Whether you prefer pop, rock or hip-hop, the kind of music on your workout playlist can make a difference.
According to a new study, high-tempo music can reduce the amount of perceived effort of a workout and help boost cardiovascular benefits more than slower tempos. The tempo of the music needs to equate to about 170 heartbeats per minute, researchers say.
» RELATED: Burn up to 500 calories in an hour with these Atlanta workouts
» RELATED: Trying to quit caffeine? Study says exercise could have same effect on brain as coffee
The new study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, and researchers discovered that music can boost your mood before exercise, and inspire bursts of effort, performance and endurance, all while minimizing perceptions of pain and fatigue.
"We found that listening to high-tempo music while exercising resulted in the highest heart rate and lowest perceived exertion compared with not listening to music," study author Luca Ardigò, a professor at the University of Verona in Italy, said in a statement. "This means that the exercise seemed like less effort, but it was more beneficial in terms of enhancing physical fitness."
» RELATED: Running a marathon in 2020? You may be doing your arteries a favor
The study examined 19 active women of various ages during endurance workouts under four conditions: without music, with music at 90-110 beats per minute (bpm), with music at 130-150 bpm and with music at 170-190 bpm. The study found the effects were greatest for endurance exercise, such as brisk walking, running, biking and swimming, than for high-intensity exercises such as weightlifting, jump roping, speed walking and high intensity interval training, according to CNN.
About the Author
