You're halfway through a brutal set.

Then that song comes on.

Suddenly you've got another rep.

Maybe two.

It feels psychological.

And it is.

But researchers have found that the relationship between music and exercise may go considerably further than simply getting hyped.

Your brain doesn't ignore music

Music is a complex stimulus.

Rhythm, tempo, melody, anticipation, memory, and emotion can all interact with how we experience it.

That's why one song can instantly bring back a memory you haven't thought about in years.

It's also why the right music can completely change the atmosphere of a workout.

Researchers studying exercise have repeatedly asked a simple question:

Does that actually affect performance?

Music and exercise performance

Across decades of research, music has been studied during endurance exercise, strength training, sprinting, and other physical activities.

Large reviews and meta-analyses have generally found beneficial effects of music across several exercise-related outcomes.

Depending on the activity and study design, researchers have observed changes in areas including endurance, physical performance, perceived exertion, enjoyment, and physiological responses.

The effect isn't identical for everyone or every workout.

But your playlist isn't necessarily just background noise.

Why can exercise feel easier with music?

One particularly interesting area is rating of perceived exertion, or RPE.

That's essentially a measure of how hard an activity feels.

Music can compete for attention with some of the internal sensations associated with exercise.

During certain intensities of activity, that may influence how strongly you perceive fatigue and effort.

Your muscles haven't suddenly become immune to fatigue.

Your perception of the experience can change.

And during a difficult workout, perception matters.

Tempo matters

Researchers have also investigated musical tempo.

Faster music tends to be preferred during higher-intensity exercise, and tempo can interact with movement cadence and arousal.

There's a reason slow ambient music probably isn't the first thing most people choose before attempting a personal record.

The nervous system is preparing for something demanding.

The music can become part of that environment.

Your favorite music may matter even more

Here's another interesting wrinkle:

Preference matters.

Research comparing preferred and non-preferred music has found differences in exercise performance, motivation, and enjoyment.

That means there probably isn't a scientifically perfect Just Relent workout playlist that works for everyone.

The song that makes one person want to run through a wall might make someone else reach for the skip button.

Personal association is part of the experience.

Music can become a cue

Humans are extremely good at associating environments and sensations with behaviors.

Put your headphones on.

Start the playlist.

Tie your shoes.

Take the pre-workout.

Walk into the gym.

Over time, these things can become signals:

It's time to work.

The same principle can happen afterward.

Training ends.

Headphones come off.

You hydrate.

You eat.

You shower.

You start your recovery routine.

That's one reason we care so much about ritual at Just Relent.

From training mode to recovery mode

Just Relent Recovery Spray wasn't designed to replace the fundamentals of recovery.

It's something we built to become part of them.

Magnesium chloride forms the foundation, surrounded by aloe vera, seaweed, dandelion, and an aromatic blend of lavender, marjoram, and cypress.

For us, using it after training becomes another signal:

The work is done.

Recovery starts.

Then tomorrow, the headphones go back on.

And we do it again.

RECOVER. RECHARGE. REPEAT.