Imagine you’re about halfway through your mile on the treadmill and your favorite workout song comes on the radio. Your feet start moving faster, your step gets lighter, and you get the urge to increase the tempo on the machine.
The impact of music on our workouts is fascinating, and a great pair of earbuds means comfort while you pump iron, race the pavement, or swim laps (yes, there are waterproof earbuds!). Get yourself geared up for your New Year’s resolutions with some brand new earbuds this holiday season, or get a pair for a friend or family member.
Here’s the scoop on the year’s best earbuds, earphones, and portable speakers.
Don’t Be Afraid to Sweat with These Earbuds
The meteoric rise in popularity of iPods, MP3 players, and smartphones, each capable of holding thousands of your favorite songs, has meant a revolution in sound technology. There’s no reason you have to put up with the tinny speakers of your favorite portable music device anymore.
Sporty earbuds like the JayBird BlueBuds X, the Jabra Sport Pulse, and the SoundPEATS Qy7 are ideal for virtually any sporting activity including endurance running, lifting weights at the gym, and casual walks around the neighborhood.
Water & Music: A Perfect Duo
A study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that their study participants swam faster and with greater motivation when they listened to music during their workout. One of the coolest features of water-friendly earbuds and headphones is that they’re actually waterproof – not simply water “resistant” – which means you can swim under the water.
Waterproof headphones like the X-1 Surge Sportwrap Waterproof Headphones allow you to swim up to twelve feet! Waterproof earbuds are also perfect if you’re training for a triathlon or if you’re worried about a particularly sweaty workout.
Earbud Alternative: Portable Speakers
Bluetooth technology eliminates the wire that connects your earbuds to your music device, and the technology is also ideal for small, portable speakers like iHome’s Beach Bicycle Speaker. Tiny and powerful, today’s portable speakers are miniature powerhouses of sound.
If you’re an avid cyclist, the safest way to ride is without earbuds or headphones. Situational awareness trumps music every time. However, you can still safely listen to your favorite bicycle tunes by attaching a portable speaker to your ride.
Gone are the days when the only way to workout with tunes at your side was with a bulky Walkman or a boom box. Never worry about accidentally ripping your headphones out of your ears again with a slick new pair of Bluetooth-enabled earbuds.
