Up-tempo music helps you pick up pace in the gym

LISTENING to up-tempo music helps gym-goers work out for longer, research suggests.

The research, by Texas Tech University Health Sciences, assigned 127 participants to listen to music or have none played while undergoing a “stress test” used to check fitness levels. They were asked to keep working out for as long as they could.

Those who were asked to listen to music managed to keep going for almost eight and a half minutes – nearly a minute longer than those who were exercising without music.

Dr Waseem Shami, the lead researcher, said: “At least on a small scale, this study provides some evidence that music may help serve as an extra tool to help motivate someone to exercise more, which is critical to heart health.

“When doctors are recommending exercise, they might suggest listening to music, too.”

The study, being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th Annual Scientific Session, involved participants with an average age of 53.