Everybody listens to music, in the car, hanging out with friends or when you are home alone. And of course, music during physical activity cannot be forgotten; all the gyms have music on, people wearing headphones and even exercises based on music beats such as spinning classes! All of this because people believe it motivates them and pushes them to their limits. But is this really true and how can you get an extra boost during your workout?
Music vs pre-workout - is such a comprasion even worth mentioning?
I compared 7 different researches which included over 105 test subjects tested on different workouts, such as maximum strength tests, sprint interval training, cycling and running. They were listening to different types of music while their power output and perceived effort rating were measured.
The overall conclusion was that music has little to no influence on the physical performance BUT listening to music while exercising does make the activity feel more pleasant and easier to complete. Therefore, it can be said that music definitely motivates people to exercise but it does not improve your physical output.
So, music motivates but does not influence the physical effects. You might be wondering, what can I do to get the most out of my workout?
Well, there is a type of supplement which can give you an extra boost called Pre-workout. Pre-workout is generally a powder which you mix with water and includes ingredients which (should) give you a boost. Here is a list of common ingredients with their effects.
Pre-workout substances
Caffeine
Caffeine affects the central nervous system and hormones which increase alertness, concentration and energy. Too much caffeine could cause insomnia and dizziness.
Creatine
Is a natural chemical produced in the liver and kidney. It is a supplement energy source which helps create hypertrophy by drawing water to muscle cells.
Taurine
If you have ever had an energy drink you will have heard of taurine. Taurine can be compared with Creatine, it helps increase strength, endurance and improve muscle recovery.
Beta-Alanine
Slows down tiredness while muscles are contracted. Beta-Alanine should improve performance, anaerobic and aerobic endurance and power output.
Are those substances making a difference?
Now you know the ingredients and their supposed effects, but do they actually work? Measured effects show that the blood flow
gets enhanced which helps speed up muscle recovery, it slows down the time to failure and improves work capacity. Furthermore, pre workouts tends to improve concentration and focus.
One research compared a placebo pre workout with a real one. The results showed that the test subjects who took the pre-workout had a significant improvement in mean power and anaerobic peak compared to the placebo group. This shows that pre-workout definitely has a physical effect on your workouts. However, it is important to keep in mind that pre-workouts can have side effects such as a high heart rate, over stimulation and cardiovascular system strain. Therefore, it is always important to check the instructions which come with the pre-workout.
Let’s recap all that information. Firstly, music motivates people during exercise, unfortunately it does not give a physical boost and improve physical capabilities. However, you can use a pre-workout supplement to get a physical boost and improve work capacity.
Give MZ-Store Pre-workout a try! It is cheap, effective and has 2 different flavours to choose from.
And if you already tried pre-workout, let us know what your favourite is!
Written by Sven Nicholson | Online Personal Trainer @ www.healthychanges-pt.com
Sources:
https://www.self.com/story/pre-workout-supplements
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0138-7
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1564&context=ijes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25202850
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24968586
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22868289
https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/listing.aspx?id=18061
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5292639_The_Effects_of_Music_Preference_and_Exercise_Intensity_on_Psychological_Variables
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25449408
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