More often than not, you probably have some form of music going on while you work out. Whether it’s your Spotify Wrapped on repeat, a playlist made by your instructor, or your own personalized mix of exercise bops, music is a game changer when it comes to exercise. But what if we told you it helps improve your workouts, too?
“From a scientific perspective, music can elicit several emotions, from motivation to calmness,” explains therapist body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://mymindsetnyc.com/jessica-thomas-mymindset-counseling-aboutme”>Jessica Thomas, LMHC, founder and clinical director of body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://mymindsetnyc.com/”>MyMindset NYC Counseling Services. “Depending on the type of music you’re listening to, you’d be able to train your brain to work harder at the gym, calm your heart rate down, energize you, and so much more.”
More recently, there’s been a lot of research around the connection between mindset and music, and more importantly, how the music you listen to before your exercise sesh can help you work out harder and smarter—almost as much as the music played during the workout itself. Here’s everything you need to know.
How music improves your workout
Music has the ability to improve your mindset in various ways, which can influence your workout. body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8167645/”>Research indicates1 that during a workout or any athletic endeavor, music—whether you like the music or not—has consistently been shown to improve performance through increased muscle activation, faster speed, improved concentration, or calming your heart rate.
“Music has many components, and each component is equally important,” says group fitness coach body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.instagram.com/akiniko/”>Akin Akman, CEO and co-founder of New York City-based fitness studio body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://aarmy.com/home”>AARMY. “You need to focus on rhythm, speed, and timing when crafting an experience during group fitness, and the music is state-shifting and induces emotion. This is so you’re in a state to implement new patterns and moves in the workout, which is where I step in.”
Music can affect both your mind (so you’re in a more receptive state to concentrate) and your body in ways that effectively allow you to perform better. Even cooler, it can do this when you’re working out and when you’re not.
“There’s a reason doctors’ waiting rooms have calm music to help counteract any nerves the patients might be feeling,” explains New York City-based sports psychologist body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://drtomferraro.com/”>Thomas Ferraro, PhD. “Similarly, music prior to a workout can calm you down enough to allow yourself to focus, while during the workout, it motivates you and energizes your muscles.” It all just depends on the type of music you’re listening to, along with when you choose to listen to it.
Why you need a pre-workout playlist
“Getting yourself into a state to perform pre-workout is almost as important as the workout itself,” says body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.instagram.com/andrewgstern/”>Andy Stern, co-creator and vice president of global talent and programming at body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.rumbleboxinggym.com/”>Rumble Boxing. “Being in the right headspace can help you form that crucial body-connection/” referrerpolicy=”no-referrer-when-downgrade” data-vars-event=”body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.wellandgood.com/mind-body-connection/”>mind-muscle connection, which can anchor your thoughts and make sure you’re focusing on the workout itself, as opposed to the 100 things on your to-do list.”
If your focus is on something else while working out, it’s easy to slack off: You might stop sprinting as fast, forget to body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-engage-your-core/”>engage your core on a complicated Pilates move, or even injure yourself because you didn’t do the move right. However, a pre-workout playlist can prepare your mind beforehand, and make sure you’re really in the mood to focus.
In fact, a small body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fspy0000110″>2018 study2 on soccer players found that those who chose to listen to music prior to a workout boosted their focus, and the music helped motivate them more on the field, which then led to better performance overall.
“This showcases that music isn’t just background noise, but actually a very deliberate and strategic part of mental preparation,” says Thomas. “If you choose the right music prior to your workout, it can shape your mindset by connecting to the circuits in your brain that handle emotions and focus. You’ll be able to get a better handle on any difficult feelings that come up and process them more effectively, which will then lead to better focus on the field or in the gym.” Music can be a natural tool for not just athletes, but anyone looking to work out more effectively.
“Getting yourself into a state to perform pre-workout is almost as important as the workout itself.” —Andy Stern, co-creator of Rumble Boxing
The best type of music to have on your pre-workout playlist
The difference between your body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://www.wellandgood.com/how-workout-music-playlist-affects-exercise/”>workout playlist and your pre-workout playlist comes down to the fact that while the workout playlist tends to be faster-paced, more focused on BPMs for pacing and a strong rhythm, your pre-workout playlists are calmer: There’s less focus on the beat and more focus on crescendo tones that can help set the mood and get you prepped mentally for the task at hand.
Depending on your personal preference, your pre-workout songs could have words or not, but according to Akman, it’s more about the routine of it, and how these kinds of tunes can get you in a more productive state.
Akman’s favorite pre-workout music is full of emotion. “Think cinematic orchestra music,” he says, which has body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://hbr.org/2022/09/can-music-make-you-more-productive”>consistently been found to be a powerful concentration tool.
The perfect pre-workout playlist
Knowing what should go on a pre-workout playlist is only one piece of the puzzle. The second, of course, is actually creating one. That’s why Akman created the ultimate pre-workout playlist to help get you in the zone.
Each of the songs below use longer crescendos and repetitive beats for focus, and while some of them have words, they’re not enough to distract you. “These songs help get you in the zone for productivity, keeping you in a state to implement new patterns and condition your mind and body for what’s coming next,” Akman says.
Here are the six best songs to play on repeat before your next workout:
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/6ZFbXIJkuI1dVNWvzJzown?si=08bf6644b77046ca”>”Time” by Hans Zimmer
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/4Naysy4HW10kgLxKsvmhMw?si=c27fb382e40a473d”>”Seek Your Truth (A Vitória)” by MEDUZA, Ayrton Senna
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/3C2OYWQFRVEo4QoHZKTNBK?si=35289580832246f2″>”You” by BUNT., Oaks
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/1xefwf39r1PWiOKS40Z31n?si=b72322e4f3454642″>”Drums of Death” by FKA twigs, Koreless
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/3xh3vEtbV8AVFpWKqfK3b7?si=bdc54394784d40d6″>”Falling (D’Opera)” by ROYA
- body text” data-vars-click-url=”https://open.spotify.com/track/21zPoJIGxEwNUfMRsdFTJp?si=9d21db6c0f724762″>”Risk It All (feat. Maverick Sabre)” by SHY FX
Well+Good articles reference scientific, reliable, recent, robust studies to back up the information we share. You can trust us along your wellness journey.
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Ballmann CG. The Influence of Music Preference on Exercise Responses and Performance: A Review. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021 Apr 8;6(2):33. doi: 10.3390/jfmk6020033. PMID: 33917781; PMCID: PMC8167645. -
Karageorghis, C. I., Bigliassi, M., Tayara, K., Priest, D.-L., & Bird, J. M. (2018). A grounded theory of music use in the psychological preparation of academy soccer players. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 7(2), 109–127. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000110
