31 Jan Listening to Music for Workout – Can It Improve Your Results?
Whether it’s a gym or a park, you can always see people working out with their headphones or earphones on. Some of them might be talking or listening to music, podcasts, or the news while indulging in a sweat session.
While multi-tasking might be your forte as well, the question you should be asking is…
Can listening to music improve your workout or have any effect on the overall performance of the task at hand?
According to mainstream opinion, listening to music has an overall positive effect on the listener’s mood.
On the contrary, many people do not like to get distracted while working out.
For such people, listening to music all day long may not be a remedy for stress management and just be a distraction. They may focus more on the music of silence rather than listening to the music by Beyonce or Taylor Swift all day long!
Additionally, not listening to music while working out may also promote better focus.
Clearly, the viewpoint is divided when it comes to assessing the effects of listening to music while working out. And while there are innumerable positive effects of music on your senses, this blog will particularly focus on the effects of music on exercise performance.
Can Listening to Music Improve Your Workout?
A study released by the Oxford University Press talks about the major positive effects that music can have on you while performing your daily exercises.
It states various advantages of listening to music, including:
- a boost in motivation,
- easing the stress,
- helping you to fight fatigue, and
- improvement in your overall mood and mindset.
Music also has a psychological effect on you. It helps the mind relax while also improving the functioning of the brain with those beat drops!
People tend to listen to music when they are in a very good mood or an extremely bad mood. Music might help you in every situation, whether it’s a long drive or a party as there is music available to listen to for almost everything and everyone.
But, on the other hand, an article by the Art of manliness reflects on some of the negative aspects of listening to music while exercising. It discusses the major concerns people might face when they listen to music and work out simultaneously.
Music can be very soothing no doubt, but wouldn’t it distract you while you perform certain activities that require dedicated focus? This is a question to think about.
Research shows that when people listen to music while performing extra sensitive activities, it tends to divert their minds away from the task at hand. It often makes you lose your focus and makes you more nervous or anxious.
Confused? Well, that’s obvious. Here are the pros and cons of listening to music while performing your exercises or while working out so that you can decide which option is best for you from now on, exercise with or without music.
Pros and Cons of Listening to Music While Working Out
Listening to music may have some positive effects on you while performing your regular workout.
It may impact your emotional brain, help to alleviate pain, motivate you while performing a difficult exercise, or even make you forget the stress and anxiety that lingers on when you overthink while performing some relaxing activities.
To know more about such plausible positive effects, jump to the next segment.
Pros of Music While Working Out
A pumped-up rhythm can be the inspiration you need to outdo your last performance records. Additionally, it can have the following advantages:
#1. Follow the Beat
Music has a tremendous effect on your overall performance. It helps your mind to ease a little so that you can focus on the task at hand.
Music beats and rhythm have a scientific effect on the functioning of your brain. It adapts the rhythm and sound of the music, which relaxes you and uplifts your mood.
Moreover, your brain synchronizes with the song or music playing around you, activating control over your body movement.
According to the article about the relationship between exercise and music tempo, you can find a linear relationship between the exercise you perform and the type of music you listen to. This evidence may be sufficient for you to decide on a beat and begin exercising.
Surprisingly, as a result of this synchronization, your metabolism and energy all increase significantly. Alongside this, it lowers your blood pressure and alleviates both psychological and physical stress.
#2. Forget the Pain
Listening to music while performing your regular sets of exercises might divert your mind from the pain.
You might have heard a very common saying- No pain, No gain. The sensation that you feel like your body is forcefully restrained or that somebody is pulling every muscle in your body, is the sensation of pain that you feel while or after performing a high-intensity workout.
You may observe that listening to music while exercising can help to alleviate this sensation of pain. It serves as a diversion, keeping your attention off both pain and exhaustion.
Additionally, it also aids with pain management. Listening to music causes your body to release hormones that can help to improve your mood, these hormones might also increase your ability to tolerate discomfort.
It might also help you exert more effort during your workout. Interestingly, listening to music may also lead to an increase in certain signals in the brain, which contributes to alleviating the sensation of pain.
#3. Increase the Number of Sets
If you perform 3 sets of 12 reps each, of a particular exercise, with the right kind of music, you might be able to even increase your sets.
This might happen because, while working out, if you listen to motivating songs with high intensity, it signals your brain to perform more.
It may automatically signal your body to get ready for more reps.
A study by the University of Toronto mentions the positive impact of music while exercising.
Research states if you listen to a custom-made playlist while exercising, you might be able to improve your performance in terms of intensity and workout duration.
According to a scientific experiment on the effect of music, it is proven that people who listen to music with a high tempo and loudness tend to perform better.
In fact, research published in the journal, Sports Medicine – Open, shows how music can enhance the ability to stick to a workout routine. The participants (cardiovascular disease patients) were better able to adhere to physical activity after the use of a preference-based audio playlist in an exercise program.
However, on the other hand, some people prefer to not listen to music when working out. And they have some good reasons for that!
Well, here’s a list explaining why you shouldn’t listen to music while working out.
Cons of Listening to Music While Working Out
While music can have many benefits, it can also interfere with your concentration. Here are some good reasons to avoid music while flexing those muscles.
#1. Silence Fosters Focus
“I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.” —Henry David Thoreau
Talking from a philosophical point of view, you cannot get rid of the noises completely.
These noises are just not from people talking to each other, but also of birds, or roaring of the engines.
Considering this, finding solace is not as easy as it may seem. However, silence can be a breeding ground for clear thinking and problem-solving skills.
This might help you tackle tough exercises and unrelenting challenges while exercising.
Now imagine the effects when you’re just wanting to get through the last reps to complete your set. Yes, silence can support the targeted focus you need for this challenge.
As a result, one may find solace while working out without any background noise or loud music. This silence might have a better effect on the exercise performance too.
#2. Eureka!
You can also achieve the feeling of eureka by adopting a silent technique while performing your regular exercise. The music in the background or the loud music playing in your ears throughout the sets might tire the mind. You can lose your mind while in the game.
Often, the habit of jamming to your favorite tunes makes you lose track of time.
So, performing exercise while not listening to music might also improve efficiency. It helps you analyze the situation without diversion and also helps you think clearly.
Should You Listen to Music While Working Out?
No one can deny the fact that listening to the music of your choice can make you groove anywhere, anytime. But listening to music while performing a strict exercise regimen can be the reason for your failure. Music can distract you from your task at hand.
Also, when you try to do multiple things simultaneously, listening to music can decrease your efficiency. Sets may take more time to finish than usual.
One more drawback of listening to music or podcasts while working out is that it may cause your sessions to last longer than they need to.
Now the question is, should you listen to music while working out?
After reading the plausible pros and cons, you might still wonder which side to choose. Working out with or without music.
The answer lies with you. Choose according to your needs and wants. Select an option that you are comfortable with and not just by going with some studies and tests performed on certain individuals.
No doubt, you can consider the outcome of these studies, but understand what you need while working out or performing any physical activity.
If you’re looking for motivation to exercise, you can go with your favorite playlist. It will also help you to relax your mind and soothe your soul.
Now, if you’re planning to listen to music to improve your workout, here are our recommendations.
What Kind of Music Should I Listen to While Working Out?
According to this study on preferable music tempo, you can observe that music with a high tempo and loud volume can have a better impact on your performance while doing exercise.
Our ancestors probably created the earliest kind of music by singing, yelling, chanting, or using their vocal cords in other ways before the invention of reed flutes and other musical instruments took place.
Different kinds of music suit different situations. Moving quickly may have been necessary for a fast tempo, perhaps with quick clapping or foot stamping.
Similarly, different sounds were created to reflect activities related to them. Music was probably created as a physical extension of the human body.
In regards to the present time, you can make a separate custom-made playlist to listen to while you work out.
Also, music with high bass and strong beats synchronizes with your brain and as a result, improves performance while exercising.
You can listen to various types of music, such as hip-hop, heavy metal, and dance hits,. It might improve the efficiency of your workout.
PEOPLE ALSO READ: Side Effects of Earphones on Brain
Final Word
According to the above information, you might now be able to decide upon the question of working out with or without music.
Most of the studies highlight the pros or advantages of listening to good music while working out and how it helps uplift the mood as well as alleviate pain in the body.
But, of course, this choice must be based on your basic need or requirement of your workout regime.
You can consider listening to music during some activities, but not others. This adds some variation and complexity to your fitness.
Choose music for simpler activities, such as the treadmill, cycling, or performing cardio. But you can skip the music when you indulge in more rigorous activities, such as weight lifting, that require your hundred percent focus.
This way you could boost the efficiency of your workout.
It will also help you to enjoy both phases, one with music on and the other without it.
Whatever you choose, your decision should not be influenced by the music you like or the pair of headphones you want to show off.
You can customize your playlist with the key focus on what way it will influence your performance and efficiency during your physical activity, be it running, jogging, cycling, yoga, or high-intensity workouts.
Did the blog help get your answer? Let us know your feedback by leaving your comments down below!
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