way I live. I haven’t had the motivation or the willingness to change my habits in order to keep the weight off.   Now, I’m wondering if maybe to find that right plan I may need to spend a bit more money to get that added boost and motivation?

A study published this year in the New England Journal of Medicine talks about how weight loss doesn’t have to be expensive.  The caveat?  You have to be motivated and willing to change.  The greater your motivation, the less you’ll probably have to spend. The study compared 4 popular diets:

They found they all produced similar results. After two years, the dieters in each group lost an average of nine pounds. Notably, the dieters who attended more counseling sessions lost a little bit more, which may support the notion that behavior is more important than diet alone.

Motivation, though, is not always easy to come by — especially when it involves changing habits. Some people may need a little help to kick-start a weight-loss regimen, whether that means following a popular diet or enrolling in an organized program. Your goal, though, should not be short term.

“Keeping weight off permanently is a lifelong process,” says James O. Hill, a psychologist and a founder of the National Weight Control Registry , a database of 6,000 people who have lost weight and kept it off.

How ready are you? The more committed you are, the less you will need to spend.

Motivation And How Much You Spend To Lose Weight

The article goes on to talk about the different levels that people are at with their motivation, and how much they ‘ll need to spend:

  • Highly Motivated and Willing To Change Do It Yourself-ers  – Spend The Least:   You can lose weight for no cost if you are very motivated, and are ready to change your lifestyle.  Free resources for losing weight abound on the web, and usually your doctor can give you some helpful pointers on good healthy nutrition.  You can also get helpful weight loss books from the library, or use a community gym for free.
  • Somewhat Motivated And Willing – Spend A Little:   A lot of people take this route  where they spend some money to get fit, usually buying fitness books, or simple exercise aids.  Not exceedingly expensive, and a good option if you’re motivated and willing, but don’t want to spend a lot.
  • Not Motivated And Somewhat Willing – Spend a Lot:  More people need that extra push, support and motivation that is provided in a more structured setting.   For those people there are groups like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and other similar weight loss support groups.  Also bunched in here might be groups at your local fitness club that guide you in proper nutrition and exercise.   Most of these groups will having fees to join, weekly or monthly charges, and extra charges for things like food or supplements.  You can really spend a good deal of money to do this.
  • Not Motivated and Somewhat Willing But Needing Extra  Support – Spend A Ton: Many people have tried a lot of different ways to lose weight, but have found that they just can’t do it without added help.  Many of them have some real big health problems that need to be addressed.  For those people often a monitored hospital based plan is the ticket.  These plans will often include visits with a doctor as well as follow up visits -all which cost money.  You can end up spending a lot of money over the months that you lose weight, but for some it is the only option.

In the past I’ve always just kind of done my own workout plans, calling upon free workout resources online to help me in the process.

I think the time may have come for me to move it up to another level and actually invest in some books and other resources that may cost a little bit of money.  I think I may need that extra boost!

How are you with your workouts? Are you highly motivated and able to do it on your own? Do you benefit from added help you can get from an organized program?  Do you need more structure?  Tell us what you think in the comments.