Does Your iPod Improve Your Workout?

How many of you have run into this dilemma: You get yourself all ramped up to workout, you throw on your gym clothes, head to the gym, walk in and realize, "Oh no, I forogt my iPod!" If you're like me this moment of realization can sometimes deflate you and even demotivate you a little before your workout. It seems mp3 players, iPods and more specifically music in general has become as integral to our workout routine as barbells, dumbbells and cardio equipment. Believe it or not our communion of workout tunes to our workout routine itself isn't just a sign of technological times. There happens to be very strong evidence supporting the idea that working out to music is not only more pleasant, but may increase effectiveness of the activity altogether.

One of the ways music can improve workouts is by dissociating the arduous task of kicking your own ass from how you actually feel. Although listening to your favorite tracks won't reduce physiological fatiguing in the body, studies have show a 10% reduction in perceived exertion when working out to music at a moderate intensity (Karageorghis & Terry, 1999; Nethery, 2002; Szmedra & Bacharach, 1998). This means you actually "feel" like you're doing less work than you really are, thus allowing you to push harder for longer periods of time.

Other studies have pointed to the fact that the body may actually synchronize movement efficiency with rhythmic cues found in music. In a recent study, cyclists who pedaled in sync with music found they required 7% less oxygen to do the same work as compared to cycling with background music that was not in sync with their pedal cadence (Bacon, Myers, & Karageorghis, 2008). There are also studies which have indicated the tempo of the music has the ability to excite or help relax the listener during exercise; which can be beneficial to psych up for a tough set or even used to bring the body back to a relaxing state during a cool down.

The verdict is in: we're not just a spoiled generation of technology freaks. Scientific research confirms what you and your body know when you begrudgingly attempt a workout minus your tunes: breaking a sweat to music actually helps your fitness!