It's like clapping with your footsteps.
Keeping a good pace is something many runners strive for. It times your workout, your distance goals... and it helps you keep track of your endurance improvement.
What is BPM?
BPM, or beats-per-minute, is a musical term indicating the tempo of a piece of music.
Simply put, your clock ticks at 60 beats per minute. There are 60 seconds in 1 minute, and treating each second as a "beat" brings you to 60 BPM. If you're listening to a song with a tempo of 60 BPM, there is one beat per second.
The average resting heart rate for an adult is 60 beats per minute. This makes our little calculation here even easier to remember!
Why 120 BPM for running?
According to healthline.com, most runners ages 20 to 45 want their "running" heart rate to average between 100 and 160 beats per minute. This makes 120 BPM a pretty attainable running tempo for most adults.
Please remember, your ideal heart rate is determined by many factors including, age, weight, current physical fitness, and health issues that impact your cardiovascular system. Always consult your physician when making a significant change to your exercise and fitness activities.
Although your mile-time as a runner varies based on stride length, terrain, and personal health factors, keeping pace on a 120 BPM playlist should put you at about a 13-minute mile.
How do you keep pace at 120 BPM?
When listening to a song at 120 BPM, clap on every beat. Each clap represents one foot hitting the ground in your stride.