Is your favorite playlist the key to pump up your endurance?

By Stephen Beech

Keep-fit fans who listen to their favorite playlist while working out exercise harder and longer, according to a new study.

Researchers found that letting people choose their own upbeat tunes to exercise to boosts endurance by up to 20% — without making the workout feel any tougher.

They say their findings, published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, have practical benefits for both athletes, their coaches and everyday exercisers.

Participants who pedaled to their own self-selected tracks — of around 120 to 140 beats per minute — lasted an average of nearly six minutes longer in a cycling test before reaching exhaustion compared to riding in silence.

The study was conducted by scientists from the University of Jyväskylä (JYU) in Finland.

Lead researcher Andrew Danso said: "Self-selected music doesn't change your fitness level or make your heart work dramatically harder in the moment — it simply helps you tolerate sustained effort for longer.

"It may be an incredibly simple, zero-cost tool that lets people push further in training without feeling extra strain at the end.

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"Our findings suggest that the right playlist may make tough sessions feel more doable and more enjoyable."

For the study, 29 recreationally active adults completed two identical high-intensity cycling tests at about 80% of their peak power.

One test had no music; the other let participants choose their own songs.

With music they cycled for 35.6 minutes on average compared to 29.8 minutes without, a clear 20% improvement.

Even though they exercised longer and burned more total energy, their heart rate and lactate levels at the finish line were the same in both conditions.

In other words, Danso says the music helped them "stay in the pain zone" longer without making the pain feel worse.

Danso, from JYU's Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain, added: "Many people struggle to stick with hard training because it feels exhausting too quickly.

"Our research shows that letting people choose their own motivating music may help them accumulate more quality training time, which could translate to better fitness gains, improved adherence to exercise programs, and possibly more people staying active."

He said, from a broader perspective, the study also highlights how music could play a role in tackling inactivity-related health challenges.