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The study focused on recreationally active adults cycling at high intensity while listening to music they personally chose. Most of the tracks fell within a tempo range of about 120-140 beats per minute. Compared to exercising in silence, participants were able to continue riding for nearly six additional minutes before reaching exhaustion.
The study focused on recreationally active adults cycling at high intensity while listening to music they personally chose. Most of the tracks fell within a tempo range of about 120-140 beats per minute. Compared to exercising in silence, participants were able to continue riding for nearly six additional minutes before reaching exhaustion.
The findings were published online in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise. Lead researcher Andrew Danso from JYU’s Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain said the results could have practical value for anyone trying to improve exercise performance or stick with a training routine.
“Self-selected music doesn’t change your fitness level or make your heart work dramatically harder in the moment — it simply helps you tolerate sustained effort for longer. It may be an incredibly simple, zero-cost tool that lets people push further in training without feeling extra strain at the end. Our findings suggest that the right playlist may make tough sessions feel more doable and more enjoyable.”
Music and Exercise Endurance
The research involved 29 adults who completed two separate cycling tests at the same high intensity level (about 80 % of their peak power). One workout was performed in silence, while the other allowed participants to listen to their own preferred music.
When listening to music, participants cycled for an average of 35.6 minutes. Without music, the average time dropped to 29.8 minutes. Researchers described the difference as a clear 20 % improvement in endurance.
Despite exercising longer and burning more energy overall, participants showed similar heart-rate and lactate levels at the end of both tests. This suggests that the music did not reduce the physical demands of the workout itself. Instead, it appeared to help participants tolerate discomfort for a longer period of time.
Researchers noted that the music allowed exercisers to remain in what they described as the “pain zone” longer without increasing how difficult the effort felt.
Why Favorite Music May Improve Workouts
According to Danso, the findings could have important real-world applications for athletes, coaches, and people trying to stay physically active.
“Many people struggle to stick with hard training because it feels exhausting too quickly,” says Danso.
“Our research shows that letting people choose their own motivating music may help them accumulate more quality training time, which could translate to better fitness gains, improved adherence to exercise programs, and possibly more people staying active.”
The researchers also said the results could have broader public health implications. If music helps people tolerate exercise more easily and stay active longer, it may help reduce some of the health risks associated with low fitness levels and physical inactivity.
The publication is open access and available now at Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences and of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, the Finnish Institute of High Performance Sport (KIHU) and Springfield College.
