Recent research demonstrates that upbeat, motivational music can significantly reduce the perceived strain of rigorous workouts—even for those who are insufficiently active. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), consisting of short, repeated bursts of intense exercise separated by rest periods, has been proven to enhance physical health over several weeks. However, lead researcher warns that it often feels grueling, particularly for less active individuals.
“While HIIT is time-efficient and delivers meaningful health benefits for underactive adults, a major drawback is its discomfort, which can discourage continued participation,” he explains.
Prior studies explored music's effects on recreationally active people during HIIT. This latest research focused on underactive participants, employed a rigorous music selection process, and used a more practical HIIT protocol tailored for beginners.
A panel of British adults evaluated the motivational qualities of 16 fast-paced songs, with the top three selected for the study.
Then, 24 participants performed the "one-minute all-out workout"—three 20-second sprints totaling 60 seconds of intense effort, separated by short rests, for a complete 10-minute session including warm-up and cool-down. They completed HIIT under three conditions: motivational music, no audio, or a podcast without music. Participants reported greater enjoyment with music and exhibited higher heart rates and peak power compared to the no-audio and podcast sessions.
These findings indicate that for insufficiently active individuals, motivational music not only enables harder physical efforts during HIIT but also boosts enjoyment—potentially encouraging them to return for future sessions.
