The Beat Goes On

Forget energy gels, scientists say listening to music can help you train harder, faster and more easily

Sound like music to your ears? Here’s how to amp up your next workout

Ever tapped your foot to the beat of a drum, or nodded your head to a catchy tune? As humans, we are hard-wired to respond to rhythm.

Numerous studies agree that a link exists between music and athletic performance. A study conducted at Keele University in England found playing your favourite tunes while training reduced exertion levels and reportedly increased a sense of “being in the zone.” While another 2020 study in Frontiers in Psychology showed that listening to music reduced the perceived effort of endurance exercise.

What scientists have found is that the external stimulus of music is actually able to block internal stimuli, such as fatigue, from telling your brain how tired you are in the middle of a workout. When a person’s perception of how hard they are training is diminished, they feel like they can train faster, for longer.

Dr. Jasmin Hutchinson, an associate professor of exercise science and sport studies, who has authored multiple studies on the link between music and exercise performance, told Runners World in 2018.

Thanks to an effect known as Auditory Motor Synchronisation, Hutchinson says matching your stride, stroke, or cadence to a particular beat can even help you better regulate your pace and iron-out any slight nuances to your movement, leading to more efficient technique.

In other words, music has been scientifically proven to help people go further and faster, for less perceived effort. Want to see for yourself? Here’s our guide to getting the most out of your music.

Be specific. Sticking on any old playlist is unlikely to make you feel like you’re hitting the high notes in your next training session. Just like nutrition, or clothing, it's all about tailoring your music choice to the physical demands of the exercise. Going for a long run, row or cycle and want to go further? Choose music that you genuinely like. The kind of songs you would naturally sing or hum along to. Going for a shorter period and want to improve your time? Look for an upbeat, driving tempo in your music. Not necessarily the songs you would sing along to, but ones that triggers increased arousal and motivation.

Sync-up. An effect known as Auditory Motor Synchronisation means matching your movement to a particular beat can help you to train more efficiently and easily. If you want to go hard, regardless of your actual speed, look for songs that are 130-140 beats per minute (bpm). This tends to work for most people while, research says, anything over 150 bpm tends to be too fast. Doing for a gentle workout? Opt for something of a calmer tempo, below 120bpm.

Pre-play. We all have days when motivation wanes from time to time. If your struggling to get yourself fired up, Costas Karageorghis Ph.D., a sports psychologist who studies music’s positive influence on athletes, says that compelling songs can help people get into an optimal mindset before exercise and make them more likely to do that dreaded training session. Scientists have found music can even improve mood, concentration and confidence. If you have a race, music can be used to either fire you up or calm your nerves before the start – depending on what works for you. Don't suffer in silence.

Find what speaks to you. It's not all about tempo. Psychology is everything when it comes to reaching your best performance, so look for lyrics that motivate and move you next time you want to push yourself. Particularly look for songs or words that, for whatever reason, might have strong positive associations for you. You might have songs that remind you of winning or good times, save those for your toughest workouts or race day.

Switch-on. Remember, no matter how ‘in the zone’ you might feel, your traffic awareness will be significantly impaired when training outside while listening to your headphones. Stay alert, keep your eyes peeled and keep the volume just below that of passing cars if possible. Consider saving your most headbanging tunes for training indoors.

Rewind. A study by Brunel University in London found that listening to the right kind of music post-workout helped subjects get the most out of their exercise. Just as hard, driving, beats can lift your performance, calming music can help kickstart the all-important recovery process. In particular, 20 to 30 minutes of slow, sedate music after a workout can help bring down heart rate, blood pressure and reduce cortisol levels in the body post-exercise, meaning you should recover more quickly for your next workout. Psychologists say music can even help you remember your workout more fondly, making you more likely to want to repeat the experience.