Workout Playlist: 'Weightless'

My workout playlist is short. Very short. It's one song.

'Weightless' by Marconi Union.

No, I'm not so lazy that my workout is so short I only require one song.

It's more that, as the longest version of this particular song lasts over 10 hours, it's long enough to be the aural backdrop to whatever activity I decide to do. Not that I do exercise for 10 hours straight - I know I'm trying to be healthier nowadays, but there are limits.

I exercise in three ways - Tai Chi; yoga; running.

'Weightless' is perfect for all three. However, as I'm a novice in the first two, and still require guidance, I primarily use this song whilst jogging. At some point in the future, I hope to be able to the perform the first two activities without assistance; when I can, 'Weightless' will join me.

For now, Marconi Union's masterpiece just accompanies me whilst I force my middle-aged body to pound the streets of South Liverpool.

And it's some accompaniment.

For the uninitiated, Marconi Union are a trio of musicians from Manchester, England. If you wanted to be pedantic, you could file their music under 'ambient' but - for me - that doesn't do justice to their epic soundscapes. As for how they classify their own work? No-one really knows - the elusive threesome rarely talk to the media, preferring their catalogue to speak for itself.

They first appeared in 2003, and, from their inception, produced music that not only garnered critical acclaim, but also challenged its listeners. By turns dark, and brutal, then melodiously uplifting, they could never be accused of being boring.

Then, in 2011, came 'Weightless.'

The piece was lauded from the moment it was first heard. Even by the trio's standards, the ambient epic was a watershed achievement. What came next only elevated it further.

In a study conducted by UK neuroscientists to explore the relaxing properties of music, it was found that 'Weightless' induced a state of relaxation unmatched by any other piece.

Twenty participants were connected to bio-monitoring equipment, measuring their heart rate, skin conductance, and breathing - key indicators of stress-levels. They were then played ten songs - a selection that encompassed pop, ambient, and classical music, and was assembled using a range of websites, and personal recommendations.

The tracks included Adele's 'Someone Like You', 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack, Sigur Rôs' 'Sǣglôpur', and 'Canzonetta Sull'aria' courtesy of Mozart.

And 'Weightless.'

The tracks were played in a random order for each participant, but the consensus was clear: 'Weightless' was universally deemed to be the most relaxing track.

A consensus supported by the scientific data. Using the information harvested by the bio-monitoring equipment, 'Weightless' resulted in a staggering sixty-five percent (65%) reduction in the participants' overall levels of anxiety.

However, really, that shouldn't have come as a surprise. Because that is exactly what Marconi Union created 'Weightless' for.

Working with sound therapists at the British Academy of Sound Therapy, the group had purposefully set out to craft a track that slowed a person's heart rate, reduced their levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), and lowered their blood pressure. This is primarily achieved by the several elongated periods scattered throughout the piece of rhythmic, low tones, which deliberately encourage a trance-like state.

It's the musical equivalent of a massage.

Marconi Union have always taken the utmost care in composing their music - on 'Weightless' they took that commitment one step further, and not only stretched their musical abilities to the maximum, but also employed the science behind psychology.

And then came the extended versions.

At eight minutes long, the original was already epic enough; the longer versions take you on a relaxing journey that can last hours.

So, why is this my workout music? Surely, something faster, more upbeat would work better?

Well, it might have done twenty years ago, when I was in my twenties, and more physically able. The fact is I am now forty-six, and I had a nervous break-down last year - my physiology is still recovering: My body does not respond well when faced with anything even remotely resembling high-intensity.

Exercise is still hard for me; slow and steady is my mantra at present. I do not sprint: I jog. The calming, soothing beats of 'Weightless' allow me to fall into a gentle rhythm that not only eases the physical act of running, it also - perversely - enables me to run for longer. I can tap into that afore-mentioned trance-like state, and any difficulties are lessened.

The music also drowns out that annoying inner voice that tells me, "This is hard... I can't run for much longer..." Once that voice is quietened, my physical levels of endurance increase.

But, as much as I run for physical fitness, I also do so because it relaxes me. The link between physical and mental health is so well-documented, I do not need to labor it here. Suffice to say, jogging, as much as it benefits my physical health, also relieves my stress. It's one of the ways I combat my depression.

'Weightless' accentuates that process, adding an extra comforting blanket of relaxation. Although I know I'm actually exercising, and I finish each trek physically tired, I am also relatively calm, and relaxed by the end. It's a mental health 'win-win.'

In the future, Marconi Union will join me during those times I'm contorting my body in the name of yoga, and Tai Chi. I'm sure 'Weightless' will have the same effect with those exercises as it does when I'm running.

But, for now, I'm happy to have those three mysterious musicians from Manchester solely keep me company on my daily runs.

A company that soothes, and relaxes, me, and wraps me up in a melodious, ambient bubble. One that makes me feel 'Weightless.'

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