How Music Improves Your Workout Experience
If you’ve ever found yourself pushing harder during a workout when your favorite song comes on, you’re not alone. Music has a real, measurable effect on how we move, feel, and perform during exercise. From motivation and endurance to mood and rhythm, there’s a reason why many of us won’t hit the gym without headphones. In this article, we’ll share how music plays a role in improving workouts, supported by research, and offer practical tips to help you make the most of it. Since energizing classes through music is a core part of the Remix Fitness experience, it’s something we think about a lot—and our members often say it makes all the difference.
Why Music and Movement Work So Well Together
Music affects both your body and brain in ways that support better workouts. When you move to the beat, your body naturally syncs with the rhythm, which helps with coordination and pacing. This synchronization isn’t just satisfying—it also helps you work more efficiently, especially during cardio exercises like running, cycling, or rowing.
Research shows that matching your movement to a steady beat can make workouts feel easier and help maintain a consistent tempo. This is especially helpful when doing repetitive exercises where rhythm matters. In fact, people who exercise to music often report that time passes faster and that they feel less tired, even during intense routines.
It Makes Hard Work Feel Easier
One of the most powerful effects of music is its ability to shift focus away from fatigue. Instead of thinking about how many more reps are left or how sore your legs are, you’re more likely to pay attention to the beat, lyrics, or flow of the music. This distraction effect is strong enough that studies show people can work out longer and at a higher intensity without feeling as much discomfort.
This is especially true with motivational or self-selected music. When you choose the songs, you’re more likely to feel emotionally connected, and that emotional lift can help push through the toughest parts of a workout. Researchers have even found that listening to music can reduce the perceived effort of a workout by up to 10%. That kind of margin can be the difference between cutting a workout short and finishing strong.
The Tempo Factor: Why BPM Matters
Not all music works the same for every workout. The tempo of a track—measured in beats per minute (BPM)—has a big influence on your performance. Faster-paced songs tend to work best for high-intensity or endurance activities. For example, songs in the range of 120 to 140 BPM have been shown to help with running, cycling, or strength training.
On the other hand, slower songs are better suited for warm-ups, cool-downs, or lower-intensity exercises like yoga and stretching. A good warm-up track might sit around 100 BPM, while calming music for post-workout stretches could drop to 60–80 BPM. Matching the pace of your music to the intensity of your workout can help you maintain a flow, improve movement efficiency, and reduce the risk of injury due to rushed or uncoordinated motion.
Mood, Motivation, and Sticking with It
Music doesn’t just help you move—it helps you feel better while doing it. Listening to music you enjoy triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, chemicals in your brain associated with reward and pleasure. This is part of why a favorite playlist can make you feel more excited about getting started and more satisfied afterward.
Several studies have shown that people who listen to music during workouts are more likely to stick with their fitness routine over time. It shifts the experience from something you have to do to something you look forward to. That shift in mindset is one of the most valuable things music can offer. And if you’re someone who struggles to stay consistent, music can help make exercise something you actually want to repeat.
Creating a Playlist That Works for You
Choosing the right playlist is a personal thing, but there are a few general tips that help:
Match music to your workout type. For high-intensity training or intervals, go with fast, rhythmic songs around 130–150 BPM. For strength workouts, something powerful and steady in the 120–130 BPM range often works well. For stretching or recovery, slower music in the 60–90 BPM range can be grounding and calm.
Use music with a strong beat. Tracks with a steady rhythm make it easier to move in time with the beat, which helps with endurance and coordination.
Include a warm-up and cool-down section. Build your playlist like a workout—start with slower tracks, build up to the peak, and end with something relaxing.
Change it up regularly. Listening to the same music over and over can make workouts feel stale. Keep things fresh by updating your playlists every few weeks.
Use tools to help. There are apps that let you sort or search songs by BPM, or even generate playlists based on your workout goals. These can save time and help you find tracks that match your pace.
The Role of Music in Group Fitness
In our group classes, music isn’t just background noise—it’s part of the session. It sets the pace, gives cues, and creates energy in the room. Our instructors use music to guide timing, transitions, and even breathing. When a class is moving in sync with the beat, there’s a sense of unity and motivation that’s hard to match. Members often say it helps them feel more engaged and connected—not just to the workout, but to the group.
This kind of environment makes fitness feel less like a solo effort and more like a shared experience. Whether it’s a cycling class building energy to a peak drop or a strength class grinding through reps with powerful music, the right soundtrack can help the whole room stay in rhythm and on track.
Music as a Way to Build Habits
Getting into a routine takes more than discipline. It takes repetition and a reason to come back. Music can be that reason. If your workout playlist is something you love, it becomes an extra motivation to show up. Some people even use music as a cue—pressing play on a certain track signals to the brain that it’s time to work out.
Over time, these cues become habits. And when a workout habit is attached to music you enjoy, it’s more likely to stick. This idea—called “behavioral cueing”—has been studied in the context of both music and exercise. When paired together, they help build automaticity. You don’t have to force yourself to start. It just becomes what you do.
A Few Things to Watch Out For
While music has a lot of benefits, it’s not without its limitations. In some types of workouts—like gymnastics, technical lifting, or outdoor running where safety is a concern—being too absorbed in music can become a distraction. Loud music can also make it harder to stay aware of your surroundings or maintain proper form.
And for some athletes, becoming too dependent on music can create problems if they have to perform without it. For example, in certain competitions or events, music may not be allowed. So it’s useful to mix things up from time to time, trying sessions both with and without music to stay flexible.
What the Research Says
Here’s a quick recap of what multiple studies have shown:
Music with a tempo of 120–140 BPM improves performance in cardio and strength exercises.
Listening to favorite music reduces perceived exertion and increases endurance.
Self-selected playlists lead to higher workout intensity and better enjoyment.
Music improves mood, lowers anxiety, and supports consistent exercise habits.
Music can help synchronize movements, improving coordination and reducing fatigue.
Music therapy in exercise settings has helped older adults and those recovering from injury feel more positive and engaged.
These findings suggest that music isn’t just entertainment—it’s a useful tool for supporting physical and mental performance during exercise.
Final Thoughts
Music plays a big role in how we experience movement. It affects how we feel, how long we can go, and how likely we are to keep showing up. That’s why it’s a part of everything we do here. From group classes to solo sessions, we put thought into the music we use—because it’s more than just background noise. It’s part of the workout.
If you’re curious how the right music can change the way you train, come try a class and see how it feels. Or just build your own playlist, press play, and start moving. You might be surprised by how much easier it is to get into the zone.