Whether we’re going for a run, doing some strength training or taking a gym class, one thing’s for certain: music makes working out easier.

We all have that go-to playlist or album which gets us in the mindset for exercise. It’s no secret that listening to music during a workout helps us to feel more motivated and pumped to get moving. But what is it about music and exercise that works so well together?

Previous research has provided us with some clues. In particular, a piece of analysis from researchers at the University of Southern Queensland and Brunel University titled Effects of Music in Exercise and Sport: A Meta-Analytic Review, revealed that, alongside making exercise feel more enjoyable, listening to music while working out can have a number of positive effects.

It’s why, in a bid to inspire more people to move for their mental wellbeing, ASICS recently partnered with poet Charly Cox and producer Auntie Flo to create a spoken word track titled Nothing Feels Better.

The track, which is available to stream now, incorporates sound techniques that are intended to spark feelings of motivation and features proven chords and frequencies designed to boost endorphins. It’s also set to a precise bpm which mimics the pace and beat of movement.

If one thing’s for sure, music can have a powerful impact on us all, especially during exercise. Keep reading to check out all the ways listening to your favourite songs can boost your workout.

Studies have repeatedly shown that music has the power to make us feel good by triggering positive feelings and helping us to remember good memories, and this has something to do with how music helps us during a workout. 

The “dissociative strategy” engaged by listening to music helps us to zone out from the pain or effort of the workout and tune in to the memories and good feelings playing in our head, making it easier to continue. 

We all know that listening to an upbeat song can help to get us going during a workout (Juice by Lizzo, anyone?), but there’s a reason why. According to the study, music can actually boost our physical performance because it helps to increase output. But what does that mean?

“When listening to music, your body natural wants to move with the beat and pace in the track,” the music psychologist, Dr Victoria Williamson explains. “Producer Auntie Flo replicated the pace of running in the Nothing Feels Better track with a bpm of 127 beats or steps per minute (as a benchmark, a normal adult heart rate is between 60-100bpm). 

“When listening to a track of this pace, listeners will naturally want to move their body to the beat and ultimately inspire them to move.”

Music can make exercise seem easier because, as we’ve previously mentioned, it helps us to zone out from the pain and focus on the good side. This has a big benefit: notably, making us feel more motivated to exercise again.

After all, it makes sense that we’d want to avoid something that puts us through pain – aka, a workout – but by listening to music, we create a positive association with exercise in our brains. This positive association makes the whole process of deciding to work out a whole lot easier in the future, as we don’t have those negative/painful associations pulling us back. 

“What is physiological efficiency?” we hear you say. Basically, the study found that music helps to increase blood flow and reduce the amount of oxygen intake required to perform at the same level of intensity without music, meaning our body can work harder without paying the price. Easy peasy.

Feeling low on energy? According to Dr Williamson, plugging in your headphones could provide just the boost you need.

“Music is ergogenic, meaning it triggers activity in the cardiovascular system which is similar to the effects of caffeine,” she says. “Both caffeine and music also access the pleasure reward brain centres, releasing the feel-good chemical dopamine.” 

So next time you’re struggling to get going at the gym, make sure to turn to your headphones for some motivation. 

As it turns out, music could be the best gym buddy you’ve ever discovered.

Images: Getty