I’m a big believer that music helps you perform during endurance workouts. In fact this article confirms it!

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. 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. A song’s structure such as its melody and harmony contribute to its musicality. The external factors consider our musical background and the preferences we have for a certain genre of music and what we have learned to associate with certain songs and artists

So, what do I listen to? Well you can check out my Last.fm profile but my all time favourite “power song” is this:

Live Version

I also like this too:

And this:

And finally this:

I try to listen to them during every workout. What do you listen to?

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music, Training Hide

I recently blogged about my search for a turbo-trainer. This is especially important as I’ve some long bike rides planned in for my 2010 Ironman training plan. My short-list consisted of two options:

1. Cycleops Fluid 2 Trainer
2. Satori Cycle Trainer with Skyliner

Well, I ended-up getting neither. I got a Tacx Satori High Power Folding Magnetic Turbo Trainer:

The Satori is the warm-up trainer for Pro Tour teams. A super power trainer with a number of impressive innovations.

The Satori is Tacx’s newest trainer featuring a totally new design concept. A cycletrainer with a number of impressive innovations, which is being introduced by Jens Voigt, the super power rider, and is the new warm-up trainer for the Pro Tour teams.

The robust Satori frame sits stably on the ground and is calculated to withstand maximum brute force. The brake consists of a very powerful Neodynium magnet and an extra-large steel flywheel. A front wheel support which can also act as a carrying handle is included with the Satori. You will deliver extremely high power even at very low pedalling frequencies, which is what you need just before the start of a race. Tacx offers the best professional pre-race warm-ups.

The Satori is fitted with the Neodynium magnetic brake enabling very high power levels to be reached. The brake is fitted with a very powerful magnet and a large steel flywheel, 125 mm in diameter. The position of the magnet relative to the flywheel is adjusted with the remote resistance lever.

This gives rise to a magnetic field of such magnitude that it enables training to take place at high power and with low pedal frequencies. The traditional magnetic brake consists of two discs, each of which has six permanent magnets, plus a flywheel. The remote resistance lever changes the position of the magnets in the brake unit relative to one another.

In terms of braking action, the Neodynium magnetic system is head and shoulders above the rest. In the Satori, Tacx is offering the best power trainer, which enables you to develop extremely high power at low pedalling frequencies.

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Cycling, Tacx Satori, Training, turbo-trainer Hide