That gym playlist might be doing more than filling the silence.
A study from the University of Jyväskylä found recreationally active adults cycling at high intensity lasted nearly 20 percent longer when they listened to their own preferred workout music. On average, participants rode for 35.6 minutes with music, compared with 29.8 minutes in silence, a gap of nearly six minutes.
The findings were published online in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise.
The research involved 29 adults who completed two cycling tests at the same high intensity, about 80 percent of their peak power. In one session they exercised in silence. In the other, they listened to music they chose themselves.
Most of the songs fell within a tempo range of about 120 to 140 beats per minute.
Lead researcher Andrew Danso from JYU’s Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain said the effect was practical, not magical.
“Self-selected music doesn’t change your fitness level or make your heart work dramatically harder in the moment, it simply helps you tolerate sustained effort for longer. It may be an incredibly simple, zero-cost tool that lets people push further in training without feeling extra strain at the end. Our findings suggest that the right playlist may make tough sessions feel more doable and more enjoyable.”
Despite exercising longer and burning more energy overall, participants finished both tests with similar heart-rate and lactate levels. The researchers said that suggested the music did not reduce the physical demands of the workout, but helped participants tolerate discomfort for longer.
The researchers said music allowed exercisers to remain in the “pain zone” longer without increasing how difficult the effort felt.
“Many people struggle to stick with hard training because it feels exhausting too quickly,” Danso said. “Our research shows that letting people choose their own motivating music may help them accumulate more quality training time, which could translate to better fitness gains, improved adherence to exercise programs, and possibly more people staying active.”
The study was conducted with the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences and of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, the Finnish Institute of High Performance Sport, or KIHU, and Springfield College.
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