Does music amplify our performance?

In

,

By

Yassine Damil

Episode 12

TL;DR
  • According to a 2020 study, listening to music correlates well with improved physical performance.
  • There are multiple explanations for this ergogenic effect: psychological, physiological, and psychophysical.

Music is an integral part of my training. I already mentioned in the previous Episode that it was the key to my conditioning on the way to the gym. I also use it in my sessions, but in different ways depending on whether I’m working on my cardio or muscle strengthening (more on that later). Of course, I’m far from being the only one, and you’ve probably come across several people working out in a bit of a trance, or said differently, ‘focus’. Even at the Olympic Games, some riders perform with earphones. What exactly does science have to say about the link between music and physical performance? Turn up the volume…

Practical performance-enhancing

It is said that music soothes the soul. It has a real influence on our emotions and even our judgment. Orpheus, in the Underworld, even used it to convince Hades and Persephone to return Eurydice to him. The angle we’re interested in, however, is more specific: is it possible to improve endurance, strength or coordination – in other words, performance – through judicious music selection?

Thanks to a 2020 meta-analysis1 of 139 studies (covering 3599 participants), it is now possible to gain some perspective on listening to music during exercise acctivity. We’ll come back to other results of the latter later, but one of them provides a clear answer to the problem. Indeed, listening to music is correlated with improved physical performance, otherwise known as the ergogenic effect, with an effect size measured with a Hedges’ g (g = 0.31, CI [0.25, 0.36]) between low (0.2) and medium (0.5).

But the real question is to know how, which could provide clues to personalize your music playlist…

A combination of psychological, physiological, and psychophysical factors

The above-mentioned study provides an interesting frame of reference for identifying the reasons behind improved performance and, in a way, the use of music as a motivational tool for training:

  • Psychological factor: Obviously, the first interpretation that springs to mind is the link with the pleasure we get from listening to music. As psychologists like to be precise, they speak of positive affective valence2, a variable which, by the way, had the largest observed effect size (g = 0.48, CI [0.39, 0.56]), considered to be average. The sensation of shivering pleasure we’ve all experienced at the sound of one of our favorite tunes has the ability to create a state of physiological excitement, which is highly conducive to physical activity. Some people even go into a trance to Gnawa3 music.
    Conclusion: make your own playlist of the tunes you like…
  • Physiological factor: Since I’m not just one concept away, I’ll take the liberty of introducing one more. But rest assured, I’m merely putting a word behind a phenomenon we’ve already experienced (tapping our feet to the rhythm of music) and observed (even in animals), namely our body’s ability to synchronize with an external rhythm, also known as Entrainment4. Indeed, making a steady effort (such as cycling or running) in the presence of a synchronous tempo5 and particularly with accentuated beats6, allows your body to be more efficient in its effort management. The size effect of maximal oxygen consumption or V02max (g = 0.15, CI [0.02, 0.27]), a very good indicator of physical effort, was however quite small.
    Conclusion: Try to find music with bpm (beats per minute) fairly high (over 115) and close to the rhythm you want.
  • Psychophysical factor: We feel the inner effects of physical effort, from increased heart rate to muscular fatigue and perspiration, which can be quantified – subjectively – by the Rating of Perceived Exertion7 or RPE. Music, an external sensory stimulus, acts as a distraction from these internal signals, and for me is akin to a punctual sensation of “over-power”. For a popular reference, think of Rocky when he’s training, or Mario under the influence of a star (and the piece of music that goes with it…). The RPE correlation (g = 0.22, CI [0.14, 0.30]) is rather low.
    Conclusion: when it hurts, concentrate on the music (I’m personally thinking of certain phases during a run).

Remember, there’s no doubt that listening to music during physical activity enhances your experience. The positive effect is most pronounced in beginners, and doesn’t seem to manifest itself in peak performance (in any case, many events forbid music during competition, not least so that you can follow the instructions). The broader topic of music therapy (which I’ve already combined with yoga nidra) may also be addressed when the opportunity arises. As an aside, dealing with this subject reminded me a little of some studies I’d done on the value of music…

Here’s a personal hack: make 3 playlists for your workouts.

  • The first, rather ‘feel good’ oriented, is made up above all of songs that you like, and I’d even say that you can sing along to (yes, it’s possible that you’ll come across me singing on the way to the gym). That’s my pre-workout motivation. Right now I’m thinking of “Sultans of Swing” (Live version) by Dire Straits.
  • A second, ‘metronome’, is dedicated to your long (running) outings and sequences songs with a similar tempo, corresponding to your rhythm. I’ll quote Daft Punk’s “Technologic”.
  • The third is what I’d call a ‘boost’ list, with some particularly catchy tunes for those slightly tougher moments. I sometimes use it when I’m running, when I’m struggling to keep the pace I’ve set. But also when I’m strength training, to finish off the last few reps and sets. The latest entry for me is “Substitution” by Purple Disco Machine.

What are yours?

Fun Fact

Legendary Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie credited Scatman’s “Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)” for the world record he broke over 10,000 meters in 1998. What’s odd is that the song’s speed is 136 bpm, whereas his pace must have been over 190, i.e. almost 1.5 times (I hear that’s called syncopation in music). I guess it’s a song that’s simply close to his heart…

Going further

References

  1. Terry PC, Karageorghis CI, Curran ML, Martin OV, Parsons-Smith RL. Effects of music in exercise and sport: A meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 2020;146(2):91-117. doi: 10.1037/bul0000216. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31804098/ ↩︎
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence_(psychology) ↩︎
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnawa ↩︎
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrainment_(biomusicology) ↩︎
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo ↩︎
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_(music) ↩︎
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rating_of_perceived_exertion ↩︎