Whether you’re guiding a fitness-focused studio session or a clinical, physiotherapy-based class, here are some top music tips to enhance rhythm, focus, flow, and synchronisation of breath in your valued clients.
We all know the power music has in enhancing flow states across many areas of our lives - especially during exercise. Pilates is unique in the way it blends breath, body awareness, coordination, and rhythmic movement. By thoughtfully using music as a tool to enhance the key foundations, you can create a more immersive and connected experience for participants.
A study by Biasutti and Antonini Philippe (2023) found that motivational or enjoyable music can increase engagement and perceived energy, helping participants sustain effort during Pilates sequences.
Most people can recognise (and often dislike) generic stock or “elevator” music. Research shows that up to 75% of Gen Z consumers can instantly identify it, and associate it with a brand that feels “budget”, “uncool”, or “inauthentic” (Octomedia, 2025).
Music that participants recognise or enjoy produces stronger performance benefits than unfamiliar tracks (Karageorghis and Priest, 2012).
Of course, you can’t simply press play on the music and assume it’s fine to use in a commercial setting. In Australia, all businesses must hold a OneMusic licence or have other permission from copyright owners to publicly perform music protected by copyright (the music you likely play in your business). Music licensing ensures music creators are fairly compensated for their work.
In Australia there are over 1,700 Pilates practices licensed with OneMusic for their music use.
Flow state occurs when movement is continuous, rhythm is consistent, and distractions are minimised. Selecting music that aligns with your participants’ movement intensity (around 90-140 BPM, depending on the phase) can help maintain rhythm, focus and engagement - supporting breath and body synchronisation (Biasutti and Antonini Philippe, 2023).
Matching tempo to the demands of the movement has also been shown to improve both performance and perceived effort, helping participants stay more connected and engaged throughout the session (Chen et al., 2021), with music acting as a subtle support layer that reinforces flow rather than distracting from it.
Having ready-to-go playlists for each phase of your session can help maintain flow and reduce in-session decision-making. Pilates-specific research highlights the value of structuring music to follow the natural progression of a class - from moderate to faster, then slower tempos (Blažević et al., 2015).
Research also suggests music is most effective when it follows this structure. Genres such as soul and funk may support comfort, ease and precision, while pop, deep house and rock can encourage stronger rhythmic engagement and movement response. Music with a clear, steady rhythm tends to be most effective, while tracks with frequent dynamic or rhythmic changes may be more distracting (Blažević et al., 2015; Ivanova, 2002).
*Practical guidance based on research, rather than directly specified BPM ranges in the study.*
4. Keep the volume complementary, not distracting
Research shows that background music, especially when it is loud or complex, can interfere with speech recognition and focus, making it harder for participants to process verbal instructions (Brown and Bidelman, 2022).
In Pilates, where breath, body awareness and coordinated movement are central, music works best as a subtle support layer. It should sit underneath the session - reinforcing rhythm and flow without distracting from instruction or movement quality.
This approach supports breath, awareness and coordination, helping sessions feel more immersive while staying aligned with the core principles of Pilates (Friedman and Eisen, 1980).
References:
Ivanova, N. (2002) The efficiency of exercising Pilates to music. CL 2002 IB Conference Proceedings. Available at: [PDF Link] (Accessed: 16 March 2026).
Biasutti, M., & Antonini Philippe, R. (2023). Editorial: I got flow! The flow state in music and artistic sport contexts. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1138638. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1138638
Karageorghis, C.I. and Priest, D.-L. (2012)
‘Music in the exercise domain: A review and synthesis (Part I)’, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 5(1), pp. 44–66
OneMusic Australia (2025) The right music sets the mood for greater business: Consumer insights report (Octomedia report). Sydney: OneMusic Australia
The Effect of Acute Aerobic Exercise with Music on Executive Function: The Major Role of Tempo Matching. Chen, J., Su, R., Lv, Z., Xiao, J., Zhao, Y., Wang, D. and Jiang, E. (2021) The effect of acute aerobic exercise with music on executive function: The major role of tempo matching. Physical Activity and Health, 5(1), pp. 31–44.
https://paahjournal.com/articles/10.5334/paah.75
Blažević, I., Vidulin, S. and Trajkovski, B. (2015) The efficiency of exercising Pilates to different music genres. Sport Science, 8(Suppl. 2), pp. 16-25.
Brown, J.A. and Bidelman, G.M. (2022) ‘Song properties and familiarity affect speech recognition in musical noise’, Psychomusicology: Music, Mind, and Brain, 32(1-2), pp. 1-6. Available at: View article DOI (Accessed: 18 June 2026). [psycnet.apa.org], [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Friedman, P. and Eisen, G. (1980) The Pilates method of physical and mental conditioning. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday. [openlibrary.org], [books.google.com]
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