Does the right playlist increase workout performance?

The research assessed 19 actively-fit women with an average age of 26.4

By ZACHARY KEYSER
A woman does her morning workout along the beach in Oceanside (photo credit: REUTERS)
A woman does her morning workout along the beach in Oceanside
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A recent study published in Frontiers of Psychology attempts to show whether configuring your workout playlist is linked to improved exercise performance.
The research assessed 19 actively-fit women with an average age of 26.4, during endurance exercises such as walking as well as high-intensity exercises such as running or weightlifting, under four randomly assigned conditions: no music (NM), with music at 90-110 beats per minute (bpm) (LOW), with music at 130-150 bpm (MED) and with music at 170-190 bpm (HIGH).
"The use of music during training represents a special paradigm for trainers to stimulate people undertaking different types of exercise," the study read. "However, the relationship between the tempo of music and perception of effort during different metabolic demands [has remained] unclear."
Their ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were studied. According to the white paper, higher-tempo playlists reduces RPE and boosts cardiovascular activity more so than lower-tempo playlists. This shows that exercise seems more effortless, but is more beneficial to physical fitness, according to study author professor Luca Ardigò of the University of Verona in Italy.
"RPE showed more substantial changes during the endurance exercises (11%,) than during high intensity exercise (6.5%,) between HIGH and NM conditions. [Additionally], the metabolic demand during the walking exercise increased between NM and HIGH bpm conditions," the study said.
Workout enthusiasts who would like to tailor their playlists around this trial-proven beat-per-minute creed can use Spotify to discover the tempo of their favorite songs – in order to compile a playlist that will not only meet their enjoyment standards but will also meet the desired beat-per-minute criteria of the researchers. Other applications, such as SoundCloud and SiriusXM provide users with series of playlists that generally fit their workout goals and exercise needs.
"The results demonstrate that the beneficial effects of music are more likely to be seen in endurance exercise. Consequently, music may be considered an important tool to stimulate people engaging in low-intensity physical exercise," the study concluded.


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