Listening to Music and Exercise

woman running wearing armband
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on September 18, 2020 and last updated on May 8, 2023

It’s very common for people to exercise while listening to music. Many people say listening to music helps them stay focused and keeps them motivated. There are, however, a few people who believe that listening to music while exercising is cheating. They think that you should be able to use your own brain to motivate yourself and keep yourself focused rather than using external sources such as music.

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • exercise (verb)
  • cheat (verb)
  • workout (noun)
  • work out (phrasal verb)
  • motivation (noun)

Conversation Questions

My Image
  • Is listening to music while exercising 'cheating'?
  • Do you listen to music when you are exercising? If yes, what type of music do you listen to and why?
  • Would your workout be more difficult if you were not listening to music?
  • What benefits do you think people get from exercising without listening to music?
  • Do you think that listening to music is a form of cheating while exercising?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.