Optimizing beat synchronized running to music

Abstract

The use of music and specifically tempo-matched music has been shown to affect running performance. But can we maximize the synchronization of movements to music and does maximum synchronization influence kinematics and motivation? In this study, we explore the effect of different types of music-to-movement alignment strategies on phase coherence, cadence and motivation. These strategies were compared to a control condition where the music tempo was deliberately not aligned to the running cadence. Results show that without relative phase alignment, a negative mean asynchrony (NMA) of footfall timings with respect to the beats is obtained. This means that footfalls occurred slightly before the beat and that beats were anticipated. Convergence towards this NMA or preferred relative phase angle was facilitated when the first music beat of a new song started close to the step, which means that entrainment occurred. The results also show that using tempo and phase alignment, the relative phase can be manipulated or forced in a certain angle with a high degree of accuracy. Ensuring negative angles larger than NMA (step before beat) results in increased motivation and decreasing cadence. Running in NMA or preferred relative phase angles results in a null effect on cadence. Ensuring a positive phase angle with respect to NMA results in higher motivation and higher cadence. None of the manipulations resulted in change in perceived exhaustion or a change in velocity. Results also indicate that gender plays an important role when using forced phase algorithms: effects were more pronounced for the female population than for the male population. The implementation of the proposed alignment strategies and control of beat timing while running opens possibilities optimizing the individual running cadence and motivation.

The effect of self-selected music on endurance running capacity and performance in a mentally fatigued state

“…Similarly, in study 2 TT completion time showed a small decrease in MF+MUSIC vs. MFONLY, and was very similar to BL. This improvement in endurance running capacity and performance when listening to selfselected music is consistent with the literature (Buhmann et al, 2018;Terry et al, 2011). However, a novel finding of our study is that listening to music while mentally fatigued negates the negative impact of MF on endurance running capacity and performance.…”

“…Dyer and McKune (2013) found no significant effect of fast (140 bpm) vs slow (120 bpm) tempo music on 20 km cycle completion time but reported significantly greater measures of tension in participants during the fast tempo music trial. Conversely, Buhmann et al (2018) reported a positive relationship between music tempo and preferred running cadence, with subsequent improvements in selfpacing strategies when listening to high tempo music. Since it is hard to determine the optimal music tempo, and other characteristics of music are likely to influence its ergogenic effect (Karageorghis and Priest, 2012a), self-selection of music may be a more effective approach (Buhmann et al, 2018).…”

“…Conversely, Buhmann et al (2018) reported a positive relationship between music tempo and preferred running cadence, with subsequent improvements in selfpacing strategies when listening to high tempo music. Since it is hard to determine the optimal music tempo, and other characteristics of music are likely to influence its ergogenic effect (Karageorghis and Priest, 2012a), self-selection of music may be a more effective approach (Buhmann et al, 2018). However, no studies have investigated the effect of listening to self-selected music following a MF task on endurance running capacity or performance.…”

Cadence Modulation in Walking and Running: Pacing Steps or Strides?

“…In locomotion, auditory pacing can be readily provided via a headset. Auditory cues in the form of a beat can be used to influence the movement pattern through a process known as auditory-motor synchronization [11][12][13][14][15][16][17], defined here as the coordination of rhythmic movements, such as steps, to external stimuli, such as metronome beeps. Stable coordination between steps and cues is associated with a strong effect of pacing on the movement pattern [4,18].…”

Co-regulated timing in music ensembles: A Bayesian listener perspective

“…Despite these and other limitations, BListener may be useful in applications involving music-based bio-feedback. Previous results in this domain (for example in Moens et al, 2014;Van den Berghe et al, 2020;Lorenzoni et al, 2019;Moumddjan et al, 2019;Buhmann et al, 2018) suggest that beneficial outcomes of human-machine synchronization are conditioned by constancy in co-regulated timing. If timing is of low quality, then beneficial effects will probably be poor or even neglectable, suggesting a dependency of effect on timing constancy.…”