The study, scheduled to be published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, was sponsored by swimwear company Speedo International Ltd.

WSJ: Optimal Music for the Gym

"Exercisers fall asleep faster, suffer fewer middle-of-the-night wake-ups and have a reduced risk of sleep disorders, " says study co-author Brad Cardinal, co-director of the sport and exercise psychology program at Oregon State University.

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"When people run with music their rate of perceived exertion is lower than if they don't use music or other devices, " says Gershon Tenenbaum, director of the graduate program in sport and exercise psychology at Florida State University.

WSJ: Optimal Music for the Gym

The next explosion comes from Tim Noakes, the Discovery Health Chair of Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Capetown in a commentary ( Role of hydration in health and exercise) in which his take can succinctly be summarized as, if you get thirsty you should drink and that over-hydration is a much more common and dangerous risk to the athlete than dehydration.

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John Porcari, a professor in the department of exercise and sport science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, recently tested 42 student athletes in an experiment.

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Verheijen, who has also studied exercise physiology and sport psychology as well as taking a one-year Science in Football course, is not without his critics.

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The survey included anywhere people went to play sport or exercise - ranging from swimming pools and gyms to bowling greens and skate parks.

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There's one other crucial element that has helped draw an older crowd to the sport and has even led several businesses to use it as a corporate training exercise.

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The result is not so much a ride as another thrill sport that fits perfectly with skiing, one that has excitement, challenge and even a bit of exercise.

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