NIFS Healthy Living Blog

If you’re like me and absolutely love listening to music and discovering new artists, genres, etc., then I could bet that you most likely listen to music while you exercise. Combining music and workouts has become a common practice among fitness enthusiasts because it can provide a boost of motivation and energy for when you’re testing your one-rep max or just taking a brisk walk outdoors. However, in this blog I will discuss the potential drawbacks of listening to music during a workout/training session and, hopefully, it will make you think about how music (or no music) plays a role in your training.

Pros

Improved Athletic Performance

Music can help get you through some of your toughest workouts by improving your endurance and mentality and reducing perceived exertion. Finding the right playlist or song that fits with the intensity and tempo you plan to conquer will increase your chances of completing the exercise. (See some songs that NIFS trainers recommend here).

Mood Booster/Motivation

There’s nothing wrong with listening to your favorite workout jams to boost your mood and prep for a successful lift, run, or walk. In fact, listening to your favorite song(s) or playlist will improve your mentality going into the workout by significantly boosting both your motivation and confidence. Before I work out, I ALWAYS play my favorite songs to boost my mood and let my body know, “Hey, it’s almost time to work out and it’s time to get motivated!”

Decreased Chance of Fatigue

Listening to music improves your physical and mental endurance. Essentially, with music, you’ll most likely be able to lift more, run faster, and work harder. For example, say you’re doing a tempo run at a steady but challenging pace. Finding a playlist that matches your pace or cadence (steps per minute) will help you keep that mental toughness and complete the run.

Cons

Dependency

For some athletes (powerlifters, for example), listening to music during their big lifts may be beneficial for successfully completing the weight. However, if those athletes are training for a specific powerlifting meet that doesn’t allow the use of personal music or playlists, those athletes will most likely have a disadvantage. On the other hand, as a runner who completed a half marathon in May, I was able to use and rely on music to get me somewhat (still can’t believe I finished…wow) to the finish line. Overall, it depends on what you’re training for and the expectations of your game, meet, race, etc.

Decreased Athletic Performance

I know, yes, I did say music can aid in improving one’s athletic performance, but we must think about what kind of athlete we’re dealing with. For an Olympic lifter, powerlifter, or endurance athlete (runner, cyclist, etc.), music can be used without significantly disrupting their athletic performance. However, a gymnast or athlete training in calisthenics listening to fast-paced and upbeat music wouldn’t be ideal since their training relies on coordination, stability, focus, and balance.

Distraction (Technique, Safety, Form, etc.)

Music, especially if it's immersive, can divert your attention from maintaining proper form or technique. This distraction is risky when performing exercises that require precise movement patterns. It's essential to remain mindful of your body's alignment and ensure that music does not compromise your workout effectiveness or increase the risk of injury.

Overall Boredom

While music can be entertaining, it may not always be sufficient to combat boredom or monotony during long workout sessions. Relying solely on music for stimulation might not provide the variety and mental engagement needed to stay motivated over time. It's important to incorporate a mix of exercise routines and seek other sources of motivation to keep your workouts interesting.

The Bottom Line

Listening to music while working out can have numerous benefits, including increased motivation, enhanced performance, and improved mood. However, it's crucial to be mindful of potential safety concerns and avoid dependency on music. Finding a balance that suits your preferences, exercise goals, and safety considerations is key. Experiment with different approaches and find what works best for you to optimize your workout experience!

This blog was written by Deveon Martin, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist. To read more about the NIFS blogger, click here.

Are you looking for a workout to strengthen and tone muscles without increasing bulk, but have not found anything that you like doing? Have you always wanted to increase your cardiovascular endurance and metabolism but hate doing regular old boring cardio? Well I might have an answer for you…

Barre is a workout that you can do every day. That’s right, a workout that you will want to do because it challenges you, but is low-impact enough that your joints will not be screaming at you the following day. Actually, studies have shown that Barre has various positive health effects! This fun and relatively new workout can help increase bone density while tightening skin and reducing cellulite.

What Is Barre Above?

Alright, well now you’re interested… so what is Barre, anyway? NIFS offers two Barre-based classes (Barre Above and Barre Fusion) (see the Group Fitness class schedule here). Today I dive a little bit deeper into what Barre Above is.

Barre Above is a fusion of yoga, Pilates, strength training, and ballet. Barre classes incorporate specific sequencing patterns and isometric movements that target specific muscle groups. This pattern of exercise helps improve strength, balance, flexibility, and posture. Barre exercise movements are low-impact and are made for all fitness levels. In Barre, the movements consist of plie squats, leg kicks, lifts, and holds as well as an array of core exercises.

At a Barre class, you can expect your whole body to be challenged in a way other group fitness workouts do not. Expect a great playlist to motivate you throughout the exercises because barre is a beat-based format. What does this mean? Beat-based formats are taught to the beat of the music. For example, you will squat to the main beat of the music up and down and eventually pulse it out until the beat changes. This type of workout is a blast because the music is the focal point of class. Expect playlists of popular and fun songs to move your body to at Barre every week.

A Total-body Workout

Do you know the shaking feeling you get in your core when you hold a plank position or when you hold a weight in your hand in an outstretched arm for an extended period of time? This is the type of challenge you will feel throughout your entire body at Barre. Barre offers an effective total-body workout focused on low-impact, high-intensity movements that lift and tone muscles to improve strength and flexibility made for every body.

If you are ready for a workout you enjoy coming to and feel accomplished afterwards, join us for Barre at NIFS.

See you at the Barre!

This blog was written by Payton Gross, Group Fitness Coordinator and Barre Above Instructor. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers here.

Picture this: You’re sitting in the car, in stop-and-go traffic. Your mood is just shot and all you want to do is get home. Now try this: Turn up the volume on your radio and let the music take over your soul!

According to Harvard Health, music is a fundamental attribute of the human species. All cultures, from the most primitive to the most advanced, make music. And thank goodness they do! As humans we sing, hum, make music with our hands by clapping; we sway our bodies or bob our heads back and forth when a catchy beat comes on; and we even dance to celebrate. Music is essentially wired into us by the sound of our heartbeats.

Music for Happiness

As obvious as it sounds, if you are ever in need of an emotional boost, let it be known that it only takes 15 minutes of listening to your favorite tunes to get a natural high. Your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that leads to increased feelings of happiness, excitement, and joy.

Improved Performance

Scientists have found that when people listen to motivational music, they run faster than those who do not listen to music. The key to enhancing your performance lies in the choice of music that motivates and inspires you to move forward and faster.

Decrease Stress; Increase Health

Sixty percent of illnesses and diseases are caused by stress. To lower your levels of stress means increasing your uptake in music (and other things, but we’re focusing on music right now). Listening to music decreases the levels of cortisol in your body, which counteracts the effects of chronic stress.

During those much-needed breaks from work or even while you are working, play some inspiring, motivating music to help boost your mood and your health.

Sounds of Sleep

Hearing or singing lullabies is known to help children go to sleep. Over 30% of Americans suffer from insomnia. A study showed that listening to classical or relaxing music within an hour of going to bed significantly improves sleep, compared to listening to an audiobook or doing something else before bed.

Motivation Playlist

See how music motivates your fitness professionals at NIFS. We asked Tony, Thomas, Ashley, Lauren, and Tinisi to each name songs that help change their moods, motivate, and help them relax and enjoy the sounds:

• Shipping Up to Boston—Dropkick Murphys
• Stand Up—Ludicrous
• Party Up—DMX
• Lose Control—Missy Elliott
• Seven Nation Army—White Stripes
• Back in Black—AC/DC
• Mo Bamba—Sheck Wes
• 24K Magic—Bruno Mars
• Stronger—Kanye West
• Lose Yourself—Eminem

Can you guess the songs chosen by each fitness pro?

This blog was written by Ashley Duncan, Weight Loss Coordinator. To Learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Creating healthy habits is a challenge for most people. Doesn't sitting at a bar with a glass of wine sound much easier than going to the gym and taking a barre class after work? In the moment, YES; but which is more beneficial for your health and longevity?

NIFS is passionate about educating gym-goers to create healthy habits, and our staff is here to help members achieve that. NIFS loves having Barre Fusion in our group fitness schedule (now online at home), and love motivating others to take this class to feel all the benefits. 

So What Is This Workout? 

Barre Fusion classes are getting a lot of hype these days for providing amazing results—not just physically, but also mentally. This workout is designed to strengthen and tone all areas of the body while also providing length in a balanced format through breath. The class aids in small movements to target the stabilizing muscles in the body, which are often untrained in a standard workout. Strengthening these muscles is proven to benefit with core strength and balance as well as prevent injury.

The pace of the class is quicker than a yoga class, creating a cardiovascular aspect through quick transitions but still focusing on the elements of flexibility and breathing that you'd find in a yoga class. By training the body in this format, you are also improving your mindfulness, which will lead to wanting to live a life filled with more healthy habits.

Lisa Williams, avid Group Fitness attendee, says, "This is one of my new favorite all-over workouts! I absolutely love it! With the small movements we do, you can feel a burn in your muscles that you know are getting stronger each class. It also helps tone, as I have already noticed a change in my outfits from it! I also like the variety of the class. Although the flow is the same, you don’t continually do the same exercises. I never leave the class feeling like I didn’t get an amazing workout! I suggest all to try it!"

What Is a Habit?

A habit is a routine or pattern you adapt to. Some habits have negative effects; and some have positive effects. It's often easy to read about what we should be doing, but actually getting out of our comfort zone to create a new habit is a challenge. 

So How Do You Change Habits? 

Create new ones, but ease into it. Stopping anything cold turkey can often just lead to reverting back to that habit. Finding a healthy habit you enjoy and slowly incorporating it into your life is key. For example, do you enjoy going to a bar after work for the atmosphere of the music and people? Maybe start by swapping "the bar" one day a week for "barre." Coming to a group Barre Fusion class will create an atmosphere of music and people, but in a healthy format. Not only that, the calories and sugar often found in drinking are proven to cause health problems, while working out is proven to lead to healthy results.

So the choice is yours! Join NIFS for a healthy option, and try a group fitness class for free! To check out the Group Fitness schedule and all NIFS has to offer, click here.

This blog was written by Brittany Ignas, B.S. in Kinesiology, 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Certified, Stott Pilates Certified, and Fitness Coordinator. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Our Group Fitness Class of the Month is going to PUMP (*insert handclap) you up! Les Mills BODYPUMP™ has swept around the world for decades. Scientifically proven and successfully tested, it has grown to be one of the top strength workout programs and has been in high demand for group training schedules for many clubs over the years.

Within 55 minutes, you work your entire body, core, and brain while being coached through 10 motivating tracks of functional strength exercises. As a new official BODYPUMP instructor and previous participant in this class myself, I will attest to the fact that while this class has awesome playlists of upbeat and trendy music to squat to, it doesn’t mess around when it comes to getting down to the nitty-gritty hard work! However, it was created with everyone in mind.

Background

BODYPUMP is a pre-choreographed workout program created by a New Zealand–based company called Les Mills. According to Les Mills, by definition it is “…a barbell workout for anyone looking to get lean, toned, and fit—fast. Using light to moderate weights with lots of repetition, BODYPUMP gives you a total-body workout. It will burn up to 540 calories.”

Some of the main aspects highlighted in a workout include building strength, getting lean, and working all major muscle groups. This, in turn, can lead to improved bone health, better overall body strength, and increased core strength and stability, which are all key factors in how well we function on a daily basis. The secret to this program format is in the science of what is known as the Rep Effect, which is “…a proven formula that exhausts muscle using light weights, while performing high repetitions….” This formula aids in building some of that lean, athletic muscle. So if you were reading this worrying that this program or lifting weights was going to give you crazy, bulky muscles, rest easy; it won’t.

What I love about this program, and Les Mills as a whole, is that their formats are studied and tested, and are constantly reviewed and renewed to make sure they are presenting the most functional and efficient movements to make for the most optimal results.

Workout Format

Speaking of the format, here’s what to expect when you come to a class. Classes can be presented in 30-, 45-, or 55-minute (usually listed on schedules as 60) formats. For a full class, you will run through the following tracks:

1. Warmup
2. Squats
3. Chest
4. Back
5. Triceps
6. Biceps
7. Lunges
8. Shoulders
9. Core
10. Cooldown

Tips for Your First Class

Along with what to expect in your workout, here are a few tips for when you walk into your first class:

• Talk to the instructor. They should introduce themselves if they haven’t already, and they will inform you of what types of weights you will need for class that day.
• Allow some time for setup before class begins. Some basic equipment needed for this class is used in every class, such as a step, a barbell with clips, as well as a selection of weight plates to swap out between tracks. So grabbing your space and equipment ahead of time makes for a much smoother and more enjoyable class for not only yourself (in dealing with transitions during tracks), but for the class as a whole. This is also a perfect time for you to ask the instructor questions about form if you have them, or if you are new to class to ask what to expect.
• Remember that you do not have to complete the entire workout on your first day. (See below about our “Smart Start” approach.). If you need to take a modification to keep correct posture and technique, please do so.
• Bring water and a towel. As always, water and a towel are great to have handy when attending any group class, but I will say, you’ll especially want them for this workout. I am usually sweating already by track 2!

A Smart-Start Approach

Never tried BODYPUMP (or even group fitness, for that matter) before? No problem! With any class you take here, we encourage the “Smart Start,” which includes staying for the first few tracks/songs of the workout, or simply half of the class. Then, when you feel that you’ve had enough or if that’s all you can do for now, you head out for the day with the motivation to stay for one more track next time you come back, until you find yourself completing the full class. Check out the class times on our group fitness schedule and see some of the other classes we offer.

And if you have never tried a group fitness class at NIFS before, and want to take that first step and check us out, here’s how to try a group fitness class for free!

This blog was written by Rebecca Heck, Group Fitness Coordinator and Health Fitness Instructor. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

The Group Fitness Class of the Month is BODYATTACK. When reading that name, what first comes to mind? For me, I immediately think, “Okay, slightly intimidating, but I’m intrigued. This better be good.” As a former dancer, avid runner, and group fitness instructor of multiple formats, I’d like to consider myself as having relatively good cardiovascular endurance and overall bodyweight strength. Well, let me tell you, friends, this class is no joke! Hang on now—before any of you new exercisers click away to look for an easier class, let me assure you, you too can participate! I will tell you how, but let me first give you a little background.

What Is BODYATTACK?

BODYATTACK is a pre-choreographed workout program created by New Zealand–based Les Mills. By definition, it is, “…a high-energy fitness class that caters for total beginners or total addicts. We combine athletic movements like running, lunging, and jumping with strength exercises such as pushups and squats.” The format ranges from 50–60 minutes, and can include 9–11 music tracks. The main focus for each track is

1. Warmup
2. Mixed Impact
3. Plyometric
4. Athletic Strength
5. Running
6. Agility
7. Power
8. Core
9. Cooldown

A Challenge in All Movement Patterns

Talk about a heart pumper! All of these components are rolled into this one class, which is one of the reasons why I loved taking it. Think about the last time you had to make a quick balance shift, change direction, or switch your movement to accommodate what’s coming next within a moment’s notice. BODYATTACK takes you through all types of functional movement patterns to get you better in shape and better prepared for the “sport of life,” as Program Director Lisa Osborne states it. We do so much lifting on the gym floor—which, don’t get me wrong, is AWESOME—to be strong and lift heavy; I strive to make time to do programming like that during the week as well. However, I am a firm believer in variety and balance, which is why I got into classes in the first place and eventually teaching group fitness myself. I want to make sure the work I do in the gym translates to what I do in everyday life.

BODYATTACK challenged me in all movement patterns which, as fitness professionals, we know are essential to our overall fitness, yet sometimes we tend to neglect them when we plan our own workouts. This class had me move laterally, forward, then immediately backwards, then diagonally. Then we jumped down to the floor to work horizontally focusing on upper body and core. It can be intimidating at first, but I can assure you that if you have a good instructor teaching (which this class did), he or she will always offer plenty of modifications so that any level of fitness can participate. Functionality is key, and if something has a main goal of keeping me agile, able, and mobile, I’m all about it!

Proven Results

Another great factor of this class is the proven results it has the potential to provide. This program was researched and tested among willing participants to make sure the format performs and provides effective results. According to a recent study at Penn State, it was found that there were “…significant increases in leg and back strength as well as positive changes in aerobic fitness, agility, and power over the participants that completed three BODYATTACK classes over the course of six weeks.” Not too shabby for a few times a week!

My Challenge to You

So I challenge you, if you’re still reading this, to step out of your normal routine this month and give it a try once each week, and give your body that extra spike during your workout time. Think about it: that’s only four or five workouts within a whole 30-day period to sprinkle into your month! Who knows, maybe you’ve begun to hit a plateau and this class might be exactly the right amount of high-intensity cardio to shed that extra pound or two that can compliment your weight training on other days.

Try It at NIFS

Never tried BODYATTACK, or even group fitness for that matter, before? No problem! With any class you take here, we encourage the “Smart Start,” which includes staying for the first few tracks/songs of the workout, or simply half of the class. Then, when you feel that you’ve had enough or if that’s all you can do for now, you head out for the day with the motivation to stay for one more track next time you come back, until you find yourself completing the full class.

Check out the times for BODYATTACK on our group fitness schedule and see some of the other classes we offer. If you have never tried a group fitness class at NIFS before, and want to take that first step and check us out, find out how to try a group fitness class for free!

This blog was written by Rebecca Heck, Group Fitness Coordinator and Health Fitness Instructor. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Who doesn’t like to get their groove on when the hottest new song comes on? I would not put myself into the category of a “big dancer,” or in fact a dancer at all, but from time to time when a good jam comes on the radio, I am guilty of pulling out my car dance moves.

Now what if I told you that you could work out by dancing? For some, this sounds much more appealing than hitting the machines or lifting heavy things. Dancing has more benefits than just completely embarrassing yourself and being totally okay with it! And Les Mills’ BodyJam class has come up with the perfect combination of good modern music, dance moves, and a workout all rolled into one class. And it's our group fitness class of the month.

Let’s take a look at the benefits of dancing, what BodyJam is really composed of, and why it can benefit you.

The Fitness Benefits of Dancing

Dancing is a great workout because it…

• Is a good way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes, and sizes.
• Helps you tone, strengthen, and build greater endurance for your muscles.
• Has cardiovascular benefits.
• Has a very high enjoyment factor.
• Assists in weight management.
• Increases bone density due to weight-bearing exercise.
• Increases coordination and flexibility.
• Improves balance.
• Is a great way to meet other friends at the gym.

And finally:

• Group fitness classes built around dancing can give you a new move for the next wedding you attend!

Working Out While Dancing

BodyJam is a dance-inspired cardio workout. This 60-minute class will get your heart rate going and elicit a pretty solid calorie burn. Not to mention that the music is constantly changing and being updated with the “what’s most hot” list. Sounds like the full package deal to me: you get to hear the latest songs, dance away, and get a cardiovascular workout all at the same time!

But for all of you out there like me with two left feet, fear not: this class is still for you! With an instructor leading the class and showing you the moves, you are sure not to get left behind.

Give It a Try at NIFS!

With the vast benefits of dancing, and the format of a Les Mills BodyJam class, I would say it’s worth a try! Check out the NIFS group fitness schedule for BodyJam class times. Classes are free to members. If you are not a member of NIFS currently, you can purchase a class pass at the NIFS service desk.

This blog was written by Amanda Bireline, Fitness Center Manager. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

In a world where trying to gain a competitive edge is at an all-time high, everybody is searching for the next big thing to help bring their workouts to the next level. Many individuals end up using some type of ergogenic aid. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, an ergogenic aid is any substance, mechanical aid, or training method that improves sport performance. Dietary supplements and special equipment are two common avenues that athletes use (sometimes legally and, unfortunately, sometimes illegally).

Consider Music as a Motivational Aid

Do you use any ergogenic aids? You may think that you do not, but chances are you probably do. One of the most popular ergogenics that gym-goers currently utilize is music. “Music?”, you’re probably asking yourself. Yes. I know it does not really fall into the category of substances, mechanical aids, or training methods, but the music can have very similar performance-enhancing effects.

Do you listen to music while you work out? If so, what kind of music do you listen to? For me personally, music allows for a sense of focus to happen. I pick my favorite workout song (Guns N’ Roses: “Welcome to the Jungle”) and I find every bit of energy I have to push through a personal record attempt or final set of a hard training session. That is what training is all about.

In many cases, regardless of the type of exercise you perform, you must break the barrier that stands between you and that next step. Music also allows for a positivity to flow throughout your workout. It makes everything more enjoyable! Let’s face it: if every training session were boring and stagnant, how long would you continue on that program? My guess would be not too long. You have to enjoy yourself to some extent while you are busting your backside, and music might be a way to do that.

My Workout Music Preferences Survey

As I was contemplating music and this blog, I thought to myself, “Alex, does everyone listen to music when they work out? What kind of music do they listen to?” I decided to create a little survey that I sent out to the employees of NIFS to get the cold, hard facts about music. In total, 36 NIFS employees completed the survey. Check out the results below!

What best characterizes the type of exercise you perform most often?

• Cardiovascular (i.e., running, biking, etc.): 16/36, 44.44%
• Resistance training: 12/36, 33.33%
• Cross-training: 4/36, 11.11%
• Other (please specify): 4/36, 11.11%

Answers included: “Real work—kettlebells” (I wonder who that was), mental exercises, and combinations of resistance and cardiovascular training.

 What type of music do you generally listen to on a day-to-day basis? (not when working out)?

• Alternative: 3/36, 8.33%
• Blues: 0/36, 0%
• Classical: 2/36, 5.56%
• Country: 4/36, 11.11%
• Jazz: 0/36, 0%
• Metal: 1/36, 2.78%
• Rap: 2/36, 5.56%
• Pop: 11/36, 30.56%
• Rock: 1/36, 2.78%
• Classic rock: 2/36, 5.56%
• Techno: 1/36, 2.78%
• I do not listen to music: 0/36, 0%
• Other (please specify): 9/36, 25%

Answers included: Folk, Christian, Dance/New Age, and combinations of the above genres.

 Do you listen to music while you work out?

• Yes: 27/36, 75%
• No: 9/36, 25%

 What genre of music do you listen to while you work out?

• Alternative: 1/36, 2.78%
• Blues: 0/36, 0%
• Classical: 1/36, 2.78%
• Country: 1/36, 2.78%
• Jazz: 0/36, 0%
• Metal: 1/36, 2.78%
• Rap: 5/36, 13.89%
• Pop: 11/36, 30.56%
• Rock: 3/36, 8.33%
• Classic rock: 1/36, 2.78%
• Techno: 2/36, 5.56%
• I do not listen to music: 7/36, 19.44%
• Other (please specify): 3/36, 8.33%

Answers included: Skrillex, Dance, or “music in my soul OR Jerry’s loud music.”

 If you had to choose only one song to get ready for an intense training session, what would it be? (artist and song name)

• Booker T and the M.G.s: “Green Onions”
• Voodoo & Serano: “Blood Is Pumping”
• Pharrell: “Happy”
• Fall Out Boy: “The Phoenix”
• Steve Aoki: “Turbulence”
• Enrique Iglesias: “Escape”
• Sia: “The Greatest”
• Drake: “Started from the Bottom”
• Skillet: “Monster”
• Fetty Wap: “No Days Off”
• Foo Fighters: “Best of You”
• Avenged Sevenfold: “Unholy Confessions”
• Eric B. and Rakim: “Don’t Sweat the Technique”
• Rachel Platten: “Fight Song”
• Katy Perry: “Roar”
• Metallica: “One”
• Young Jeezy: “Put On”
• X Ambassadors: “Jungle”
• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: “Can’t Hold Us”
• ANY Michael Jackson song
• ANY Carrie Underwood song
• Gym Class Heroes: “The Fighter”
• U2: “Beautiful Day”
• Avicii: “Wake Me Up”
• Metallica: “Fuel”
• Gym Class Heroes: “The Fighter”
• AC/DC: “Thunderstruck”
• Bruno Mars: “Uptown Funk”
• FOALS: “Mountain at My Gate”
• Carrie Underwood: “Before He Cheats”

Regardless of what type of music you listen to, try to make it part of your exercise routine. If you already do, keep at it. I think it will make your workouts more focused and potentially more fun. As the legend Lil’ John said, “Turn Down for What?” So turn up the volume and rock out with your weights out!

 Note all songs are trademarks This blog was written by Alex Soller. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Step aerobics has been around for some time. We are all aware of its huge popularity in the 80’s, and while some may have thought it was dead and gone, many know it is alive and kicking! With the launch of Zumba® and other choreographed classes, most gyms around the US still have those famous Reebok® steps and have step classes going on at least once a week. Take a close look at NIFS on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings and you'll see step classes are far from dead. In fact, they happen to be one of our most popular group fitness classes!

Where It All Started

Let us take a moment to look back and see how step was created. It is so much more than music and choreographed stepping and learning how it was created make it all the more interesting! In 1989 Gin Miller, a competitive gymnast injured her knee in a competition. As she sought advice from her doctor on some rehab tactics, he told her she should work to develop muscles around her knees by stepping up on something like a milk crate. And that is when Gin started to use her porch step and music for some low impact stepping, and step aerobics was born!

Benefits of Step

Like many classes out there, the benefits are more than what you see on the surface. And step absolutely has some benefits that will allow you to improve your overall fitness. Step is good because it is considered “low impact”, helping the stress on the joints and body to be minimal during the movements that are performed. It also burns calories and fat due to its mostly cardio-based format. Step helps to build cardiovascular and muscular endurance through upper and lower body movements and along with those movements comes improvement in coordination and agility! With the constant movement and stepping up on one leg, over time one can see improvements in their balance, not to mention how fun step aerobics can be if you are into the choreographed music style workouts!

As stone wash jeans, side ponytails, and high top sneakers seem to be coming around again, step has always been here and remains a staple of group exercise classes! In fact, I challenge you to step into NIFS on a Saturday morning this month and see that step is still reigning. You will find Rachel and her faithful followers doing what looks like the impossible, but don’t be intimidated! Just step (pun intended) in and go with the flow, it will only be a matter of time before you master the moves and get into the fun!

This blog was written by Amanda Bireline, Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Salutations, NIFS friends. Picture yourself running across the finish line or standing on the winner’s podium at a major marathon event, scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl, or even finishing up your final set of EZ Bar preacher curls. (Wait, what was that?) Now that you are wondering what I am getting to here, I must say that all three of those events have something in common, and that is the accompaniment of music.

Do music and fitness go hand in hand, or is the connection overdramatized in television and movies? One thing I know for certain is that when I work out, my music motivates me to sometimes give another rep or stick to my plan, when otherwise I could just as easily pack it in and go home. Here I would like to explore the undeniable links between fitness and music.

The Connection Between Music and Work

Although fitness, as we know it, is a relatively new industry, music and song have been intermingled with work (physical labor) since long before recorded history. There have been articles and studies such as “Let's Get Physical: The Psychology of Effective Workout Music” in the Scientific American online magazine which reiterate that music played in the workplace and workout place contributes to a more productive environment. 

This question has even made its way to the world’s stage, where individuals are prohibited from using personal music devices while participating in Olympic events because it has been shown to provide an “athletic edge” over non-music-listening competition. In essence, working out at the gym isn’t much different than many manual labor jobs, so it would make sense that the same benefits of music to workers and laborers would affect people who work out. Hard, driving beats in the music almost illicit our caveman/cavewoman mentality… beat the drum fast, work fast (Jabr, 2013).

Relaxing Effects

Music can also have a second effect on fitness. Many times it is used as a way to relax and meditate. Soothing ocean sounds make for enough peace and serenity to almost transport you 1,000 miles away to a sunny beach. An example of this type of music takes place in yoga class. The movements of yoga are slow and steady, yet precise. Calming music allows the mind to connect with the body, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

There is the dilemma; not every person wants to “head-bang” to heavy metal at 6 a.m., and not every person wants to take a 30-minute siesta to the sound of trickling water from a creek when their final set is about to go down. In fact, some people prefer that it be completely quiet, because it may be the only time of the day that they get away from the various noises and commotions that accompany day-to-day life in the big city. That’s precisely why the Sony Walkman was introduced in 1979 (and the modern MP3 version, of course); a milestone in human achievement. These devices are great for the music aspect, but not as great for communication and human interaction.

What Music Gives You Motivation for Workouts?

What music gets you pumped or soothes your soul? I know what is on my Top 10 playlist, and it consists of plenty of variety (but always starts and ends with something from the Rocky soundtrack). There are others, of course, but all in all, it’s what drives and motivates me to work out. 

NIFS, not surprisingly, has music in nearly every group fitness class, and in the free-weight room. In adherence to the idea that “not everyone wants to hear your Mega Mix Tape Vol. 2,” the fitness center is limited to personal listening devices only. In the comments, please share what music you are listening to right now to help you get through your reps and sets, or even your day.

Rejoice and Evolve,

Thomas Livengood

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, Health Fitness Instructor at NIFS. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers click here.