I’m a certified Spinning instructor,for whatever this is worth. I play “ High Hopes” for hill climb up/ come down/hill climb/come down hill/ etc. Not HIIT on a flat, but climb.
I suspect upbeat music channels the prehistoric desire to dance/move. It's probably genetic at this point. Exercise or dance when the music comes on - your choice! It does feel good.
1
This article did not discuss the volume of the music being played, or whether it made a difference in the subjects’ performance if the music was louder vs. softer. I have passed by spin classes at my gym and the music is deafening. Is it really necessary to have such loud music? I worry that we’ll have a lot of people with improved cardiovascular health who develop severe hearing loss over time due to repeated exposure. It is well known that hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia, among other things.
1
Yes, music affects workouts; I have high-energy music when running. Other activities are influenced by music as well. For example, coding software or editing film seems to work well with the same tunes as running. Whereas sleeping or relaxing calls for another type of music. Certain rhythms seem to sync with the body, change the mood, and enhance activities.
1
I am looking for an HIIT timer app that changes the music accordingly to high intensity or low intensity. Has anyone found one?
I cannot make myself ride as hard on my exercise bike without music as I can when I am taking the classes on the Peloton app. My favorite interval song is Madonna's Ray of Light.
2
This is news? Do these researchers not know about aerobic dance or spin classes? I had the first Walkman in 1979. It took me about ten minutes to realize how much more fun it made running. Now my iPhone, AirPods, and audiobooks make my walks better. I power indoor stationary bike rides with thumping music videos. I’m 75. I have 60 years of music on my playlist.
3
Any chance you can add a Spotify Playlist?
5
Hi,great post i feel realy happy when seen this post.
Theme ringtones
If not for the Walkman - now the MP3 player - I'd be but a short-distance runner. What works for me are songs that are either fast or intense. It can be rock, soul, dance or hip-hop. Reliable artists include TV On the Radio, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Angel Olsen, Radiohead, and most of Zeppelin or the Stones. Also just discovered the sublime Seratones, who veer between garage and funk on their two recent albums. High energy stuff that gets the adrenalin flowing.
2
I love classical music, too, but it doesn't get the blood pounding for me during a workout. Here are some favorites (as Gretchen asked). Starting with a previous poster's favorites, Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Stones), Back in the USSR (Beatles) and Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars). And from me: Just Dance and Poker Face (Lady Gaga), I'm a Freak (Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull)...we're not talking lyrics here, folks, just beat...On the Dance Floor (Jennifer Lopez), Stronger (Kanye West before he went all Trumpfan), International Love (Pitbull), Memories (David Guetta), Last Friday Night (Katy Perry), I Like It (Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull), and Can't Hold Us, Downtown, and Thrift Shop (Macklemore). For warm-up or cool-down, Miss You (Stones), Abbey Road or Lovely Rita (Beatles), and Fields of Gold (Sting).
1
3 20 second bursts of max effort followed by 2 min rest ?? Doctor please , to do this without at least a 20 minute thorough warm up is a prescription for poor results if not cardio disaster. And the fact that music gets you going is very old news to any one that has done intense exercise.
1
Hard rock , techno and trance music are what kept me going studying at university. I owe my diploma to the likes of Guns N'Roses, Paul Oakenfeld and Tiësto.
3
Music helps many of us stay "on track" when it comes to fitness. I've been wearing headphones to exercise since the first Walkman...jeez, that WAS a long time ago! I still remember many of the tracks I used to listen to - Level 42's "Love Games" was one of my faves. Thanks to iTunes, I have found hundreds of tracks previously lost to time that I can now listen to and get motivated with. Among them, Gentle Giant's "I Lost My Head" - progrock anyone?!? I also listen to Bach, rap, pop, drum+bass, 60s soul - anything to keep the old legs moving. Without music I would have become a couch potato a loooong time ago.
1
Research has also shown that when driving, the type of music you listen to can affect how aggressive or calm you feel. I can’t find the studies on this but I will say, I am a much more patient and chill driver when listening to Getz & Gilberto vs. Metallica.
2
Heck I could have told anyone who asked about this. I've been rollerblading about 29 years, and it's always incredibly better with headphones on or in and good music playing. Radio's fine but at the breaks I'd have to surf channels or lose some acceleration. Music improves pretty much any physical exertion, particularly with the right beat for the rhythm of your motions.
2
OK.
This may be a rehash of the whole business of some athletes dissociating from their labors via music or some other thoughts because it isn't immediately rewarding vs. others who want to focus on their long term goals and will eat the pain.
I may be totally out of bounds ...
You lost me when you admitted you love "High Hopes."
2
This is obvious...I absolutely LOVE my dance fitness classes! Great teachers use amazing playlists and choreography to do high intensity interval classes.
3
Gyms (at least the ones in New York) play dance music, which is perfect for working out. And which is why I never wear headphones, which I find distance me from my environment and get in the way of whatever I'm doing. Also, I always see people with headphones constantly futzing with them. Too distracting.
Note the first criteria: people who rarely exercised. Major conclusion: they were glad the workout was over. The scientist said high intensity workouts might be good for people who think they don't have time.
First, if you are in good physical shape and have been training for years, never listen to advice pandered by studies of people who rarely workout.
Second, play the music that motives you. For me it is zero external sound or visual distraction, just internal motivation in order to concentrate on form and breathing.
The concentration and breathing part I got Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dr Michael Colgan who conclusively found that without proper form, intensity does not achieve maximum athletic and health benefits.
I'd be inclined to extrapolate that people who rarely exercise and who are glad the workout is finally over are not going to be inclined to start longterm exercise programs even if they enjoyed one aspect of the workouts.
1
@Svirchev
For people that don't have a regular exercise regime, isn't finding something enjoyable progress? It takes a lot of training to get a "runner's high", and therefore make it a regular habit.
If listening to podcasts (or whatever) gets people to exercise regularly, that's a start. Improving form, breathing, etc. can come later. Breaking that habit barrier is key first step for a lot of people.
For years I asked Equinox management to lower the sound level of the music in the gym. The decibel levels were so high that they could do damage to your hearing per the experts. They responded that
they're research showed people did better workouts with louder music. That's fine if you don't care if you lose you hearing earlier than one would want. I had to quit the gym.
5
@Ann I agree with you entirely. I had to stop taking spin classes because the studio I went to played the music at deafening levels. (You can hear it in the coffee shop next door through a concrete wall.) I wore both earplugs and a noise cancelling headset. Nothing against music to energize one's workout but to the detriment of one's hearing is ridiculous. And it's not like they don't know it's too loud. They hand out ear plugs before class!!
3
@Ann
Amen. I like to listen to music on earbuds when I do cardio, but many gyms are blasting music so loud that it gives me a headache. It's not only volume levels, but hearing multiple streams of music at once. Equinox and other gyms should realize this isn't healthy or pleasant.
1
@Ann My Spin instructor always asks the class "is it too loud?" even though she has the volume at a reasonable level, which is loud enough to drown out 20 folks breathing hard.
Depends upon the music. Music that inspires some is an irritant to others. I personally believe that mindfulness and concentrating on what one is doing leads to the best results in exercising and everything else.
4
So on target!!!! Due to an injury I was told not to engage in my most favorite Zumba classes and hiking here in beauiful Colorado. Ride the indoor exercise bike at the gym.............ewwww what could be more unpleasant and boring. I decided to ride to the music from "La La Land". Who knew that the overture was perfect for intervals..............I just play it over and over ..............always with a smile on my face.
1
Perhaps. For me, loud music is distracting and can be REALLY annoying to the point that I will leave rather than continue the session. I doubt that I'm the only one who feels this way, and I wonder how inclusive this study was.
6
@DJAlexander
Not to mention hearing damage.
1
The article How Music Can Rev Up a High-Intensity Workout by Gretchen Reynolds caught my attention just after reading the headline. The title intrigued me because having a healthy and fit lifestyle is important. In more recent years it has become very popular to actually eat healthier foods and workout on a daily basis. By joining a gym one can take classes like a spin class or zumba. Classes like these usually include encouraging music. Exercising can be exhausting both physically and mentallly, especially when a person does not see the results right away. However, in the article, the research proved that by listening to music it can raise one’s motivation to work out. More research determined that by listening to music it may increase the amount of time one does the exercise. The research was not based solely on the physical aspect, but the volunteers emotions and physiological responses were also recorded. After four separate tests were completed, the volunteers reported enjoying exercising most when when there was music. As opposed to listening to music or nothing, people tend to listen to podcasts. It was said that podcasts were a distraction rather than a motivation while working out. Although it may seem obvious to many that music is uplifting during a high intensity workout, others may find it distracting. From reading this article, one can conclude that while listening to inspiring music rather than a podcast or even nothing that it can improve exercising overall.
Play Sandstorm by Darude and anyone with any indoor cycling experience will go wild. It’s a reflex response.
4
Wow, the Scientists of the Obvious strike again! Upbeat music makes intense activities feel and/or go better. Wow! Who woulda thunk it?
Not the "aerobics class" industry. Nope, they had no clue...those targeted BPM's music tracks that the industry has been selling to instructors for eons...that was pure happenstance. And the Hip-hop dance classes, even the "boxing" classes...using high BPM music...they had no clue. None. Weight lifters, and bodybuilders and their Bro' music, had no clue it was helping them rep-it out. Same for Cross-fit boxes. All that metal, and hard-core hip-hop. No clue!
And certainly all the runners, sprinters and cyclists...none of them ever thought their upbeat music choices was anything but them being antisocial.
"See, earbuds..not in the mood for your inane training advice, Bruh!"
Next. Tell me something I didn't know.
However, anecdotally, some podcasts keep me in the zone. When I have to pay attention to a history or in depth analysis podcast, it keeps me from focusing on my fatigue, or the aches in my muscles. But only when wearing earbuds.
And while I do favor upbeat music, for most audiences, I would lower the volume for the newbies...especially those learning new skills. They need attention to form and function. Not getting lost in the beats.
Newbies have to be properly taught the basics, and that their discomfort is expected and part of the transformation process. Instead of distracting them, they need to drill-in. Not learn bad habits.
1
In other news: water is wet.
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@Katie
Well, at least we know that it’s wet sometimes. More research is needed, don’t you think?
1
Bob Seger: Get out of Denver
1
There is always some research that starts as something that seems silly to others. However, this article describes a phenomenon that is completely self evident to virtually any person who spends any amount of time doing any kind of exercise.
Did the researchers never consider why so many people run while listening to music? Did they never visit a workout class of any kind?
And it left out the only thing of value that could have come from the research - how much additional work can be done with music vs without; how much the changing tempo or volume or styles affects the workout.
The conclusion was so entirely obvious with so many free and easily observable examples "in the wild" that it was a waste of $$. They should have gone directly to the next steps - some of which they mention:
"if music can keep people exercising intensely over the long term or if all types of music elicit the same response"
4
@Ed Watt
You hit it right on the nail. Silly research. Sadly, (omg!) Apple iPods were discontinued in 2017. The tiny iPods clasp to clothing - can go where you go - with hundreds of favorite upbeat tunes for runs, walks, dance workouts.
4
I’ve heard that Apple intends to stop supporting iTunes, and the thought is terrifying. I swim to music I’ve put on a waterproof Nano, and the quality of the workout, as well as my mood, suffer dramatically if I’ve accidentally drained the battery...what will I do when I can’t load new music with ITunes?
1
When I exercising regularly, like daily I'd listen to old Garage and Dance Classics from the 80's-90s. I always felt like I was in the club while working out.
Running is just dancing in a somewhat straight line. Running down the street listening to Martha and the Vandellas sing “Dancing in the Street”, or Pentatonix “Sing” is a joy!
2
Just added Slide and Let's Go (Calvin Harris) and Glorious and Can't Hold Us (Macklemore) to my new running playlist!
I've been using Tongue by Soilwork to get me through my 30-min cardio runs/jogs/walks. It's metal, but has a good chorus starting at the 0:50 second mark.
I choose the music first and then the exercise. If i put on the Beatles, I can bike more than 8 miles in half an hour. But if i put on Johnny Mathis, I'll do 5 or 6 miles, but they're dreamy.
4
To maintain working out 7 days a week for almost an hour I rely on a playlist. At the top is the Doors/Jim Morrison 'LA Woman' and 'Light my Fire.'
It's not for HIIT, but it keeps me comin' back for more.
3
My favorite is doing Hiit in the elliptical to the music of Hamilton the Musical. Fun and intense!!
2
I totally agree. We had one bossy couple and one gym attendant in our facility liked Classical music and they all insisted on listening until an opera was done, etc. The rest of us wanted to shoot ourselves. Something peppy please, not Macklemore our gym I suspect. I tune into Taylor Swift YouTubes "Look What you made me do", Romeo and Juliet, 18 minutes on the treadmill go fast and peppy with that energy for me. The manager put a stop to the classical stuff when there were so many complaints it became the major topic of conversation...
1
@Paula Tals
Wanna good workout? For starters: Steve Windwood, Elton John,Madonna, Bee Gees.
:)
Part of the reason Zumba classes are so popular is the music, which typically includes Latin music, pop tunes, rap, etc.--music with a good beat. Some of the Zumba steps are quite difficult and/or awkward to do, but the music makes Zumba classes a joy to attend.
7
@Sophie Thanks! I just saved a Zumba playlist to test on the treadmill.
1
Working construction for some 35+yrs., yes, good music increased output and comradery amongst the crews. Many different forms of physical labor have always benefited from a cadence and uniting beat/atmosphere.
See slave labor, farm hands, sailors of tall mast ships, military marches etc.
Pain, exhaustion, monotonous repetitively, all are eased with a good beat and something else to occupy the mind while the labor goes on.
8
I would like to see a study of exercise injuries....how many occur when, and when not listening to music.
Personally, when exercising, especially strenuously, I'd rather be paying attention to what my body is saying rather than be distracted by music.
13
@Don
But foro many of us, without music there would be No workout!
2
To echo the sentiments of many other commenters using a hackneyed but appropriate phrase, "In other news, water is wet."
But for me, metal, hard rock, or hip-hop. Clutch, Ghost, Amon Amarth, Marilyn Manson, NIN.
For hip-hop, Grieves, Brother Ali, Westside Connection, Tupac.
1
To have music playing in the background is another purpose that lets you feel more with the exercise your doing.
When I ride my bike outside I don't listen to music but take in the atmosphere or my surroundings. It's glorious.
Going up a hill and the pleasant sound of a river or a animal pushes you to conquer the exercise. It's glorious also.
To be one with nature and music and exercise, is to be one with earth and mankind.
6
No doubt music pushes you to higher intensity levels while training, Metallica, Motley Crue, Green Day and Led Zeppelin are my favorites.
I would like to see a longer term study to see if the adrenaline wears off by listening to the same playlists.
Also, most if not all of greatest sports accomplishments occurred with no music.
3
Good music makes any unpleasant activity more palatable. Doesn't matter if it's H.I.I.T., doing the dishes or getting young kids to put away their toys. Play some tunes!
7
Anyone with a working device knows this is true.
2
I hate all popular music; will only listen to opera and classical, nothing else. I will not work out in any place where I can't do it in relative calm and quiet. Without the garbage, my motivation is good; my intensity is better; and my peace of mind is great.
2
Apple Music Latin Pop Radio Station is my go to!
1
I always enjoy a fast pace on the elliptical while listening to the SiriusXM channel “Classic Rock Workouts”.
4
Jumpin’ Jack flash (Stones);Back in the USSR (Beatles); Uptown funk (Bruno Mars); and slightly slower( for example a deep -water-aerobic suspended work out): “One”, from “A chorus line”.
1
@vir2ul1
I agree with you. Silence affords a meditation and an opportunity to listen to your body.
When I was a callow lad entering high school I fatuously thought listening to "Fire" by Jim Hendrix would increase my speed when I trained. I remember I did one of these music-enhanced workouts on the day Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon. (I was way ahead of my time.)
Then I discovered I was a somewhat of an inferior athlete. It became clear that I needed an alternating combination of concentration and relaxation to keep up with elite State finalists.
I had to push myself. I had to listen to my body. This process was optimal with no distractions from music.
Yes, music can provide a rhythm, a pace. But experienced athletes have an intrinsic metronome.
1
@Wordsworth from Wadsworth
Oops, guess I'm the one with dusty synapses. After thinking about Brown and Hendrix, just had to give them a listen. The Hendrix 'fire" lyric I was remembering wasn't in Foxy Lady, the song was "Fire".
Do agree with you about listening to one's body rather than music.
1
@Wordsworth from Wadsworth
You need to dust off those aging synapses.
"Fire" was by Arthur Brown, and a pretty crazy tune.
"Let me stand next to your fire"....Hendrix, Foxy Lady.
1
My! Something which has been known for only about 5,000 years - and was extensively exploited early on by armies.
8
The first problem is that a lot people of congregating together into small rooms to exercise when they could just go outside and free themselves! Don't follow someone's insipid plan for the masses: go out and explore on foot, running, cycling, kayaking, whatever strikes your fancy. Do it often and consistently. Have fun.
I can;t think of anything worse than these exercise classes. I've been a competitive runner and racer for more than 30 years, and the time spent training outside is freedom. It benefits my brain and body equally. I will never join a class.
4
@ Peter Lemonjello
We get it that you are a first class athlete. Congrats!
Many of the rest of us just find music as a means to make our daily workouts enjoyable and we are only competing against ourselves.
3
My favorite exercise routine to music, ever, was an cassette tape called "Firm Believer". Warm-up, fast tempo and warm-down included with contemporary Christian music and classical music at the end.
1
Classical music makes me dance around the house, and is a great for walking too. I'm 77. I have a photo of me at 12 dancing to Sheherezade.
Also jazz and bossa nova are get one moving for enjoyment.
Beetheven's 7th Symphony for sure---called 'the apotheosis of the dance'---esp last movement. Anyone will move to that.
Also Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony, the march mvmnt ---irresistible.
Rossini's William Tell Overture---the Lone Ranger cowboy music---stimulating.
Mozart overture to Marriage of Figaro. Happy.
Ravel's Bolero! Hypnotic rhythm
Gershwin's Concerto in F. Jazz/classical.
Many more. They lead to enjoyment of workouts and of life.
8
@Meredith I love classical music. I'm currently playing Chopin's Ballade in Gm on piano. But when I'm working out, I want 4/4 hyped-up dance music!
My fav is Fireball by Pitbull.
3
Did they really need a study to know this?!!!
9
Stevie Nicks does it for me. And, believe it or not, the Gratful Dead.
Or, plug you ear buds into the awful news, on the treadmill or bike, and that'll get your blood boiling, and your legs pumping!
3
Yes, anger (but not depression) triggered by political news sometimes has gotten my swim workout moving!
I've known this all along. When my gym's music sound system is out, my workout is miserable. However when the music is blaring, I'm pumped, invigorated, and sweaty. I hate being encumbered with an iphone or earbuds for music and like the freedom of external sound emanating from all sides of the gym.
Fully understanding that this article is about novices and those who need nudging to work out (exact 100 percent opposite of myself). I still worry about, especially in high intensity workouts, how people don't learn their bodies, don't get good short term feedback and can get hurt. I as a seasoned vet in long endurance have constantly used music prior and post exercise to get to the goal mind set--never playing music while working out, but playing hours of music then tapping it, mostly in my (endurance) case to actually get into a slower pace, to relax, to endure--'music training' has always been a part of my endurance more than my like 400 meter repeat running pace work! Hope music can help newbies without injuries.
7
This is not news. Studies were done by doctoral students at Ohio State University as far back as the 1970s that showed the positive link between high intensity workout performance and high energy/uptempo music.
5
@Brent Rosenthal
I think high energy/uptempo music was playing when Ohio State wrestling coach Jim Jordan was sending his guys to the team doctor.
I applaud Gretchen Reynolds for her article on the benfit of music when exercising (for that matter music is an excellent alternative to the Washington swamp led by king swamp rat, potus '45'). Her story confirms what many fitness enthusiasts already know, and may promote H.I.I.T. or other fitness routines to motivate others that are "working on" getting started with firness (what we ALL need more of).
I also appreciate the suggested tracks to in the article, as well as those from other posts. I am regularly looking to expand my play list, and at the ripe "young" age of 68 (and addicted to self abuse by listening to NPR and reading the NYT in lieu of commercial radio), I'm not always in tune with current hits.
One of my favs is Armin Van Buren, and other "Trance" musicians/DJ's.
Stay fit, stay strong, stay healthy!
6
They say people prefer a sip of Pepsi but a whole can of Coke, because Pepsi is sweeter. (I just finished Stranger Things, and have New Coke on the brain.)
Anyway, I similarly have enjoyed music with exercise in the past, but eventually felt chronically bored. I found myself avoiding exercise not because of pain but because of boredom. Then, I discovered the joy of listening to action/adventure books on Audible while working out. I’ve been more motivated to exercise in the year since I began listening to page turners than ever before in my adult life!
2
I’m so doing this! Great idea. Any favorites?!
When I did elliptical, and got tired of music, I watched action movies (which I otherwise avoid). Worked pretty well, except when I dropped the player...
This is already a well known phenomenen. The relationship between humans and music and the science behind is where the research needs to go. Obviously , all these exercise classes pump out the music as they know it improves performance and participation.
2
What about the Ramones?
7
@BK Or Queen?
1
@BK
What a Wonderful World! Ramones style
Up tempo. Not loud tempo.
I not longer do group exercise classes because the music is to loud. Good music but I can hear it all across the gym.
14
That's exactly how I feel. The same is true for the Zumba music on Saturday mornings. I avoid joining groups, or listening to, their loud music.
5
@Merckx
Yes, gyms are too loud and the teachers will all be deaf soon. I wear earplugs, sometimes noise cancellation headphones and sometimes ear mufflers. I may look silly, but then I can enjoy the class.
6
Please note safe sound levels in one of your columns.
9
I’ve long understood this. In my case, aggressive heavy metal is mandatory for a tough workout.
2
@The Buddy I love listening to the Rolling Stones "Beast of Burden" when weight- lifting!
1
You don’t have to look any farther than Mick and Keith to figure this out. Heck, I can’t think of any overweight rock stars. Maybe Meatloaf..
7
@Margaret Doherty. How about Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Axl Rose, Vinnie Paul, Paul Baloff, Ann Wilson… There are many.
4
I will never understand why there are studies that validate commonly known things like this...
Maybe there should be a study on how many useless studies are done.
32
@SteveRQA
I guess there are studies because many "commonly known things" are often wrong. And even if they are right the hows and the whys and the wherefores of them might not be known.
6
When I do more demanding workouts I primarily listen to opera arias like ' Nessum Dorma' from Puccini's Turandot or 'Habinera' from Bizet's Carmen or 'Queen of the Night' from Mozart's The Magic Flute, since I find Rock music gets me so revved up that I usually over do it and then later regret it.
5
@Birddog
People are often surprised when I tell them I do cardio to Beethoven. I tell them to try and keep pace with the 1st and 4th movements of the 7th Symphony and then get back to me.
6
@jim....classical inspires me to dance around the house, and is a great for walking too.
B's 7th for sure---called 'the apotheosis of the dance'---esp last movement. Anyone will move to that.
3
Really???
Why did no one think of this before???
Where did the funds for this study originate?
8
It appears as though the author missed out on the whole Richard Simmons era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9ZZ4ZjVa8
17
Duh! They needed to do a whole, big study to figure that out? What a waste of money and time!
16
@S. L. : I TOTALLY agree with you. Kind of obvious. But... I'll take the faves recommendations!
2
@S. L. Did you bother to read the article? “Of course, this was a small, brief study.” and “They first recruited 24 adult men and women who rarely exercised, invited them to a university exercise lab, fitted them with heart rate monitors, and introduced them to the one-minute workout.”
The study attempted to find out if music benefits those who rarely workout. It was small, 24 people.
Because the study confirmed something you anecdotally knew it was a waste of time and money? Was it your money and time that was “wasted”? Please point where in the article it states exactly how much the study cost.
5
Irene Cara’s What a feeling, from the movie Flashdance is a great HIIT song,
7
better now by collective soul
I can’t be the only one who gets “cranked” listening to up tempo music with a steady beat when out walking. I start with some marches and get a good rhythm going with the blood pumping and then a selection of oldies but goodies with a good beat. Eric Clapton, ZZ Tops, etc.
6
I would suggest a study of hearing acuity in group exercise instructors. I suspect there’s hearing loss in this group. Does OSHA regulate gyms for noise?
11
@Hal I'm convinced it's an "age" factor Hal. I'm 68 and teach Spinning, H.I.I.T., Circuit, Body Pump and other fitness formats. Without exception (at least for the most part), the younger group members (20's) want loud pounding volume, and the "elders" want the high tempo, but at non-rock concert volume. And I cater to the elders. Some of the younger folks switch to a younger instructor with the high volume but, interestingly, many stay when they realize that volume does not necessarily dictate the upbeat tempo of the fitness format.
8
@Hal just stopped teaching body pump and spinning. One requirement for teaching the new cycling format at my gym (not spinning) was cranking the music up LOUD! I have tinnitus and hearing loss no doubt caused by teaching fitness classes for 15 years. So yes we should all turn down the music.
7
When the author notes that "our bodies tend to sync with rhythms from the world around us, especially the rhythms of music" that is the well documented rhythm response of which I take full advantage when I teach my indoor cycle classes.
Music in the low 60s bpm range works well in the warmup phase and music in the 70s bpm and higher is fun and effective as the intensity progresses during my classes.
I cue the cadence count when we go to our standing postures which helps those who can't always pick up the beat by themselves.
Radar Love is a favorite of some who like its slower start and build up to a brisk and strong finish.
5
Oh yes! Radar Love! Forgot that one, I’ll have to dig it up!
As an avid cyclist and a man who finds his way to the gym daily, I can say I view my EDM playlist as the only workout fuel I need. Syncing with the rhythms creates a synergy that I did not know existed until a year ago. I can say my productivity and energy level easily doubles when listening to music compatible with high-energy workouts. I recommend coupling a playlist of your favorite upbeat songs with a pair of high-quality earbuds and the rest will fall into place!
10
@Mark Great idea. What's on your playlist?
3
@Mark Armin Van Buren is one of my EDM/Trance favs. And I find many other artists from Armin's "State of Trance" albums (easy to find on ITunes).
super interesting and validating. my only form of exercise really is road cycling. being in a gym is torture for me. i L-O-V-E listening to music, but that would be inherently dangerous in traffic. recently i purchased a bone-induction set of headphones (!), so they are not placed in my ear. i can essentially listen to music and traffic simultaneously. i have found that periodically my pace is much higher (or faster) when i am listening to music. sometimes it's conscious! like if it shuffles to a particular tune i'm loving at the moment, i am immediately out of the saddle and pushing it hard up a hill. love it!!
2
@kklotzle - That would drive me nuts. If I hear music, I have to be in time and Seattle hills do not always agree with James Brown. If I listen to one song at one tempo and then a new one comes on, I have to match. Its great if I have a good dj mix but I just listen to all of the horns blaring at me:)
3
@tom harrison ha! i get it. needless to say, my wife is not a fan. also, it should be stated that most of the time i am riding through french countryside, so...not a whole lot of traffic.
1
The NYTimes science section never disappoints. Is there a new study based on a very small sample size?
"They first recruited 24 adult men and women"
You bet there is! But wait, is the writer smart enough to recognize that this sample size is small enough to mean very little but lazy enough not to care?
"Of course, this was a small, brief study"
Absolutely! But wait, maybe this week's lazy story can be special. Does it only confirm something that everyone already knows? And by everyone, I mean tens of thousands of commercial gyms, tens of millions of people who exercise, and even scientists who have already done a lot of research on this very topic.
"A wealth of past science suggests that listening to music changes how we experience exercise of all types, nudging us to feel less bored or tired and more motivated."
Yes again!
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@Locho Better safe than sorry. You can never be too sure. At least now we can feel a bit more secure in listening to music while working out. I had a niggling concern that it might actually be detrimental.
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Oops - I meant “Let’s Get Loud” by JLo.
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Yes, “Let’s Get Loud” good workout music
Up next: wearing clothes makes people feel warmer!
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2 2=4 has a detailed mathematical proof to evidence the claim. To say something is true, you have to prove it, no matter how obvious it seems to an individual observer.
Public understanding of science needs some improvement.
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@X
In theory, perhaps.
But in reality, there are some things for which our long term experiences are just as valid as any external recorded “data.”
This is one of those things. There are some things that everybody just knows, based on years of experience, observation and plain old common sense.
I have been eating ice cream for many, many years, and have seen and spoken with many many others who have done the same. I think it is fair to conclude on this basis that ice cream tastes good.
I don’t know that having 24 other people add their experiences via a new study would be at all meaningful.
Cogito ergo sum. As a thinking being with consciousness that exists, I know music adds to a workout as described in the article because, like, well, duh.
Billy on.
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Alabama Shakes Don’t wanna fight. Red Hot Chili Peppers Especially in Michigan. Any Tina Turner Revolution by Dr. john. Jailer by ASA. Cry Baby by Cage the Elephant. The Long Way Around by the Dixie Chicks. Dance Yrself Clean- LCD Soundsystem.
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I like banging rock music - my current list is Seether, Linkin Park, Staind, Breaking Benjamin and Disturbed. A little Nickelback as well and I actually have a One Direction song as well (yea - kinda all over the place) I like things with the same rhythm that I run with but good drummers are always my deal. (By the way - I am a 62 yr old grandmother)
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Brahms' symphonies and concertos are the hot ticket to get me really pumping!
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“Let’s Get Physical” by Jennifer Lopez and The Beatles’s “Twist and Shout” work for me every time.
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They should study the concept of entrainment while driving a car. I keep a French pop cd in my car that has a brisk latin beat to it, and it keeps me awake and alert while driving long distances. Yesterday I had the car radio set to classic jazz and started getting drowzy on my two hour drive. I switched to the French cd and immediately perked up, staying alert the rest of the way home. My body wasn’t exercising since I was driving a car, but something definitive in my brain changed gears and made for safer driving. Studying this effect could save lives on the highway and elsewhere.
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@Ann
Just like I have running tracts, I have a number of "driving" tracts. I find some music makes me far too aggressive as a driver (I am not usually an aggressive driver), and while it does keep me awake, I think it makes me more dangerous behind the wheel. There is nothing intrinsically aggressive about the pieces in question. Eg, Vivaldi's Four Seasons is one of those pieces. meanwhile, other very lively pieces like Beethoven's piano concertos and perfect to drive to. So I can imagine certain pieces might help people train, but others might be dangerous because they will encourage them to push beyond what is safe and injure themselves.
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Now *that* is a useful suggestion!
And then there’s that scary music/violence association from “A Clockwork Orange”. Eew
To every YMCA, gym, spa, or health club in the world: PLEASE STOP THE (blaring) MUSIC!! I don’t begrudge people listening to whatever they want to when then workout, but that’s why God invented earbuds and a personal listening device!! I do resent it when I walk into one of these facilities for a quiet workout (my personal preferences) only to be subjected to “workout music” blaring so loudly over the PA/stereo system that I can’t even block it out wearing my noise cancelling headphones.
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@Apparently Getting To Be An Old Geezer Not to mention the hearing damage it can cause! I never go to a spin class or HIIT workout without my earplugs.
It's insane how we all know the effects of loud noises on our hearing, but studios still blast music at such unsafe levels.
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@Apparently Getting To Be An Old Geezer
I wear earplugs and huge mufflers – I put a sticker on the side that says "I heart my hearing" The classes are ridiculous! What kills me is when there's music from a spin class that's so loud it bust through the walls of a meditative yoga class.
They will all be deaf. Amazed gyms don't get sued by the instructors.
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Fascinating! I have a suspicion that music makes other things enjoyable too. I’ll be checking The Times everyday to see if science bears this out.
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At my gym all treadmills have a TV. Anyone done a study on that? Cartoons and sports games make me walk the fastest - when the running back runs down the field with ball I go faster. Same with basketball, baseball or soccer players running. All cartoons have some running - Puppy Dog Pals Bingo & Rolly are always running, pedaling or dancing when on a mission.
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@Sheela Todd, I know that I will stay on the elliptical trainer longer and with more effort if my basketball or football sports teams are playing... not so much with baseball.
Action movies (which I normally hate) helped my workouts.
That pretty much sums up the problem with baseball for me...maybe it would work better with yoga?
This is why Peloton is so great.
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@Riley2
This is why Peloton has downgraded its music and has major legal problems. Apparently it didn't occur to them that might need to pay artists for using their music as an integral part of their business model.
https://gizmodo.com/peloton-pissed-off-music-execs-and-now-it-might-have-to-1833431663
https://gizmodo.com/terrible-tunes-peloton-users-furious-after-luxury-fitn-1834280999
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I run a low impact HIIT studio in Newton MA. Taste is a factor. We’ve found a couple tracks that cut across the wide array of music genre preference; “Hey Ya” by OutKast, “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna, “Hush” by Kula Shaker, “Best Friend” by Sofi Tukker. “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow, “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley.
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Thanks for a pro tip
When I used to walk to work, my favorite song to listen to was "Get Back" by The Beatles. I found myself picking up the pace while listening to it so I used to put the song on "repeat."
That’s great, but in group exercise classes the music is usually played at an excruciatingly loud volume. Ruins much of the benefit of music.
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I understand how music can provide the motivation to get one through intense, repetitious workouts and runs. But with 37 years of running, walking and cycling experience behind me, driven by many playlists, I now find the music to actually distract from an opportunity to feel a meditative sensation that occurs when I workout in silence and focus on the rhythm of my breathing and repetitions or footsteps. It’s as if I’m getting a workout on the inside and outside at the same time, combining physical fitness with meditation in a way that clears my head, puts me in touch with my body and relaxes me. I've come to feel that no tune can match the uplifting sensation I get from this internal “melody”.
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I saw an ad for a Sony Walkman in October 1979 and when my mom asked what I wanted for Xmas, I told her about it.
When I opened it Xmas morning, my dad, an early electronic gadget fan, said, “That’s the Mercedes of players.” I felt kind of bad for asking for such an expensive gift, until he pulled out a second one. “I liked it so much I bought one for myself.”
I took it running, but quickly discovered that bouncing it caused it to skip, so I rigged something that tied it close to my chest, which fixed the problem.
I have had any number of portable devices since. I used pounding beats to lessen the pain of intense indoor bike and treadmill workouts. A bud in one ear let me listen to NPR on my bike commutes to work. Note: ONE ear.
Forty years later I listen to audiobooks and podcasts on long hikes and bike-path rides on an iPhone. The pounding techno on YouTube training videos still powers some intense indoor workouts.
And researchers are just now discovering the effects of music on workouts? Work songs, marching cadences, and other means of lessening the boredom of physical exertion through music have been around since people learned to make rhythmic noise.
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Although I wrote about how this finding was so basic for many of us, in truth, decades ago, when I first started working out, information was contradictory. Over the long haul, yes music can help, but I have seen studies of, and experienced this myself, where the best performances were done without music. It can distract from engaging in high-level performance.
During my regular day-to-day sessions, music has helped in the long haul - I have often considered my workout a rare chance to really enjoy hard-driving music - but when I've needed to perform during timed pieces, either rowing or running, music would become a distraction. It doesn't allow one to focus on one's body, rhythm, and technique. The same distracting and motivating effect useful for day to day is anathema to performance.
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@James Igoe This is the truth. Music is great when your run (or whatever) is just meant to just get your heart rate up for a sustained 30-60 minutes. But if you are really trying to perform, it's a distraction.
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It’s hilarious how every generation thinks they invented something new or they have what they think is astounding news for the rest of us. Or worse, university dilettantes get paid to “research” something most Boomers have known for decades: *of course* listening to upbeat music makes the workout more tolerable and perhaps effective. How in the world does anyone do it otherwise, especially if you’re an everyday exercise fan? Books on tape are good for weight lifting but for the dread-mill, only upbeat music keeps me on it for more than 30 minutes.
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It was hardly just boomers that already knew this!
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@TurandotNeverSleeps Next thing you know they're going to find out that sex has benefits.
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I find some of these columns so banal. Seriously? I guess there are enough novices or people that need to be reminded to make this useful.
I've been working out for over 30 years, and music has always been a part of my workouts, using intensity to help mediate work pacing and tempo. During the 90's I would make CD,s, but now I have playlists, available on my phone and my iPad.
As an example, for rowing, I have some for long pieces and others for intervals. Since low-intensity workouts can increase reading retention, I sometimes pair light spin sessions with nonverbal techno or classical for reading on my iPad. I use YouTube playlists as well, and I have found skateboard videos paired with music to be invigorating - something about the feeling of speed going downhill - as well as simple music videos, useful during my ski erg, elliptical, and spin sessions.
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@James Igoe
Skateboard videos! I’ll look for those.
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Earth Wind and Fire has worked for me for years!
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This is my experience 100%. I get a great workout with upbeat music. When watching a show, or nothing, my workout is mediocre. I use a heart monitor and can see a massive difference when I have music playing.
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I listen to BBC4 humor podcasts when I'm at the gym and in the only person smiling who's doing aerobic exercise. Once in awhile I laugh out loud because they're so funny. I couldn't work out on the elliptical machines without these podcasts.
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Comedy podcasts for the Monday subway commute!
I can hardly work out at all without music. I even have music to lift weights. Both of my children are the same, but my husband finds it does nothing for him. He enjoys listening to music, but not when exercising. I wonder why some people don't respond to music in the same way as most of us.
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The study's authors might want to spend some time looking at what pediatric occupational therapists know about sound and movement.
Impacting the auditory system with rhythm will stimulate the vestibular system since they are the same sensory organs. The vestibular system does more than balance us. It synchs up timing and spatial awareness.
Entrainment isn't the only way sound affects motor output. The use of strong rhythms will affect bilateral control and motor timing exclusive of actual muscle movement. Yes, you can get your brain in synch without moving. But when you do move, the results can be more efficient movement with less conscious effort.
Perhaps the researchers would like to chat with some occupational therapists. We have been using sound to impact movement for decades.
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Or talk to someone who went to aerobics classes in the 90s! The music made them tolerable!
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