Leisure Media HCM March 2010 - TourismInsights

Music may directly improve
a person’s enjoyment of
the physical activity, leading
to greater adherence
32-beat blocks, the class is continuous,
which keeps the heart rate of the class
at the right level for the correct period
of time – there’s no gap between tunes
where heart rates could drop.”
However – in his article ‘The
Effects of Music on Exercise?’ (IDEA
Today, 1994) – Len Kravitz PhD, a
researcher at the University of New
Mexico in Albuquerque, points to some
“confl icting results” in the scientifi c
evidence regarding the effects of music
on exercise performance. He states: “A
review of studies indicates that heart
rate tends to only moderately follow the
music.” Indeed, he quotes a 1991 study
in which subjects walking or jogging on a
treadmill had longer times to exhaustion
when listening to slow, soft music
than when listening to loud, fast music.
“Research is unclear at this point as to
the physiological effects music may have
on exercise performance,” Kravitz adds.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Kravitz also suggests that music of any
kind can in fact lead to a moderate
increase in heart rate, thanks to the
emotional effect of music. However, this
in itself has an application, as he
explains: “One valuable way an aerobic
fitness instructor can use music in the
teaching arena is as a pre-class stimulus.
The majority of studies suggest that
music may significantly increase
respiration rate and moderately elevate
heart rate, preparing the student for the
anticipated workout.”
Not only that, but: “Although
performance may or may not be
enhanced by the addition of music to
the workout, subjects regularly report
that they felt their performance was
better with the music accompaniment.
Therefore, music may directly improve
a person’s enjoyment of the physical
activity, leading to greater exercise
compliance.” Indeed, in research
conducted by PPL and PRS for Music, 80
per cent of all gym users questioned said
workout music makes them more likely
to enjoy themselves when exercising.
When it comes to resistance
workouts, Kravitz refers to previous
studies measuring grip strength and
observes that “listening to sedative
music decreased strength signifi cantly
when compared to stimulative music
and silence. However, no statistical
signifi cant difference was seen
between stimulative music and
silence”. Kravitz warns that, as
“sedative music may actually decrease
a person’s muscular fi tness potential
training ability”, personal trainers –
indeed clubs in general – should be
mindful of the types of music clients
are exposed to during the resistance
element of their workout programmes.
It may, he adds, be worth considering
Research suggests that the optimum
range for burning calories is
118–122 beats per minute (BPM)
march 2010 © cybertrek 2010
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