4 Ways That Music Improves Exercise
By: Elena Parapounsky | October 16, 2022
Listening to music while exercising is a great way to improve the quality of your workouts, in more ways than one. Whether that means reaching your PR in the gym or pushing through that last mile on a run, music provides a necessary boost to keep you moving and grooving.
Here are just a few reasons why having your own personal soundtrack can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Music motivates you to work out
If you think of working out as a chore, you’ll either give up entirely or dread starting every time. Listening to your favorite high-energy songs puts you in the right headspace and gets you fired up with energy to burn. It can help you to start looking forward to the gym or your daily run!
Music helps you maintain pace
Listening to music with a fast tempo (say, 130 BPM) will cause you to match its pace unconsciously. The music’s rhythm signals to your brain’s motor center when to move, helping you to maintain a consistent speed. It can also improve your coordination by providing a steady beat for repetitive motions.
Music encourages you to power through your workout
The halfway point of any workout is usually the hardest to get through. Just when you’re considering cutting it short, music can motivate you to ramp up your efforts and push past your limits. Upbeat, fast-paced music can trigger dopamine release, helping to take your focus off the pain and fatigue.
Music promotes faster recovery
After an intense workout, making slow and relaxing music part of your cooldown period can bring your heart rate and cortisol levels down faster than just silence. Lowering your cortisol is important because continued high levels will cause your body to suffer from sustained fight-or-flight mode. Cooling down properly will cut down on that ‘wired but tired’ feeling post-workout.
But if you’re not a fan of the Top 40 playlist at the gym (or you’re just exercising outdoors) you’ll have to bring your own music — which raises the issue of choosing the right earbuds. Over-the-ear headphones may sound good, but they’re clunky and inconvenient to wear while working out … and no one wants to look like a DJ at the gym. Smaller wireless earbuds are more appropriate for exercise, but they have downsides too — their smaller batteries mean that they generally have a short battery life, and might die just as you were getting into your workout.
Enter the NexiGo Air T2 Wireless Earbuds. Weighing in at just 3.2 grams each, they’re super lightweight for hassle-free workouts, featuring simple tap controls that allow you to easily skip tracks or change your music’s volume. Their ergonomic design ensures long-lasting comfort so they won’t get in the way of your training. And with a seven-hour playtime on a single charge, they’ll be sure to outlast your fitness routine. If that weren’t already enough, these earbuds have an IPX5 water-resistance rating, so they can accompany you on any workout — rain or shine.