“Ah, that’s music to my ears!!” The phrase signifies news that is pleasing and welcome. Music is that mysterious entity that has the power to inspire, heal, and move us to tears in sorrow and joy. There is no one person who has not enjoyed music at some point in life.  It is impossible to hold the body still when music is playing. Even a baby rocks back and forth to music.

[two_third]We all know that music permeates into every aspect of our life. There is rhythm to every activity we do; even our breathing is controlled by rhythm. Having said this it would not be wrong to emphasise that music and exercise work in tandem or that music has a significant impact on exercise. This interplay between music and exercise is not of recent origin. If we dig a little into history we realise music or sound has been used to enhance performance in team exercises or sports from ancient times. Like in the traditional snake boat race in Kerala the drums are played and the participants rhythmically chant verses to develop concentration and co-ordination. In recent times we have seen that chanting that resonates in the rugby or football grounds have provided great source of inspiration to teams and their players. Hence effect of music on exercise be it running, cycling or lifting weights in the gym is not superfluous. In this blog we will further analyse this relationship.[/two_third]

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It is interesting to examine as to why music and exercise is such an effective pairing and what effect music has on body during physical activity.

A distraction from fatigue& Elevates Mood. Music is invigorating and imbibes positive feelings in our mind and at the same time reduces negative feelings of stress, depression and anger. Exercise causes physical exertion and especially during long duration of exercise, fatigue sets in. Release of lactate or lactic acid in the muscle, increased sweating and heart rate makes exercise an arduous task. Music helps us to psychologically overcome these physical barriers by changing our perception of effort and hence resulting in a satisfying workout. In fact both music and exercise helps in release of happy chemical called endorphins in the body. The euphoric feeling caused by music and the runners “high” when running are a result of endorphins.  It not only changes the way we respond to fatigue but also helps our body to override exhaustion and pain. Research has proved that music can reduce our perception of effort by as much as 10 to 15%. (Karageoghis & Terry 1999).

Music acts at different levels. It can act as a stimulant, when the tempo is fast, it boosts us up and a slower tempo can help us calm our nerves and focus better.

Boosts Effort. Music gives a necessary impetus to exercise routine and boosts motivation. It’s not unusual for runners and participants of aerobic class to match their steps to a beat. Nature of our exercise prompts us to up or down the tempo of music to gain maximum benefit out of our workout routine. There has been an extensive body of research on this subject. In John Moore’s University at Liverpool in England in 2009, athletic performance of 12 volunteers was measured based on changing music tempos. The volunteers rode on bikes for 25 minutes and the music was played at three different intensities. During their workout the tempo was changed without informing the volunteers -10% faster and 10% slower than the normal tempo. The research concluded that the work out pace increased by 3.5% when the music tempo was increased but their strength fell to 9.8% when the tempo was reduced. Songs between 120 to 140 beats per minute (bpm) has proven to have the maximum effect on moderate exercisers.

Reverie. Listening to music puts us in a state of reverie, a state of flow or as is known in a zone. It’s as if the music is carrying us during the workout, putting us in a possessed state.

Each one of us associates with music differently. Sometimes it’s the movie or the inspirational lyrics which conjures up images from our memory. Like the theme song of the movie Rocky is a quite a favourite among gym goers as there exists a strong visual association with the song from the movie. Closer home the title song of the Bollywood movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was an instant hit among runners and athletes. So whereas for some it’s the inspirational lyrics for others what works is just the rhythm or beat of music to match their steps.

It would not be out of place to mention that research on the subject have divided exercise music into 2 different types – synchronous music which involves matching the beat of the music to the tempo of the exercise. This technique can regulate movement and even reduce the oxygen required during exercise, which means we utilise less energy for the same amount of work. This is what is usually used during aerobic activity.

In Asynchronous music, on the other hand, music is played in the background when we train or workout. Here the movements are not consciously synchronized, but the music provides psychological and ergogenic benefits.

The innate quality of music is to make us move and groove; especially the high tempo music. In fact there are forms of exercise which have been built with music as its premise or foundation like the Masala Bhangra workout. Music has even influenced the most ancient and traditional exercise form of Yoga. Having said this, though music is popular and prevalent with the Vinyasa and Anusara methods, the Iyengar style of yoga does not recommend the use of music.  Most yoga studios today play slow, soulful music which is helpful to the flow and sequence of the asanas.  It’s not just any more about listening to music to overcome pain or exhaustion, says Tom Fritz, a leading researcher in the field, it is the process of creating and controlling music in time to one’s exercise which is the trend.

Dr. Costas Karageoghis a Reader in sports psychology and Head of Music in Sport Research Group at Brunel University in west London says when music was banned in New York marathon, it created uproar and inspired London’s music marathon. This marathon uses scientifically selected music to match physical demands that an athlete experiences as they progress around the course. According to him other than being a source of distraction and altering ones mood, music can also synchronize rhythm to movement and can act as a trigger for learning certain motions and also aid with muscle memory.

It’s a bad idea to use music while running or cycling on roads. Music should not be used in a way where safety is compromised. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set regulations and standards to ensure proper noise levels are maintained in gyms and health clubs. For e.g. the standard safe volume for a member working out in the gym for 45 mins to an hour is 85db.

To conclude there exists a symbiotic relationship between music and exercise.  The use of music in our exercise routine and its resultant benefits as discussed above are not only meaningful but also quantifiable to say the least. Whether it’s a beginner or a hard core fitness enthusiast all we need is a motivating playlist to move and groove our way to fitness.

Lata Rajan,
Sr. Faculty Exercise Science at the