Close your eyes, turn on your music, what does the song compel you to do? Whether the melody causes you to sink deeper into the couch in a state of relaxation, or it inspires you to get up and dance, that music has had an effect on you.
Music is a unique tool that has the proven psychological power to stimulate and distract the mind. This is information that can be of incredible value to personal trainers who need help boosting a client’s fitness results. Today we’re going to dig into just how music affects exercise performance as well as its impact on athletic performance.
Music has the power to get your clients in the zone.How music affects the body subconsciously
A study from Brunel University in 2008 found that music enhances performance by 15 per cent as it helped people feel more positive and actually take pleasure in the task. The participants of this study were asked to listen to motivational rock or pop – two types of music which we would like to elaborate on, as they have a specific impact on the subconscious.
Beats per minute (BPM) matter when it comes to stimulating the subconscious. The tempo is a natural cadence for whatever activity it is associated with. It doesn’t just motivate the mind, though, the beat can help the body time everything from reps to steps and from strokes to punches. Naturally, the slower the beat, the slower the activity, so it’s important to correspond the song and playlist to the exercise in question.
Music acts as a natural performance enhancer, distracting the mind from the pain.
Essentially, music acts as a natural performance enhancer, distracting the mind from the pain that comes from fatigue or sore muscles. So powerful is this natural performance enhancer, that in 2007, the USA Track and Field operators banned headphones and portable audio players because it gave competitors a competitive edge. But with no competition but your client’s own mind, you don’t have to forbid music from your training sessions.
The best beats per exercise
Now you want to know – because you wouldn’t use the same BPM sequences for yoga as you would running – what tempos are best for the various exercises for your clients?
Here’s a breakdown of the BPM per exercise:
So, if you want to optimise your client’s fitness results, always choose to tune into some music instead of a silent room – your clients will feel the difference!
If you’re interested in learning more training techniques to help your clients, contact Onfit Training College today.
