New research shows that upbeat music can make a rigorous workout less strenuous. Even for people who are not active enough. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) — short, repeated bouts of intense exercise separated by periods of rest — has been shown to improve physical health over several weeks of training. But warns the researcher, it can be experienced as grueling for many people, especially those who are less active.
“While HIIT is time-saving and may induce meaningful health benefits in adults who are underactive, a major drawback is that people may find it uncomfortable, which may have the effect of discouraging further participation,” he says.
Previous research has examined the effects of music during HIIT with recreationally active people. Their latest study tested the effects of music in underactive participants, used a more rigorous music selection process, and implemented a HIIT regimen that is more practical for less active adults.
First, a panel of British adults were assembled to assess the motivational qualities of 16 fast-paced songs. The three numbers with the highest motivational characteristics were used for the study.
Next, a separate group of 24 participants completed what's called the "one-minute workout" — three 20-second all-out sprints, totaling 60 seconds of hard work. A short rest period separated the sprints, for a total exercise period of 10 minutes, including a warm-up and cool-down. Participants completed these HIIT sessions in three different conditions — with motivational music, no audio, or a podcast with no music. Participants reported greater enjoyment of HIIT. They also showed increased heart rate and peak power in the music session compared to the no-audio and podcast sessions.
The research shows that for people who are considered insufficiently active, music can not only help them work harder physically during HIIT, but it can also help them enjoy HIIT more. And because motivational music has the power to improve people's HIIT workouts, it could ultimately give people an extra boost to try HIIT again in the future.
