Is it Good to Listen to Music While Exercising?
Listening to music while exercising can be a great way to motivate and stay energized during a workout. It’s why gyms always have tunes pumping when you walk in.
It’s good to listen to music while exercising as it helps you set your workout tempo, push towards your goals and stay motivated throughout your workout.
You won’t be hard pushed to look at a park and see most people jogging with earbuds. It’s just another reason to zero in on your goal.
It’s why music is a great thing to have handy when you are ready to do some physical activity. But what are the reasons why you should listen while exercising?
Why listen to music while exercising?
There are several reasons why people listen to music while exercising. One reason is that music improves your mood and reduces stress. When you listen to music that you enjoy, it can lift your spirits and boost your willingness which can make exercise feel more enjoyable. This way, you are more eager to want to do some exercise. Having the music to help distract you from exhaustion as your workout progresses makes everything feel less strenuous.
Music can also be helpful when exercising as it is a great form of motivation. Many people find that listening to music while working out helps them remain energized, especially when working alone. The right music enables you to push through a challenging workout and reach your fitness goals when there’s no one else left to encourage you.
Finally, music is a great tool to help regulate your pace and intensity during exercise. The rhythm and tempo of the music set the pace of your workout and increase your performance. For example, fast-paced, energetic music can be great for high-intensity workouts in the gym, while slower, more relaxing music may be better for calming practice such as yoga or meditation.
The benefits of music while exercising
Uplifting music can positively affect your mood and overall well-being. This is particularly true when working out. Some of the potential benefits of uplifting music include the following:
- Improved mood: Listening to uplifting music can improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. It helps you forget about what others may think and lets you focus on your own goals.
- Increased motivation: Uplifting music can serve as a form of encouragement and help you to feel more energized and motivated to tackle tasks or challenges. It can be beneficial when you hit “the wall” and need to push on in the later stages of a run.
- Enhanced creativity: Listening to uplifting music can inspire creativity and promote a sense of positivity and well-being. When using this in your workout, you can focus on timing workout intensities, which helps you adjust your exercise to the setting you are in.
- Helps keep pace: Whether you choose slower or faster music, the beat of the music helps you maintain a steady pace. Music has been shown to create a rhythm response, making your exercise more effective if don’t to a beat.
With that in mind, having uplifting music is a great way to keep pushing yourself forward when exercising and gives you the urge to carry on working out when you might normally give up.
Slower music when exercising
Upbeat songs are helpful when exercising, but you can also use slower songs effectively in your workout. The best times to use slower tunes include:
- Managing breaks: If you need to take an interval from running or exercise, a slow song can be an excellent way to recover and rest for short periods. A calm interval that lasts 60-120 seconds is a great way to pause before cranking things up again.
- Breath control: Some exercises are about managing how you breathe. The best way to do this is to find soothing and calm tunes to help regulate airflow. Calm songs often stick to a steady 4/4 time signature allowing you to manage things in steady intervals.
- Natural balance: When it comes to slower sports, music is a great way of finding natural peace or Zen. A natural soundtrack or chillout song allows you to mentally recalibrate and focus on maximizing the most out of a yoga pose or tai-chi stretch
Slower beats will always be helpful, particularly when control and balance are the focus of your exercises. Knowing these benefits can help increase the serene feelings given by a more drawn—out exercise process.
Matching music genres with exercises
Different types of music will be suitable for different types of exercise, and what works for one person may not work for another. Taking this on board, here are some common music genres that are often used for exercising:
- Electronic dance music (EDM): EDM is known for its upbeat, energetic sound and is often used for high-intensity workouts such as running, cycling, and cardio. With EDM songs comfortably hitting 130-150bpm, these hi-energy songs are great for tough cardio moves that get your heart rate.
- Hip hop: You can use hip hop music when pushing forward in plenty of workout types, including dancing, HIIT, and strength training. Rap songs are a great way to help push you further and focus on hitting your goals. With lyrics and raps about never giving up, it serves as a great musical motivator and sets rhythms.
- Rock: Rock music uses its energetic and upbeat sound in various ways. Pop-punk and hard rock are great for getting you pumped before and getting yourself in the zone before a contest. Meanwhile, the faster rhythms of hardcore and death metal make for helping you strike punching bags or pump iron faster when doing reps.
- Pop: Pop music is known for its catchy, upbeat sound and its use in exercising. Poppier songs are easy-to-structure exercises and can raise your spirits when the going gets tough.
- Classical: The calming and relaxing sounds of classical music are in a unique class. They can be used for activities such as yoga, pilates, and meditation and are the best way to clear the mind and focus on particular goals and feelings you want to achieve.
Ultimately, the right music for you will depend on your personal preferences and the type of exercise you are doing. Experiment with different genres and see what works best when performing different exercises.
Tips for selecting music when exercising
It’sIt’sto you to create a good playlist when listening to music while exercising. Setting your playlist may also make a big difference in the results you get from your workouts. Therefore, here are some tips for finding music to use while exercising:
- Choose music you enjoy: It is important to choose music that you enjoy, as this will make exercise more enjoyable and help keep you motivated.
- Experiment with different genres and artists: Don’Don’tafraid to experiment with different genres and artists to find music that works for you. You may discover new music you enjoy that you hadn’t previously considered, which is better for that purpose.
- Use music streaming platforms: Many music streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music, allows you to create playlists or discover new music based on your preferences. These platforms can be a great resource for finding new music while exercising. They also have playlists based on workout types, song tempos, and different genres. These may be worth exploring if you don’t know what to put on your playlist.
Remember, you don’t have to stick to the same playlist every time you exercise. It may take time to see what song combos work well and not so well for you. By exploring the different options available, you find song combinations that give you great results. Once you discover this, you will always have go-to songs ready for whatever exercise you want to achieve.
Wrap up
Listening to music while exercising can be a great way to motivate and stay energized during a workout. Many people find that music helps them to stay focused and motivated maximizing what they can get out of pushing themselves to the limit. It helps that natural genre definitions also help with exercising themselves. This can be due to the music’s style or what the lyrics push them to do.
Selecting the right types of songs will help boost your whole exercise experience. Whether you listen to chillout tracks, driving heavy metal, or inspirational raps doesn’t matter. All these combine to give you what you need when doing physical activity, and listening to music while exercising is a great way of doing that.
So the next time you go out on your excercise routine, bring out a set of wireless or wired headphones next time you go on a run. You’ll find it to be funner and more productive.