Derek Beres – a yoga practitioner, DJ and music producer – has created a class called Flow Play for fitness company Equinox. The class showcases choreographed playlists that have been designed to incorporate scientific research and understanding about how music and movement influence brain chemistry.

Launching on 1 October at Equinox locations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, the class was developed following Beres’ experience of yoga teachers unknowingly mismatching songs to poses.

“I had been in classes before where you’re in a flow and they’re playing classical Indian music,” Beres told wellandgood.com. “That kind of music has been shown to lower levels of cortisol in the blood, relaxing you. So, if you’re in the middle of a physically challenging flow, it’s sending confusing messages to the brain.”

Beres collaborated with musician-producer Philip Steir to create a 30-page manual that outlines the relevant science and how to apply it – providing access to an accompanying resource archive of research, videos and books.

“The goal is to empower teachers with some of that research and knowledge so that they can make the best possible use of the music in class,” said Beres.

Mainstream music should be avoided because if people recognise it, they will be taken to places in their lives rather than there in the moment, according to Beres – who prefers bass and percussion in his yoga playlists, rather than high-pitched sounds and too much treble."