2019-10-01 Australian Men\'s Fitness

TOP PICKS

Tune in, rock out

BEST FOR THE GYM

JBL Under Armour Sport

Wireless Train

SuperVent ear cushions keep them

cool and dry while you work up a

sweat, and Under Armour grip material

provides a soft feel and max stability.

Tested by athletes for durability, these

’phones are moisture resistant and the

ear cushions are even hand-washable.

Big JBL Charged Sound will help you

elevate every rep, and oversized

controls are easy to access during

an intense session. A 16-hour battery

with Speed Charge delivers an hour of

playback on just five minutes’ charge.

$299.95; jbl.com.au

BEST FOR THE BEACH

JBL Charge 4

This portable Bluetooth speaker

offers full-spectrum, powerful sound

with a proprietary developed driver

and two JBL bass radiators. Its

high-capacity rechargeable battery

provides up to 20 hours of playtime,

and the speaker has a convenient

USB charge out to quickly charge your

devices. You also don’t have to worry

about water – the Charge 4 features

an IPX7 waterproof rated exterior.

You and your mates can also take

turns playing DJ, as you can wirelessly

connect up to two phones or tablets.

$199.95; jbl.com.au

BEST FOR RUNNING

Powerbeats Pro

The star feature of the Powerbeats Pro

is all-day battery life – the buds last

for nine hours before they need to go

back in their case for a recharge – but

we value their brilliant fit just as highly.

The ear hook design means they don’t

budge an inch, whether you’re running,

doing burpees or head-banging to

your gym playlist. The sound quality

also impresses: the earphones boast

an upgraded linear piston driver that

leverages an efficient, pressurised

airflow to create a powerful acoustic

response in a small package.

$349.95; beatsbydre.com/au

BEST FOR NO DISTRACTIONS

Jabra Elite 85h

Looking for a personalised audio

experience with exceptional calls

and music clarity? The Jabra Elite 85h

allows you to customise your audio

settings so you can enjoy music your

way. It delivers 36 hours of battery

life in one charge and contains eight

microphones and purpose-built

speakers. Our favourite feature?

It has AI SmartSound built in, to

automatically customise the level

of noise cancellation, giving you

the sound you want, when and

where you want it.

$499; jabra.com.au

● Game Changers Music

On song

Power your workout with the perfect playlist.

A

Audio company Libratone recently
collaborated with Costas Karageorghis,
a professor in sport and exercise psychology
at Brunel University, UK, and personal trainer Zanna
van Dijk to explore how a motivational playlist can be
used to enhance physical performance.
Professor Karageorghis, author of Applying Music
in Exercise and Sport, has devoted his career to
researching the effects of music in sport and exercise
and how a carefully curated playlist can positively
affect performance. Here’s what he’s found...

●Musicshouldhave
anappropriatebeat,
witha pulsestrong
enoughtotapyour
feetto.Thiswillhelp
yousynchroniseand
get“into”themusic.

●Avoidmusicwith
longrhythmiclulls,
unlessyouusethe
lullstopunctuate
recoveryduringyour
exerciseroutine.

● Bear in mind
that the harder the
workout, the faster
and more intense
your music program
should be (125–140
bpm for a high-

intensityworkout).

Thehighesttempo

shouldbeusedat

thepointinyour

workoutwhen

youareexercising

mostintensely.

●Avoidmusicwith

anoffbeatrhythm

if you’retryingto

coordinateyour

moves.Forexample,

salsaorvery

complexelectronic

dancemusicwon’t

makethoseburpees

anyeasier.

● Consider music

with appropriate

affirmations in the

lyrics when you’re

doingcoreexercises.

● To increase

workout intensity

over time, slowly

ramp up music

tempo and intensity.

Do the opposite

towards the end of

yourworkout.

●Considerchanging

yourplaylistwhen

it ceasestohavea

motivatingeffectand

whenyoufeelit no

longermatchesyour

exerciseroutine.

● Early on, include

tracks that embody

who you are and

makeyoufeelstrong

andempowered.

Thisis particularly

importantif you

reallystruggle

togetmotivated.

● Try to find music

with which you have

a strong personal

association. This

can help elevate

your mood and, by

extension, the quality

ofyourworkout.

● If you know you

don’t like a particular

part of a workout, put

on the most positive,

upbeat tune on your

playlist and allow it

Go for music

with major (happy)

harmonies vs. minor

(sad) harmonies to

promote a positive

mindset.

44 MEN’S FITNESS OCTOBER 2019