Perhaps you have heard the saying “Music makes everything better” and wondered what they meant. This saying is nothing but the truth because it’s possible to incorporate music into every aspect of human living including your physical fitness and workout.
Your favorite music and impressive beats are useful for more than just dancing during your leisure time. Music had been determined to have performance-boosting effects. In case you hadn’t noticed, music has been banned from professional races or marathons.
This is due to the effect it could have on anyone who’s trying to win themselves a medal. The right type of music is powerful enough to give some level of advantage and make you last longer during a tough workout.
In fact, many people opt to use music to make their workouts more fun and serve as motivation. There’s a lot of science behind this too. Let’s take a look at the role of music in fitness and what it does to your workout.
Music Motivates And Gets You Started
There are times where you may feel not in the best mood for your workout. Even if you don’t like wearing your exercise clothes and workout shoes or don’t want to leave the home, music can add spring to your step.
Music will motivate you and get you going. According to a study, music can help you get started on a run and will push you to keep going.
Music Makes Workout More Enjoyable
Have you ever been to a spin class where heavy beats were played? You’ll notice the difference in doing your routines without music. By simply listening to the beats of the song, you’ll be able to focus more on the activity.
According to a study, listening to music is more effective in easing a workout than watching a video without audio. This is because you’re able to lose yourself in the lyrics of the music and clear your mind of any disturbing thoughts.
Another study revealed that a great playlist can prevent you from over-exerting yourself during exercise. It would help you reduce how hard you think you’re working yourself and it’ll seem less difficult. However, it’s important that you like the song in question.
Music Can Have a Calming Effect
Workout routines vary between simple and intense sessions. Music isn’t only good for the tough times, it’ll also calm you down and make you focus. While the beats and lyrics may be a contributing factor to this, it can change the feel of your entire exercise.
Slow music with 80 – 115 BPM is effective in slowing your heart rate and eliminates anxiety before a race or during a slower routine.
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Music Helps Your Body Move In Sync
Music isn’t all about dancing and wriggling to the tunes. Regardless of the type of movement, you’re making, music helps you move rhythmically. With the beats, you can time your movements unconsciously.
According to a study, listening to music you like increases the electrical activity in parts of the brain that help you coordinate your movements. Due to this, a good beat makes an aerobic or HIIT class better.
Music Aids Fatigue Recovery
Music is a way to drop your heart rate and recover from the accumulated buildup faster. According to a study that involved 60 participants discovered that slow music reduces your heart rate, and hastens your recovery time faster than with fast music.
Another study with 12 participants revealed that fast music can improve your intensity while slow music helps you relax from a strenuous workout.
Due to this, the chances of cardiac arrest are reduced in athletes and speeds up your recovery. The best songs will relieve you of stress. Stress keeps you from recovering and disturbs your performance.
Music Helps With Cadence and Helps To Prevent Injury
This is great news for runners. Listening to the right type of music can help you get the right level of cadence and reduce injury to yourself.
A high cadence has been associated with lower injury rates in long-distance runners. Those small steps you take are perfect to keep your body aligned and prevent flashing your foot against the floor.
A study has revealed that music with BPM between 130 – 200 BPM was able to speed up and minimize their footfall. It’s therefore important that you aim to listen for music between 160 – 180 BPM. If you’re a runner aim for this type of music during your practice.
Music Drives You
Do you feel unable to progress past a certain level? Why don’t you try starting out your next session with some music? It’s really gonna make everything better.
According to a study, participants were found to work harder while listening to music. People were even able to keep up with intense performances without any complaints when jamming their favorite tunes.
Many studies have proven the effect of music during repetitive or intense workout routines. Playing your best tunes can cause you to work harder without overexerting yourself. To put it simply, music can make your regular routine feel simpler or less intense.
The reason behind this reaction is unclear but some scientists have attributed it to the metronome effect caused by good music. The right song will take your mind off a tough task or help you maintain a steady pace or both.
Jams Can Amp You Up
Yes, it’s been established that music can push you to work harder. However, the rhythm and volume of the song can make you perform harder. The feeling the music provides is crucial.
There’s no general workout music for anyone. It’s usually about what you like to listen to. Your favorite music can flashback memories and lyrics that intrigue makes you more powerful.
Music is a great workout partner. It will make you perform better. However, there are limits to the wonders of music.
It won’t push you beyond your physical limits but will ensure that each workout season yields better results and you can maintain your focus for longer.