I love music and have always found it motivating. I can’t exercise without it. So this wasn’t a surprise: Picking the right tracks will boost performance, drive weight loss needs and help to keep your exercise routine on track, says new research.

Everyone knows that motivation is one of the biggest barriers when it comes to improving and maintaining physical fitness — and this is underlined in new data commissioned by Deep Freeze and Deep Heat – the muscle and joint care experts. The real-world data shows that nine out of ten people (88%) struggle to find the motivation to exercise more, with just over a third (35%) saying this is ‘often’ a challenge.

 

Listening to music that gets them moving is the most common strategy people use (34%). Personal trainer Chris Ruxton from Deep Freeze and Deep Heat, says: “Music can be an incredibly effective motivational tool, particularly for activities like running where it’s important to settle into a rhythm. Music also has an impact on your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) —  so when you’re listening to tracks you like you can push yourself more. That’s important for any exercise plan, and  it’s essential for an event a Marathon which demands endurance and stamina.”

 

In fact research has found those who listened to their preferred tracks as they cycled clocked up more kilometres than they did without music.^[2]

 

Fitness friends: Partnering up with a training buddy also boosts performance. Sports scientists call this the Kohler Effect, and it kicks in when a team player lifts their performance way beyond any previous personal best because they are determined not to let their side down.^[3]

 

The latest snapshot of UK fitness strategies from Deep Freeze reveals:

• 54% of people prefer to work-out on their own
• 26% prefer to exercise with a friend
• 21% are happy either way
• 78% of adults think they should be doing more exercise, and 60% don’t know how much the NHS recommends as a minimum to maintain health and fitness.

 

Health and fitness journalist Lucy Gornall is one of the many first-timers tackling a Marathon. “It’s something I need to tick off my list,” she says. And she’s a big fan of finding a training buddy. “It makes training more enjoyable and makes you accountable to someone else. If you’ve agreed to meet at 7am no one wants to be the person who lets a friend down.

 

“A lot of my friends like training with me because they know I will push them to do more, and if I train with a guy, I know it’s going to push me to do more, you work that bit harder and can often learn new things.”

 

What moves us? The new real world Deep Freeze research shows the nation’s favourite activities are walking (78%) and running (24%), so it’s no surprise that the most common sites for an injury are the ankles, with 29% reporting a previous injury confirming ankle issues, followed by 27% with knee problems and 24% with leg injuries. Overall, a third of those who were surveyed (34%) had suffered an exercise-related injury.

 

“It’s easy to see why muscular and joint health problems are so common” says physiotherapist and an advisor to Deep Freeze and Deep Heat, Sammy Margo. “Huge numbers of people put themselves at risk of injury by failing to warm-up before they exercise and by failing to cool down properly afterwards.”

 

The new Deep Freeze research shows that only a third (34%) of adults warm up before exercise and even fewer, just 29%, cool down after a workout.

 

Sammy Margo says, “This lack of care for muscle health is a recipe for injuries. Warming up and cooling down properly reduces the risk of injury as well as DOMS — delayed onset muscle soreness which is also associated with challenging workouts and pushing yourself to your limits. We know the Marathon can be a big motivator, but if you’re new to running it’s important to address any previous muscular or joint health problems and stiffness and take the time to warm up and cool down properly. The right warm-up increases blood flow and helps to loosen any tight areas and stiffness or adhesions as a result of past injuries. It also enhances your flexibility, elasticity and mobility.”

 

Prepare for success: Joint and muscle discomfort is very much  commonplace. Seven in ten of those polled have experienced some form of muscle health challenges, with the back (38%), legs (31%) and shoulders (28%) the most frequent trouble-spots. Almost two thirds (62%) of those surveyed have suffered a muscle strain or sprain and just over half (52%) have experienced muscle discomfort for no apparent reason — and curiously, it’s younger adults who are the most likely to report this.

Sammy Margo says, “Dealing with any joint and muscle health twinges, and preventing this in the first place, is essential for any exercise plan or training schedule to succeed. In the immediate aftermath of an injury cooling therapies for the first 72 hours, like Deep Freeze Glide-on Gel, and rest, are the most effective way to soothe minor aches and discomfort.

 

“I always carry Deep Freeze Glide-on Gel because it’s so easy to apply and works instantly. The rollerball action helps you to target muscular and joint trouble spots and ensures the cooling gel really ‘hits the mark’.”

 

She advises, “After about 72 hours, switching to a warming therapy, such a topical application of Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on lotion or an adhesive patch, will help with muscle recovery and rehabilitation. The key to any injury is to get on top of the problem as quickly as possible, and then to keep muscles as mobile as possible. Returning to exercise is important for muscle rehabilitation, but if you don’t deal with muscle and joint health challenges effectively, and protect your muscles and joints going forwards, training can easily trigger more issues.” 

For a perfect preparation and post-exercise routine, personal trainer Chris Ruxton and Sammy Margo advise 12 easy ‘hacks’:

1. For an all-purpose warm-up when there is no inflammation, use Deep Heat Muscle Massage Roll-on to massage and lengthen the calf and thigh muscles, as well as targeting the sites where there is muscle adhesion or stiffness.

2. If you have any muscular or joint ‘trouble spots,’ apply Deep Freeze Glide-on Gel to the area well ahead of any exercise or training sessions to provide prolonged soothing relief while you work out.

 

Warm up for a total of 10 minutes, using simple aerobic movements which explore a range of movements:

3. March on the spot, then backwards and forwards, swinging your arms as you go.

4. Put one foot forward, heel first, and with the other leg slightly bent punch forward with both hands as you alternate this leg movement.

5. With your back straight and abs tight, do 30 knee lifts with your thigh at a right angle to your hip.

6. Roll your shoulders in each direction 10 times.

7. With your feet a shoulder-width apart and hands outstretched bend at the knee to lower yourself no more than 10cm, 10 times for each leg.

 

After your workout Chris Ruxton and Sammy Margo recommend a series of leisurely stretches to rid muscle tissue of lactic acid, lower the heart rate and reduce the risk of DOMS:

8. Hip Stretch: Put one foot forward , ease you weight into your straightened back leg and hold for 15 to 20 seconds to feel a stretch across your hip. Repeat with the other leg.

9. Quads Stretch: Keeping your knees together and trying not to lean to one side, hold the top of your left foot and gently pull the heel towards your bottom. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with the other leg.

10. Hamstring Stretch: Put one foot forward, heel first and toes pointing   upwards, bend the other knee with your hands on  your hips. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with the opposite leg.

11. Calf Stretch: With both feet pointing forwards, step forward and bend  your front leg while pushing down with your rear, straightened leg. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat.

12. Finish off by using Deep Freeze Glide-on Gel to help cool tired muscles in the thighs, calves, and ankles and to target any niggles or trouble spots.

Chill-out with these Deep Freeze workout friends: It’s no wonder Deep Freeze is the UK’s top selling topical freeze brand. The Deep Freeze range delivers swift, scientifically proven relief from minor aches in muscles and joints. “As far as I’m concerned, they are a kit-bag essential,” says personal trainer Chris Ruxton.

I am a huge fan of both Deep Freeze and Deep Heat. I love the Deep Heat warming belts.

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