Ajit Karn
The benefits of workout music: We are all aware that listening to music enhances the enjoyment of a workout, but research has disclosed a number of additional benefits of using headphones during exercise.
Whether we’re running, lifting weights, or attending a gym class, one thing is certain: music makes working out simpler.
Everyone has a compilation or album that gets them in the mood for exercise. It is common knowledge that listening to music during an exercise boosts our motivation and energizes us to move. But why do music and exercise complement one another so well?
Previous research has given us a few hints. In particular, a meta-analysis conducted by researchers from the University of Southern Queensland and Brunel University and titled Effects of Music in Exercise and Sport: A Meta-Analytic Review revealed that, in addition to making exercise more enjoyable, listening to music while exercising can have a number of other positive effects.
ASICS recently collaborated with poet Charly Cox and producer Auntie Flo to create a spoken word recording titled Nothing Feels Better, in an effort to encourage more individuals to exercise for their mental health.
The track, which is currently available for streaming, integrates sound techniques designed to elicit feelings of motivation, as well as chords and frequencies proved to increase endorphins. It is also set to an exact bpm that replicates the rhythm and tempo of movement.
Undoubtedly, music has a potent effect on us all, particularly during physical activity. Continue reading to learn how listening to your favorite songs can enhance your workout. Here are defining The benefits of workout music.
The benefits of workout music
1. Music can boost our mood
Multiple studies have demonstrated that music has the ability to make us feel good by evoking positive emotions and assisting us in recalling pleasant recollections, and this has some bearing on how music aids us during exercise.
The “dissociative strategy” employed by listening to music allows us to tune out the pain or exertion of the workout and tune into the pleasant memories and emotions that are playing in our heads, making it simpler to continue.
2. Music can enhance physical performance
There is a reason why we all know that listening to an uplifting song can help motivate us during a workout (Juice by Lizzo, anyone?). According to the study, music can improve physical performance because it increases output. However, what does this mean?
“When listening to music, your body naturally wants to move to the beat and tempo of the song,” explains Dr. Victoria Williamson, a music psychologist. “Producer Auntie Flo replicated the tempo of running in the Nothing Feels Better recording with a bpm of 127 beats or steps per minute (a normal adult’s heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 bpm).
“When listening to a song at this tempo, listeners will be compelled to move to the beat, which will ultimately inspire them to move.”
3. Music makes exercise seem easier
As previously stated, music can make exercise seem simpler because it allows us to tune out the discomfort and concentrate on the positives. This has numerous benefits, most notably increasing our motivation to exercise.
After all, it makes sense that we would want to avoid something that causes us discomfort – a workout – but by listening to music, we create in our neurons a positive association with exercise. This positive association makes the decision to exercise in the future much simpler, as we no longer have the negative/painful associations holding us back.
4. Music can improve physiological efficiency
You inquire, “What is physiological efficiency?” The study found that music increases blood flow and decreases the amount of oxygen required to perform at the same level of intensity without music, allowing the body to work harder without suffering the consequences. Easy as pie.
Also read: 6 Benefits of Listening To Music While Working Out
5. Music is a natural stimulant
Do you lack energy? According to Dr. Williamson, connecting in your headphones may provide the necessary boost.
“Music is ergogenic, which means it stimulates cardiovascular activity similar to the effects of caffeine,” she explains. Caffeine and music both stimulate the pleasure reward centres of the brain, unleashing the feel-good chemical dopamine.
So the next time you’re having trouble getting started at the exercise, use your headphones as motivation.
It turns out that music could be the greatest gym companion you’ve ever found.
