The Best Genre Of Music For Training And Mood For Women Has Been Found

In Japan, scientists have turned a treadmill into a dance floor. Female students, listening to tracks with a bright groove – that same rhythmic “drive” that makes the body itself ask to move – involuntarily accelerated and left the training inspired. For men, the melody turned out to be indifferent. Work by Kazuya Suwabe and Satoshi Kawase, published inFrontiers in Sports and Active Livingopened up new facets of musical doping.

What is hidden behind the word “groove”

Groove does not come from volume or tempo, but from subtle deviations from the ideal rhythm. When the drums are slightly behind the beat and the bass notes are barely ahead of the beat, it createsfeeling of a natural pulse coinciding with the heartbeat.This effect can be compared to the soft swing of jazz or the characteristic “swing” of funk – predictable but filled with lively tension. The brain picks up microscopic rhythmic shifts, activating motor areas, andthe body begins to respond to music even before the person realizes it.

In a laboratory at Ryutsu Keizai University, nine experts listened to 138 songs ranging from R&B to pop hits. Each track was rated on a “want to move” scale. The best were included in the high groove (HG) playlist, the worst – low groove (LG). The tempo is the same for both, so as not to confuse the effect of speed with the effect of rhythm.

Results during the race

The experiment involved 38 healthy students aged 18–21 years, half were girls. Each person had two 10-minute sessions: five for warm-up, five for the main run. The order of the music is random, the volume is fixed – no whispers, no shouts. The track made it possible to change the speed independently, without external pressure.

After the finish – a questionnaire: how much the track “lit” and how the mood changed on a scale from apathy to euphoria. The questionnaire recorded subjective impressions, and a two-dimensional mood scale recorded the level of vigor and excitement.

The men ran smoothly: neither HG nor LG moved the speed needle. But the students gradually increased their speed under the high groove – on average 4–6% faster. The the girl felt the “kick”, the noticeably the tempo increased. After the HG session they noted a surge of energy:

“It’s like I drank coffee, but without the nerves and the shaking.”

Under LG, the mood remained neutral.

“HG music increased running speed and positive mood responses in female students with high groove scores,” the authors write.

The effect was pronounced in those who initially “felt” the rhythm acutely.

Why do women react strongly?

Previous studies have shown that the female brain is actively synchronized with musical stimuli. Here this was confirmed in practice.The girls’ motor zones “picked up” the groove, turning it into a physical impulse.Men, on the other hand, remained within the usual tempo – perhaps their motor cortex “dances” less to the rhythm.

The authors offer a simple solution for the fitness industry.

“Coaches and instructors can use HG music in women’s programs to enhance motivation and performance,” conclude Suwabe and Kawase.

A playlist of funky beats, swing jazz or R&B with live bass can turn a monotonous run into a driving workout.

How does it work in the brain

When the groove “catches”, the same neural circuits are activated as when dancing. The basal ganglia, the center for coordinating movements, synchronizes with the rhythm. Dopamine is added: the brain rewards for “getting on the beat.” In women, this system seems to be sensitive, so the effect is noticeable.

Scientists advise making a playlist wisely, look for tracks with live drums and “rocking” bass. 120-130 beats per minute is ideal: fast enough for running, but not tiring. Avoid electronic metronomes: mechanical rhythm kills the groove. Better live recordings or light swing.