Music and Exercise: 10 Ways Music Can Enhance Your Workout
Music and exercise go hand in hand. Read on to learn the top ten ways music can enhance your workout.
Are you working out on a regular basis without music playing through headphones or in the background?
If so, why?!
Music and exercise are a natural fit, and if you're not using music to your advantage during your workouts, you're making a huge mistake. From circuit training music to running music, there is so much music to choose from for workout purposes. Both fitness instructors and fitness enthusiasts should consider investing in as much music as they can get their hands on today.
Here are ten ways music can help enhance your next workout and every workout after that.
1. Gives You Something to Anticipate Before a Workout
Motivating yourself to go to the gym to work out is usually half the battle when it comes to exercising on a regular basis. It can be tough to find the motivation you need to stick to a schedule.
Music can help in this area. Once you put together the perfect playlist of workout music, you'll start to look forward to going to the gym simply so that you can listen to it.
It won't be long before you're actively anticipating your workout music and eager to make your way to the gym.
2. Provides You With the Energy You Need to Get Moving
It takes most people a few minutes to ease their way into a workout. Their bodies aren't prepared to go from 0 to 60 in a matter of just a few seconds.
Music can make this transitional period a little bit easier for those who are finding it tough to get moving during a workout. The music provides them with short bursts of energy that they can use to warm their bodies up.
Sometimes, that energy is all they need to get their bodies and minds into the right place at the beginning of a workout. Before long, they're working up a sweat and ready to take their workout to the next level.
3. Distracts You From Any Pain You Might Be Feeling
Whether you're going for a 5-mile run, taking part in a HIIT workout, or even doing yoga, you're likely going to feel some sort of pain or discomfort when you're working out. It comes with the territory.
The trick is to distract yourself from that pain by any means necessary so that it doesn't slow you down. Workout music is an excellent distraction, and when you use it properly, you can completely block out any pain you might be feeling.
You obviously shouldn't ignore any pain that could be stemming from an injury. But you should try to push through pain if it's caused by normal stress that you're putting on your body when you work out.
4. Allows You to Gradually Speed Up Your Pace
Ideally, you should pick up the pace when you exercise to work out your muscles harder as time goes on.
Some people are able to do this on their own without being prompted to do it by music. But if you're not one of those people, you can utilize music to speed up your pace gradually throughout the course of a workout.
There is some workout music that's specifically designed to quicken your pace so that you're getting in the best workout possible. Music and exercise can work hand-in-hand to help you find the right pace for any workout.
5. Lifts Up Your Spirits as You Work Out
Listening to music during a workout can do more than just provide you with motivation. Studies have also shown that it can improve your mood in a big way.
Your mood will likely be improved even if you don't listen to music when you work out. Your body will release endorphins during a workout, which will have a positive effect on your mood.
But the music will take your mood to the next level and allow you to feel better about yourself even before the endorphins kick in. You'll start to crave that good feeling you get in between your workouts and aim to work out more to achieve it.
6. Makes Working Out Feel Easier
There are some people who don't like working out because they say it's "too hard." They have trouble pushing themselves to exercise because of the perception that they have about how much effort it takes.
Those people could benefit from using music when they exercise. Studies have suggested that music makes exercise feel a lot easier than it really is. They've shown that people often put out more effort than they realize when working out with music.
7. Improves Your Endurance
The same studies that suggested that music makes working out seem easier also suggested that music can improve your endurance over time.
One specific study that was published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology found that people who use music will see their endurance increase by about 15 percent over those who work out without it.
If endurance is something that you struggle with on a consistent basis, it could definitely be worth trying to use music to help in that area.
8. Helps With Your Coordination
Commingling music and exercise will improve more than just your endurance. It can also have a profound effect on your coordination.
One study done on music and exercise revealed that listening to music while you work out can improve everything from your gait to your balance. This could be especially useful for those seniors who enjoy working out.
9. Encourages You to Cool Down at the End of a Workout
People are always in such a rush these days. So it's not uncommon to see people finish up with a workout and run right out of the gym without cooling down first.
But cooling down is incredibly important. It prevents lactic acid from building up in your muscles and making you sore later. It also gives you time to stretch your muscles one more time before allowing them to recover.
When you use music properly, it'll encourage you to stick around for a few extra minutes after a workout to stretch out. You won't be in as big of a hurry when you have some of your favourite songs playing.
10. Creates a Positive Connection Between Music and Exercise
Once you start working out with music playing all the time, you won't be able to help yourself from moving around whenever you hear music. Music will make you want to work out and stay as active as possible.
Incorporate More Music Into Your Workouts Today
Do you want to start tying music and exercise together and listening to more music when you work out?
Choose the right music to get your workouts going. Rather than just relying on the radio or your music streaming service, consider purchasing workout music that is specifically designed for those who are going to use it to exercise.
Contact us today to learn about the motivational workout music that we have available for you.