The Mission for Groove Discovery

Groove¹= The pleasurable feeling of wanting to move the body to music

The idea that music and movement go hand in hand is not breaking news. It’s used everywhere from nursery schools to nursing homes.

The link between music, movement, and pleasure is powerful and evolutionarily deep. Neuroscientists can now prove it by looking at people’s brains while they listen to music². The motor and reward networks light up simultaneously showing a very tangible connection. This is even true when the participants in the study are not allowed to move, their motor systems are activated and ready to go just by hearing music and they report feeling pleasure when they sense the groove.

Although the connection is there, individuals aren’t always going to jump up and dance or feel that groove every time music is playing. There are a lot of factors at play; social context, preference, and previous experience are all big ones.

The “mission for groove discovery” is about bringing subconscious delight into the forefront for a purpose: overall health and wellbeing.

Inadequate physical activity in daily life can have many harmful risks to long term physical and mental health. Changes in modern life and work have led to much more sedentary lifestyles.  The World Health Organization considers it a leading risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and death worldwide. Most of the causes of premature death in the United States are preventable³ and could be significantly lowered through small increases in physical activity - just an additional 10 min a day could save over 110,000 lives a year⁴. Getting adequate daily physical activity has so many benefits to the body, but if you don’t use it, you lose it.  Then, exercise begins to feel like more of a burden than a benefit.

Music can be a catalyst to movement

Music can be used for many different purposes, but for this mission we’re looking at what will inspire movement to push against the inertia to stay sedentary. We know that moving to music is linked to pleasure in the brain, but some people may need a little help uncovering it. It’s not necessary to force something that feels miserable because of an intellectual notion that it’s “good for you.” Instead, let music provide a spark of joy and then synchronize the body to fuel the flame. Music that is nostalgic for a more active time could be a good place to start.

Groove to feel better

If you can find your groove, magic can happen. Listening to music before or during exercise or sport is proven to enhance enjoyment, improve physical performance⁵, and reduce perceived exertion⁶. Finding the sweet spot is all about doing what is just a bit challenging for you and sticking with it. Soon, you may experience flow, get into “the zone,” and feel a natural high⁷ through persistence. Consistent exercise can re-engineer your brain to experience more pleasure and improve mental health⁸ You may live longer⁹ with a better overall quality of life with less chronic pain¹⁰. You can build a cognitive reserve and stave off dementia¹¹. When you’re stressed out, you will find yourself recovering¹² by going for a run or walk instead of reaching for a substance¹³. The benefits are exponential!

The mission for groove discovery isn’t just for those going from nothing to something, it’s also about refining technique to make exercise less painful at every level. Running shouldn’t be painful. Finding the right rhythms for walking and running can aid with biomechanics and overall efficiency. It’s not all about running or the “runner’s high” either, tons of benefits can be had through walking¹⁴.

Why specialize in walking and running?

Walking and running are rhythmic, repetitive and fit in well with daily living so they’re a great way to practice groove in a mindful way that has a big impact on physical and mental health. You can start practically anywhere, anytime. There’s no complicated choreography or expensive equipment to buy. You don’t need to coordinate with other people, but you can if you want. Walking and running can supplement other activities you do, or be your main focus. If boredom is the issue, music can help keep things interesting. I could go on and on. 

The “Groove Music” used here

The term “groove” may bring to mind songs like Stevie Wonder’s, “Superstition,” and while that song consistently receives high groove ratings, neuroscientists and psychologists define groove more broadly than a specific genre. Groove refers to any song that hits the sweet spot of feeling pleasure from moving the body to music. 

There are lots of theories about what elements of music affect groove for people on average, but my question is, what is going to move the needle for you? 

When working with clients, first I look at the person’s music taste, fitness goals, walking/running form, and movement history (for example, what activities do they do repetitively, what have they trained in, do they have injuries or other limitations, etc.) Then, I use knowledge of music theory, scientific studies on groove, my personal experience as a marathoner, certified running coach, personal trainer, and songwriter of music for running as well as being a lifelong music fan to inform my song selections. Client feedback is important! We continue to improve and refine playlists based on their input. Favorite artists and songs that have connections to their past are included along with songs that are new to them. I love introducing people to independent artists that they may not otherwise have heard about. I also love learning about artists I didn’t know about from their selections.

In addition, I can provide conditioning exercises to improve form, strength, stability, flexibility, and practice finding the groove. In fact, depending on the program, we’ll likely start with the conditioning exercises in order to get into the groove. Repetition and consistency are the name of the game, so often strategies for mindset, visualization, and habit formation are needed to bring it all together. 

180 bpm Running Music

If you already have a lot of experience with running and are looking to train with the 180 bpm cadence, you can forgo the consultations and directly request a custom 180 bpm playlist through this website.

180 bpm is the (somewhat debatable) gold standard to running tempo. It’s the tempo I use for training and writing running music and I believe it has a lot of merit. Over the years the pendulum has swung back and forth over its importance (much like running shoe styles or whether to run with music in itself.) I’ve gathered my thoughts and make my arguments for it here. Regardless, it’s a guideline, not a mandate. When learning and working together we can use different tempos, particularly if you’re more focused on walking. Tempo is a key ingredient to this whole process and it can be changeable. 

The Big Why

OK, so why does this have to be a “mission” and not just a hobby? This whole page has been an attempt to explain an obsession through research and science but it comes down to something more basic than that.

It’s the feeling of being engaged with music while running or walking. I feel in control of my body and serene in my mind. It can be a dreary Tuesday morning, but for a few moments I’m not feeling all the pressures of living, I’m just alive.

In a way, it’s the best when there’s no goal race or pace to hit, it’s only because I want to do it. I can’t help but think the reason people often hate running is because of all the judgements they’re putting on themselves while doing it. My wish is that more people could experience the groove, and not the pain of pushing themselves toward what they think running or exercise should be.

When I was in college I went through a low period where I struggled with my emotional and mental health. At the time I was resistant to getting treatment (which I’m not recommending) but I also discovered that physical fitness helped me get through it in a way that nothing else did.

Also around that time, I stumbled across an essay by the feminist intellectual and activist, bell hooks, recounting her meeting with the Buddhist monk, spiritual leader and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh. This link is dated 2017, but I saw it in a book many years before that. The whole thing is worth a read because there are so many gems. Some of the ideas became foundational for my philosophy of training.   

The title is “Building a Community of Love,” and this was one of my big takeaways:

So the question is whether we are practicing loving ourselves? Because loving ourselves means loving our community. When we are capable of loving ourselves, nourishing ourselves properly, not intoxicating ourselves, we are already protecting and nourishing society. Because in the moment when we are able to smile, to look at ourselves with compassion, our world begins to change. - Thich Naht Hanh

So anything you do for yourself, you do for your community and anything you do for your community, you do for yourself. That really clicks. It is not selfish to prioritize mental health and fitness; you’ll be happier and your loved ones will be happy to have you around for longer. It has been studied that making healthy choices can have a ripple effect within social circles¹⁵. 

Another idea is:

In fact, the true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within, because you already have the insight within you.  - Thich Naht Hanh

First of all, that is a beautiful thought for any individual. The insight is already inside of us, we just have to look for it. Ultimately, that’s my goal as a coach/trainer, to help people get in touch with their fitness and get out of the way. The definition of “groove” provides a focal point. What songs awaken that desire to move? Then, once you’re moving, what songs can keep it going? A playlist becomes something you can put on whenever you need a reminder or a push.

I would like to end this in the spirit of bell hooks, with the intention that the mission for groove discovery is built on a “foundation of loving-kindness” and intended to be an act of “love in action.”

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References

  1. Takahide Etani, Akito Miura, Satoshi Kawase, Shinya Fujii, Peter E. Keller, Peter Vuust, Kazutoshi Kudo, A Review of Psychological and Neuroscientific Research on Musical Groove, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 158, 2024

  2. Tomas E. Matthews, Maria A.G. Witek, Torben Lund, Peter Vuust, Virginia B. Penhune, The sensation of groove engages motor and reward networks, NeuroImage, Volume 214, 2020

  3. Paula W. Yoon, ScD, Brigham Bastian, Robert N. Anderson, PhD, Janet L. Collins, PhD, Harold W. Jaffe, MD, Potentially Preventable Deaths from the Five Leading Causes of Death — United States, 2008–2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MMWR, May 2, 2014

  4. Saint-Maurice PF, Graubard BI, Troiano RP, et al. Estimated Number of Deaths Prevented Through Increased Physical Activity Among US Adults.  JAMA Intern Med 2022.

  5. Peter C. Terry, Costas I. Karageorghis, Michelle L. Curran, Olwenn V. Martin, Renée L. Parsons-Smith, Effects of Music in Exercise and Sport: A Meta-Analytic Review, Psychological Bulletin, Volume 146, Issue 2 Feb 2020

  6. Andrea Schittenhelm, Tom Brandt , Denny Andres, Patrick Adler, Merle T Fairhurst, Annette Schmidt, Music influences performance without increasing perceived exertion during high-intensity rowing intervals: a cross-over design study, Frontiers in Psychology, August 16, 2024

  7. Kelly McGonigal, PhD, Why does running give you a high? A look at the science, Ideas.Ted.Com Science, April 28, 2020 [excerpted from her book, The Joy of Movement: How exercise helps us find happiness, hope, connection, and courage]

  8. Kelly McGonigal, PhD, Five Surprising Ways Exercise Changes Your Brain, Greater Good Magazine, January 6, 2020

  9. Duck-chul Lee, Angelique G. Brellenthin, Paul D. Thompson, Xuemei Sui, I-Min Lee, Carl J. Lavie, Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity, Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, Volume 60, Issue 1,

    2017

  10. Lima LV, Abner TSS, Sluka KA. Does exercise increase or decrease pain? Central mechanisms underlying these two phenomena. J Physiol. July 1, 2017

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  12. Wang D, Wang Y, Wang Y, Li R, Zhou C. Impact of physical exercise on substance use disorders: a meta-analysis, PLoS One, Oct 16, 2014

  13. Smith MA, Lynch WJ. Exercise as a potential treatment for drug abuse: evidence from preclinical studies. Front Psychiatry. Jan 12, 2012

  14. Zhu Z, Chen H, Ma J, He Y, Chen J, Sun J. Exploring the Relationship between Walking and Emotional Health in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health, Nov. 27, 2020

  15. Lo BK, Graham ML, Eldridge G, Donoso MR, Folta SC, Strogatz D, Nelson ME, Paul LC, Parry SA, Seguin-Fowler RA. Ripple Effects of a Community-Based Randomized Trial for Rural Women: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities. Obesity (Silver Spring) May 22, 2020