Do you plug into your phone or music player before a workout? Cranking up the tunes during exercise can actually offer immediate benefits, including the motivation to get moving and the increased endurance to keep moving longer. To put it simply, music can fuel your workouts.
Synchronization is the basic principle of matching your movements to music. It is second nature to adjust your movements to the intensity of the music - running faster or pedaling harder as the beat builds. Research from London's Brunel University School of Sport and Education also suggests that music can increase an individual's endurance up to 15 percent. Music can serve as a natural distraction, giving your brain new information to process, rather than focusing on just the workout.
Listening to your favorite tunes can also deliver results before and after you hit the gym. Research dating back to 1935 shows that music reduces both physical and mental stress, along with fatigue. Music has also been proven to impact the body in other ways, including:
- Changing your heart rate
- Impacting blood pressure
- Changing your metabolic rate
- Reducing fatigue
- Energizing and boosting moods
In today's world, introducing music into your workout isn't hard. Playlists can be tailored and customized to your sort of workout. Online streaming services offer pre-made playlists just for workouts. But some apps are taking it even further.
For example, Motion Traxx is a new app that uses innovative technology to pair your workout with music and a motivational coach to boost inspiration. Each workout is guided by a top fitness trainer and uses ActionSync™ technology to match music to the intensity of your movements. Motion Traxx also lets users sync data with the popular Apple Health Kit platform.
When you aren't exercising with a friend, group or personal trainer, music can be the next best motivator. So don't be afraid to crank up the volume during your next workout!
What's your favorite type of music to listen to during a workout?
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