Rhythmic Entrainment: Why Your Body Syncs to Music

This landmark two-part review, published in the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, brought together over a decade of peer-reviewed evidence on how music affects the exercising body and brain. Authored by Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University, the most cited researcher in this field globally, and Peter Terry of the University of Southern Queensland, it remains the most comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding music as a performance variable rather than background noise.

The review identifies rhythmic entrainment as one of music's most powerful mechanisms: the tendency of biological oscillators, stride rate, breath cadence, and heart rate, to naturally synchronise with an external rhythmic stimulus. When tempo is matched to movement, the body becomes measurably more mechanically efficient. The paper documents consistent reductions in oxygen consumption at equivalent workloads, improvements in endurance, and increased total work output when synchronous music is applied correctly.

Critically, the review distinguishes between asynchronous music (playing in the background) and synchronous music (tempo consciously matched to movement). The ergogenic benefits of synchronous use consistently exceed those of asynchronous application. The authors also identify that music above 120 BPM produces stimulative effects, while tempos below 80 BPM promote recovery and sedation. Getting the match right is everything. Getting it wrong is not neutral; it can actively disrupt motor patterns and increase perceived effort. This is the scientific foundation on which MusicBoost is built.

Karageorghis, C.I. & Terry, P.C. (2012). Music in the exercise domain: a review and synthesis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(1), 44-66.