You know how powerful music can be as a workout-enhancer if you’ve ever done a spin class with music blasting or cycled your personal trainer while listening to your favorite tracks. A good lively song may get you pumped and eager to go, allowing you to give your all on the bike. If you’ve ever taken a cycle class or played music on your personal trainer, you’ve probably heard music played asynchronously in the background to create a motivating environment. While there are certain advantages to pedaling in time, a study has shown that it is more effective at enhancing cycling performance.
So, what is it about a fantastic tune that makes us want to ride faster or more efficiently? “Music functions as a ‘distractor,’ decreasing the individual’s perception of the work, weariness, and discomfort involved,” a group of British researchers wrote in a 2009 report. In other words, music fools our brain into making an exercise feel less taxing than it could otherwise, while also motivating us to perform more work with less effort.
We’ve established a preference for musical rhythm as a result of evolution. We communicate with music. Making music and moving to music is something that is deeply ingrained in human DNA. It’s used for mating and attracting a companion. As a result, songs, presentation of music, and performing to music are all distinctively human experiences, and we like moving to music. One of the findings of our study is that music can boost the pleasure we feel while physical activity, even at rather high intensities.