Sports and Music

One of the basic conditions for a healthy lifestyle is exercise and sports. To keep our physical and mental condition fit, we need regular exercise. There are plenty of sports to choose from, outdoor or indoor sports, individual or team sports, ball games, martial arts… etc. At the end of long and exhausting working days, a drifting movement and training have a good effect. Let’s take time for sports several times a week, according to our possibilities. If we are forced to play sports indoors due to bad weather, work that lasts until late hours, or the coronavirus, we can make it more pleasant and enjoyable with musical accompaniment.

Why is it recommended to listen to music while playing sports?

The music listened to during exercise and sports enhances the performance of sports, helps us to perform the given training with motivation, perseverance and enthusiasm. According to one study, rhythmic music synchronizes brain waves with movement, making movement easier. The music makes the exercise feel less strenuous, so it will be both effective and fun.

Fitness room

Fitness and gym workouts can sometimes seem boring and monotonous. If we do aerobics or weightlifting exercises at home, we tend to stop moving sooner due to distractions. Listening to rhythmic, pleasant rhythmic music during sports activities is stimulating. It also develops the ability to concentrate, so we can pay more attention to exercises, which increases the effectiveness of the sport.

 Let’s move on to music!

Music is also used for therapeutic purposes, it accelerates healing processes, and in the case of mental illness, extremely good results can be achieved with music therapy. It is undeniable that music also leads to positive results in sports. Why not combine sports with music? But it doesn’t matter how the music sounds! Acoustics are not always ideal in a sports hall or gym. If you train in an echo room, the sound of the music will also be less favorable. In fitness rooms, music often rumbles from huge speakers, but if the room is not treated with acoustic elements, this rumbling music can make a noise.

The importance of acoustics during sports

We were helped by a Swedish acoustic company: https://perfectacoustic.se/.

By placing acoustic sound-absorbing panels and diffuser elements on the walls and ceiling of gyms, fitness rooms, we can curb the reflected sounds. Flat, expansive wall and ceiling surfaces are unable to absorb deeper sounds, so they bounce off of them. Sounds bouncing back and forth cause unpleasant interference, which significantly degrades the sound of the music. Listening to confused, echoing music does not hurt our ears or brains, so instead of having a positive effect, it also negatively affects our sports performance. We can also choose photo printed panels on the walls, which suit the theme and atmosphere of the given sport. In this way, we can not only improve the acoustics of the room, but also function as a decorative element. If you manage to create perfect acoustics in the gym or even at home with the right amount of acoustic panels, we can make your workout much more effective and enjoyable. Sports and music also have a positive effect on our physical and mental health.

Dancing is also a sport!

Dancing can also be a very intense exercise, especially if you chase it regularly. Ballroom dancing, or modern dances, or even the now very fashionable zumba, moves all our muscles. Maybe the right musical accompaniment is even more important while dancing, so you also need to pay attention to the acoustics of the dance halls! Both the walls and the ceiling of the dance halls are treated with sound-absorbing and diffuser panels, thus avoiding echoes and the resulting unfavorable sound.

What kind of music should we listen to while playing sports?

If we do outdoor exercise, we don’t have to give up music either. You can also listen to your favorite songs through headphones and mobile phones. Almost any song of any genre can be suitable to increase the efficiency of training with its rhythm and mood during sports.

Depending on the type of movement, you can choose calmer, slower-paced, or more vibrant, dynamic music. If you do yoga, the tempo of the music should be slower, while faster running, energetic music is preferable during running or intense cardio training. Slower-paced music slows our heart rate, so listening to calm, slow melodies is not recommended for more intense, fast-paced movement. Fast, rhythmic music increases your heart rate, so we prefer to listen to this type of music while doing aerobics, running, cycling, or other similarly intense workouts.

Fans of the classical music genre will also find rhythmic pieces among classical and orchestral works that provide a great accompaniment while performing a sports activity.

Exercising is most effective when we feel good about it and we can mentally tune in to the movement as well. Well-chosen music often gives the pace of movement, while it also has a good effect on our brain, stimulates thinking, helps with concentration.

What does science say?

According to surveys, listening to music while exercising can reduce your sense of effort while moving by 12%. That is, we can do the exercises more easily. Research has also found that music increases endurance by 15%. Many athletes listen to music before a competition or tournament because in their experience, music has a positive effect on their performance. It relaxes, soothes them, or recharges them. According to studies, for many athletes, music drives away negative thoughts and turns off their rational selves for a time, causing them to rely on their instincts, which in many cases has proven more effective than rethinking the practice before them and the technique of performing it. Background music is especially useful during a monotonous workout that requires a lot of similar exercises. The melodies distract athletes from fatigue, making them train harder, more enduring and in a better mood.

There is no clear scientific evidence that music does have a positive effect on athletic performance, but experience shows that there are many physical and mental benefits to listening to music while exercising.