Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that everything in life is better when set to music, and running is no exception. If you put on some tunes while jogging, it can motivate you to do better. But have you ever wondered whether there’s a link between running performance and music? You aren’t alone, and a new study has implied that there are types of music which can certainly boost running performance.
Listening to music
We all know that music has a positive effect on our minds and bodies. It can do everything from give us energy to lift our mood when we’re feeling blue. This is why music can be good for you as a runner. For example, if you curate a ‘motivation mix,’ it can give you the impetus to go running when it’s cold and dark, by pumping you up for your work out, so you don’t mind facing unpleasant conditions.
There’s a few things you can do to make it easy to listen to music while running. It’s good to invest in the right gear, such as a running armband – allowing you to secure your phone to your bicep and enabling access to great tunes. But what songs should you play on your phone? If you’re interested in maximising performance, the results of a new study could give you the answers you’re looking for.
Boosting performance
The research, the Daily Mail writes, was carried out by electronics company Jaybird in partnership with fitness coaches Leanne Hall and Tanya Poppett. Over the course of five days, Jaybird asked Leanne and Tanya to listen to different genres of music while running, on separate days to see how they influence training. The genres tested included pop, opera, reggae, classical, rock and heavy metal.
The best genre of music to listen to while pounding the pavement, according to the Jaybird study, is pop. What is perhaps more shocking, was that the second best genre of music found to be good for running was heavy metal. On the other side of the equation, opera and reggae were discovered by Jaybird’s research to be bad for running, although of course personal preferences will come into the equation.
Matching the beat
Commenting, Leanne said: “It’s really interesting when we looked at different genres and the effect different types of music had on our running, part of it comes down to personal preference… but really it comes down to the feelings that that kind of music elicits. For example, classical music tends to make us feel really calm – and the research does show that,” as calmness isn’t always great for runners.
Going on, Leanne noted: “Pop music is a really, really interesting one. Part of me thinks that that’s because with pop music – particularly the stuff we hear on the radio – we kind of know the words. It gives us something to focus on… I think the beat [of the music] is really important and often, if it matches our cadence, or is close to matching our cadence, that is a really big thing.”
Explaining the research’s interesting conclusions further, she commented: “If we listen to music with a slow beat, we’re more likely to run a little slower. Pop music tends to be a little more pacey, as does heavy metal. That type of music probably makes us run a little quicker than reggae or classical.”
Creating your playlist
So what does this mean for you, if you’re a fan of running to music? It all depends on what your goal is really. If you’re looking to push yourself harder while running, pop and heavy metal should perhaps be your genres of choice, as their addictive lyrics and pounding beats can inspire you to work harder. But if you’re wanting to run while unwinding from the stresses of life, reggae and classical can actually be handy options, as they can help you chill out during your jog, leading to a happier you!
Until the next time,
Mohsin Salya
Mohsin Salya 