Not only does different types of music help , even the level of volume has an effect on performance as a higher volume is said to increase the body ’ s endurance even further , as does particular genres of music .
Endurance
One of the foremost points of importance in this theory is that listening to music while exercising is said to increase endurance or stamina by up to 15 %, according to a research conducted by Brunel University . It is a common phenomenon to listening to music while working out and this research bases this on scientific research . Having said this , a research conducted by Dr . Costas Karageorghis , deduces that not every kind of music is conducive to increasing endurance and only some genres work this way . According to his research , the tracks which help in doing so have to be of a certain tempo , preferably between 120 and 140 beats per minute . Music has always been a powerful medium and with multiple effects on the human psychology , it is not surprise that music also affect fitness of a person when played while working out .
Diversion from Exertion
It is a well-known fact that any form of fitness workout be it running , cycling , working out at a gym , swimming or any other form of physical exercise causes exertion to the body . After a certain point of exercise , fatigue starts creeping in and might affect performance . Music helps in dissociation or diversion from this exertion as it draws away attention from pain and fatigue during a work-out . The research at Brunel University in the UK reveals that the effort made during the work out can be perceived to be less by 12 % if music is played during fitness activities . It also increases the efficiency of the activity . Music leads to bursts of intensity which increases the capacity for working out and also gives a boost to strength and productivity . This is because listening to music , stimulates one ’ s brain and hence attention is diverted from the exertion on the body with focus on the rhythm of the music . This also leads to increasing the time of the work out as exertion is perceived to be lesser than when music is not played .
Metabolic Efficiency
Listening to music while working out is also said to increase metabolic efficiency . A study conducted in 2012 demonstrated that cyclists who pedaled as the same tempo of the music being played required 7 % less oxygen than the cyclists who didn ’ t . Music helps in achieving a degree of efficiency which requires less energy i . e . metabolic efficiency increases .
Athletic Performance
In 2007 , the the USA Track & Field , the national governing body for distance racing banned audio players during races as they found it to give a competitive edge to the athletes ’ performance if they listened to music while running . This was protested by many runners resulting in the upliftment of the ban with some basic rules into play . This goes on to show how listening to music can affect an athlete ’ s performance . In a 2012 research at Brunel University , Costas Karageorghi , one of the world ' s leading experts on the psychology of exercise music , stated that music has so many positive effects during a physical exercise that it may be considered " a type of legal performance-enhancing drug ".
Increases concentration
Music alters a person ’ s mental state of awareness during any activity and acts as an internal motivator . It puts the brain on auto pilot without a lot of conscious effort . Music is said to remove all external distractions and helps one concentrate better during the fitness exercise . Athletes are said to list music as one of the reasons of their great performance and cannot function their workouts without music in the background . Not only do songs play a role , any sort of music works as a motivator be it instrumental , audio books or even podcasts .
Music helps in making a workout or exercising a more enjoyable experience rather than just a physical exercise or chore . One can safely say that amongst the many psychological and physiological benefits of music in our lives , music can play a crucial role in enhancing fitness levels and aiding exercise to yield better results .
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