Your heart is racing, beads of sweat dripping down your back, the fluorescent lights of the gym blinds your squinted eyes. You’re about to attempt to hit your personal record, something you’ve been dreaming about for months. You know you can do it, you’re strong enough, you’ve trained enough, you’re ready. As you step up to the bar, you crack your fingers, adjust your stance, take your grip. The moment has arrived and you begin to contract your muscles. As soon as the bar lifts off the ground, “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus blasts in your headphones and you drop the bar out of frustration. 

Have you ever heard a song that just makes you want to get up and move? This is a direct effect of the music’s beats per minute, tone, style and tempo. With a fast and steady beat, you are more likely to go with the pace and stay with it, resulting in a more efficient workout, compared to say, to a slower tempo, which could result in a slower pace.

Studies have shown that the song’s tempo and beat affect the pace of one’s workout which results in more calorie burning and an increase in cardio. Another study concluded that 75% of people find that running with music is beneficial to their pace.

“The beat per minute of the song affects my workout by getting me more excited,” sophomore Paya Ghavami, a student that works out six times a week said.

Usually, with headphones plugged in, it is easy to slip into the endless realm of alto, soprano and bass rather than being distracted by little sounds or background noise.

“Some songs even give me an adrenaline rush, giving me a strength I didn’t know I was capable of having. I also have no sense of time while listening to music,” Ghavami said. 

Some people tend to lose their motivation if their music is interrupted by an ad or is not available to them when exercising. 

“When I don’t have music, I don’t feel motivated enough to finish my sets or do extra exercises but with music, I feel like I can work out for hours without getting tired,” Ghavami said.

Different people have different tastes in music, ranging from tempo, pitch, style and beats per minute. It would be difficult to conduct an arduous, effective workout if the sound in your ears does not match the mood you’re in.

“If I don’t play a hyped playlist, I don’t have as much motivation to work hard. There is no specific song, but rap songs, in general, make me more energized,” sophomore Malea Johnson said.

Music is relaxing for some, and for others it’s exhilarating. However you feel about music, it will always be there for your best and worst moments.

“Overall, I think music affects my workout greatly,” Ghavami said.