Mix & Match NOW Exclusive Playlist
In January 2021, Power Music launched the brand new Mix & Match NOW playlist, exclusive for Power Music NOW subscription members.
The Mix & Match NOW playlist releases the first Friday of every month, on the same day the 10 monthly NOW mixes go live. This exclusive playlist is comprised of sections from each of the pre-formatted NOW mixes, creating the perfect soundtrack to compliment your interval training classes.
In traditional Group X classes like step and kickboxing, instructors move to the beat of the music and use the song transitions as cues to change moves. The music is the heartbeat or pulse, keeping tempo and guiding both instructor and participant through the class.
What if cardio and strength interval training classes had that same feel?
When you use the Mix & Match NOW exclusive playlist, it can! The Mix & Match playlist includes sections from the Cardio, Strength, HIIT, Tabata and Cycle mixes giving you endless options for programming your interval classes. If you aren't already teaching interval classes, just know that interval training is a "hiit" (pun intended) on every Group X schedule. Interval classes are easy for instructors to teach, and participants love the post-class feeling of accomplishment for what feels like a much more challenging class! The addition of music-driven intervals via the Mix & Match playlist is a great way to make your HIIT class stand apart!
The Science Behind Interval Training
As a physical therapist, my focus for interval training is on functional fitness. Hinges, squats, pushing, pulling, twisting, and of course using cardio bursts to spike the heart rate. When programmed safely, these simple daily movement patterns can be both fun and efficient! Participants get the benefits of high intensity cardio combined with strength training for a metabolically driven experience. Class goers will burn more calories after the workout due to post excess oxygen consumption, better known as EPOC. Put simply, high intensity interval training classes create an oxygen deficit that forces our body to burn calories at an accelerated rate after the workout. In addition, the functional strength training makes our bodies more efficient for everyday activities like picking up a laundry basket, carrying heaps of grocery bags from the car into the kitchen, and even crawling on the floor caring for our favorite little people.
The Flexibility of Programming Interval Classes
Instructors can choose what work and rest ratios to program into their interval classes. To keep it interesting and to maximize metabolic efficiency, consider changing up the work to rest ratios throughout the class. Using the Mix & Match NOW playlist to match the intervals you program is a great way to turn up the fun factor for both the instructor and participant. You don’t need a stopwatch or another app on a separate device. The Power Music pre-formatted NOW mixes have built in sound effects at the exact work to rest ratios. This means both you and your class can focus on the moves and not counting the music or looking at a timer!
Choosing Music For Your Interval Classes
Let’s dive into the Power Music NOW line to help you program an interval training class.
You have options!
- You can either use 1 of the pre-formatted NOW mixes as-is.
- You can use the Mix & Match NOW playlist already formatted with a variety of intervals.
To learn more about the formatting of each individual NOW mix, please visit the previous NOW blog posts. I highly suggest downloading and printing out all the choreography templates and then listening to the playlist while you mark off your intervals. This will help you program your moves while you become familiar with your music.
The Magic of The Mix & Match NOW Playlist
My favorite playlist from the NOW line is the Mix & Match NOW playlist found under the Power Music NOW Exclusives in the Power Music NOW app.
As the creator of MetKon Rx, a metabolic conditioning format, I like to keep the intervals changing within the class. The Mix & Match NOW playlist uses 4 different interval protocols.
- Block 1 comes from the Strength NOW playlist which incorporates the triple set circuit 45-45-60 work ratio, 30 seconds off then a 60 second power move.This block is great for full body strength training. Squat thrusters, deadlift rows, dynamic lunges, swings, and power moves are great exercises for this block.
- Block 2 ramps up the intensity and uses the HIIT NOW playlist. The work:rest ratio is 30:15 for 6 moves. This is where classes can put the FUN in functional training. Think multi-planar movement patterns, high heart rates, body weight training, and of course challenge moves.
- Block 3 is the climax of class where I like to push the limits for an all out cardio block using the Tabata NOW playlist. Tabata Training is proven effective and uses 20:10 work:rest for 8 cycles. This is where participants can tap into their inner athletes to empty the tank!
- Block 4 is time to bring the heart rate down. This block uses a 45:15 interval with 4 moves from the Strength NOW playlist. For my class, it’s a great opportunity to focus on core training, mobility, and isolated glute work.
The Possibilities For Your Interval Classes Are Endless
Whether you choose to utilize a single pre-formatted NOW mix or the Mix & Match NOW playlist, I encourage you to have fun with the programming for your classes! Let the music move you and inspire you to create an effective and efficient workout for your participants.
The Mix & Match NOW playlist is magic that combines 4 different interval protocols for 1 big class experience. If you're overwhelmed with the idea of putting together your own choreography to match these mixes, please reach out. Metkon Rx programming is available for you the instructor on a bimonthly basis and perfectly matches the formatting of the Mix & Match NOW playlist. You can email me at kamela.niskach@gmail.com or visit https://www.kamjamz.com/metkonrx for more info.
Get access to the Mix & Match NOW Playlist when you start a Power Music NOW membership!
About the Author: Kam Niskach has a doctorate in physical therapy and is the creator of the fitness format MetKon Rx. Kam is a member of the Power Music ambassador team and her programming content matches the monthly Mix & Match NOW Exclusive playlist. Kam resides in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and her 9 y/o Mini. Follow her on instagram @kamjamz. Read her full bio here.
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