Ahh September, the season of falling leaves, pumpkin spice and extra-curricular activities. By now you’ve probably started to settle into the “back to school” routine. Whether you have kids or not, September seems to be the time of year we get back on track with our diets and exercise thanks to all those barbecues and campouts over the summer.
I’ve recently started back at the gym and I’ve realized how important music is to my workout. Let’s be honest, most of us reach for a workout playlist to make exercise more fun and to motivate us. There’s even research that has found that your favourite tunes can have performance boosting effects at the gym.
Multiple studies have shown that music is especially influential during repetitive, endurance activities. Listening to music can make your workout feel easier and encourage you to work harder.
Researchers have found that controlling and creating music to your own pace has a profound effect on your effort during a workout. Music can make you less aware of your exertion, distracting you from bodily awareness (aka the pain). In fact, upbeat music has more information for our brains to process, which actually takes your mind off that burning pain in your legs. The right song can help you maintain a steady pace and keep your mind off the difficulty of the workout.
Music encourages you to move rhythmically. A study found that listening to music you enjoy increases the electrical activity in the regions of the brain that are responsible for coordinating movements. That’s why a good beat makes a class easy to follow, since your body naturally wants to move in time with the beat. Both the tempo and volume of music can affect how you perform.
Did you know that music naturally boosts dopamine, the neurotransmitter that drives your brain’s reward system? Listening to music during a workout can give you a hit of dopamine, which results in feelings of gratification.
Everyone has a go-to song that gets you “in the zone.” Right now my go-to is “We Built This City” by Starship. There are actually quite a few rock tunes that have made my workout playlist. Everything from “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World to Shinedown’s “I Dare You.” My Darkest Days make an appearance with “Porn Star Dancing”” and Santana’s version of “Photograph” featuring Chris Daughtry makes those elliptical swings so much easier. Throw in a little AC/DC and Andrew W.K. and you should have enough rock to get you through your workout.
No matter what kind of music you enjoy, it can transform a miserable workout into something to look forward to. Take the time and create your own perfect playlist. Your mind and your body will thank you.
Cassie Donnelly is the morning show co-host at 105.3 ROCK. You can reach her on twitter @cass_1053rock.
