The Impact of Music on Exercise Performance
For centuries music and movement have been a pairing that cultures have used as a way to show and express a moment in time. In the present day we use music and movement in a similar way by adding music to our exercise movement. Pairing music and movement not only makes exercise fun and motivational it also enhances performance.
Music and movement can blend your favorite song, tune, genre, rhythm, or melody with your favorite form of movement such as walking, yoga, running, cycling, and strength training. Studies show that when individuals are exposed to music before, during, and after exercise that performance not only increases but also enhances both physiological and psychological responses.
Music and movement work to create metabolic and neural responses in the body. The combination of music and movement help create physiological responses in the body by stimulating brain activity and autonomic responses, as well as making exercise more efficient. Research has shown that an increase in cognitive processing speed and the organization of movement occur when listening to music and exercising.
Psychologically music and movement play a huge role in our well being cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. Characteristics of music such as lyrics, rhythmic tone, and tempo have the ability to lower tension, promote feelings of energy, and increase vitality while exercising. Studies show that pairing music with movement has been shown to also impact both consistency and compliance with maintaining an exercise routine.
Movement should be fun and pairing it with music is just one of many ways to get up, get out, and get moving. Check out our Salvo Staff playlist of some of our favorite songs that we like to listen to while moving!
Send your Care Team a message to let them know what your favorite music to pair with movement is or how you would like to explore music and movement in the days ahead!
*References available with PDF download*