Working out with music isn’t just fun—it’s a game-changer! The right beat boosts energy, blocks fatigue, and keeps you pumping on! 🎵 💪
Let’s face it—working out in silence feels like punishment. The sound of your own heavy breathing, the clanking of weights. That one guy grunting like he’s summoning a demon. Then you throw on your headphones, a killer playlist, and you’re in beast mode. Suddenly it’s victory time, your squats feel like a movie.
Well truth be told—it isn’t all in your head. Research has consistently shown that working out with music can boost performance, increase endurance, and even reduce the very perception of exertion. Indeed Scientific American notes that “Music distracts people from pain and fatigue, elevates mood, increases endurance, reduces perceived effort and may even promote metabolic efficiency. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer and swim faster than usual—often without realizing it.”
“Listening to music while exercising doesn’t just relieve boredom — it can help improve the quality of your workout by increasing your stamina and putting you in a better mood,” says the NCHR.
So whether you’re lifting, running, or just trying to survive a spin class, the right beats can push you further, faster, and with way more swagger than you had before.
Working Out With Music—10 Reasons to Crank It Up
The following list outlines some of the key advantages of working out with music:
1. Boosts Motivation and Focus
Working out with music increases motivation, making workouts feel more engaging and enjoyable.
2. Reduces Perceived Effort
Research shows that listening to music can make workouts feel easier by distracting you from fatigue and discomfort.
3. Boosts Endurance
Runners who listen to music are able to go longer without feeling as exhausted.
4. Improves Performance and Output
A study found that weightlifters performed more reps and lifted heavier weights when listening to music. Runners and cyclers also experience increased output.
5. Synchronizes Movement for Efficiency
Exercising to a beat boosts rhythm and coordination, making movements smoother and more efficient.
6. Triggers Feel-Good Chemicals
Music stimulates dopamine production, which enhances mood and reduces stress.
7. Helps Maintain Optimal Pace
Music with a steady tempo was found to helps runners and cyclists maintain a consistent speed.
8. Blocks Fatigue Signals
Music can override brain signals that indicate tiredness, helping you push through longer workouts.
9. Boosts Recovery & Reduces Stress
Studies indicate that slow, calming music post-workout can lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation.
10. Makes Exercise More Enjoyable
A study found that people who work out with music report greater overall enjoyment, making them more likely to stick to their routine.
In addition, a study reported by Scientific American showed that “participants who cycled in time to music required 7 percent less oxygen to do the same work as cyclists who did not synchronize their movements with background music.”
Research
According to a 2023 review of music and physical activity (PA), “empirical data indicate that listening to music during acute bouts of PA positively alters affective valence (feeling good versus bad), reduces perceived exertion, and improves physical performance and oxygen utilization efficiency.”
Another report found that “faster-paced music tends to help improve athletic performance when a person engages in low-to-moderate level exercise, either by increasing distance travelled, pace, or repetitions completed.”
And when it comes to tempos, a study showed that “in order to achieve the best performance for cycling (which was calculated by measuring exercise intensity through heart rate), the preferred tempo is between 125 and 140 beats per minute (bpm).” Another found that “the best music tempo for enhanced performance on the treadmill is between 123 and 131 bpm.”
Therefore, working out with music isn’t just about making exercise more enjoyable—it’s a scientifically backed way to enhance performance, motivation, and endurance. So whether it’s a hard-driving track for HIIT training or a steady rhythm for a long run, the right soundtrack most definitely can boost your jam. 🎵 💪
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High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
The medical and health topics covered on the PlateofGrass website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to prevent or cure any disease. This article and its content is presented ‘as is’ for informational purposes only.
