Michael: I am currently involved in a pain management program that includes "self" physical therapy excercises at home as well as bio feedback exercises. This may twist my views somewhat, but maybe not - read on. My only experience with recreational exercise relates to long distance running when I was younger. I found that I gave my best efforts when I was relaxed, not tense. I accomplished this by placing myself (my mind) in a relaxing place while I ran (I imagined that I was at a small pond in Iowa that I used to fish at when I was a child). I have discovered that music is a great way to achieve this detachment to the physical abuse (or exercise) that your body is undergoing. It's not the beat of the music that does this for me, it's the ability to get "lost" in the music. Classical music is of course great for this purpose, my favorite lately is Rossini "Comic Overtures", but popular music can also do the trick. My wife is going to order "Black Orpheus" for me from her BMG account. I have not listened to it for 15 years. Regarding the Muzak plug. We once borrowed a Muzak setup from my cousins restaurant when I was in highschool and played it non stop through a a pair of Altec Voice of the Theatre speakers at a New Year's Eve party. The sound level made your eardrums click and I wasnt kidding, it was great and everyone was smiling. Totally mindless music.
