Of late, the music volume in group fitness classes has been getting deafeningly loud – at least, in my experience.
Group exercise classes that rely on rhythm, energy and high-intensity intervals include indoor cycling (spinning), Zumba, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and dance-based cardio.
They are the biggest culprits for loud music and consistently blast tracks well over 90 decibels (dB).
This is done with the assumption that loud, high-tempo music enhances motivation and performance.
However, multiple studies confirm that turning down the music doesn’t compromise exercise intensity or fitness results.
The music’s tempo and rhythm are far more motivating than raw volume, and class participants are often much more satisfied when the volume is kept at a safer, moderate level.
Yet, many classes still reach dangerous decibel levels that lead to permanent hearing loss and tinnitus (a ringing, buzzing or clicking sound that doesn’t come from an outside source).
ALSO READ: Gym classes, turn down the music volume!
In university, my coursemates and I had a penchant for dancing in front or on top of the speakers at discotheques (now called clubs) because the vibrations pumped us to go harder.
Being right in the sweet spot where the bass pulsed directly through your body was the ultimate way to feel the rhythm and let loose.
As dance students, our movements were a little more fluid that the rest of the patrons, so we’d “showcase” high kicks, body isolations and the Running Man, a classic hip-hop and R&B staple.
Mind you, we did this without any stimulation from drugs, cigarettes or alcohol!
Afterwards, our ears would ring with booming beats and we’d be temporarily deaf for a few minutes.
Ahh, the folly of youth.
When you’re young, it’s thrilling; now, I immediately develop a headache when the grasscutter is mowing the lawn.
Lack of enforcement
Recently, I started attending a community Zumba class near my home.
Initially, the music volume was bearable, but as the class progresses and the tracks get hotter, the charming instructor amplifies the speaker’s volume using his smartwatch.
Music is the primary driver of dance-based workouts and volume is frequently cranked up to build a “club-like” atmosphere.
I enjoy the moves, but the music is so loud, my eardrums start to hurt and I have to walk out every few songs to give my ears a rest.
However, no one else seems to be affected – perhaps it’s my age as the majority are still in their youth.
I have to position myself further away from the main speakers and subwoofers, so I can exit quickly whenever needed.
The instructor and participants are probably unaware of the permanent damage that loud music can cause.
Fitness instructors and gym management are supposed to regulate the volume of the music and microphones, but this is hardly enforced in our gyms.
In community classes and events, no one is checking.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that exposure to noise levels above 85dB for prolonged periods can lead to hearing impairment.
According to a study from George Mason University in Virginia, United States, many fitness classes average noise levels well over 90dB, with some between 100dB to 110dB.
For context, this is around the level of a rock concert or a chainsaw, which can cause permanent hearing damage.
One 2020 local study titled “Noise Exposure and Hearing Threshold Profile among Zumba Fitness Regulars in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia” found that the Zumba regulars were prone to hearing loss.
Over three months, the researchers measured noise exposure and hearing profile thresholds using a noise dosimeter (a wearable device) during nine one-hour Zumba sessions at a fitness studio.
Thirty participants answered questionnaires and underwent pure tone diagnostic audiometry tests at a local clinic for hearing threshold documentation.
Results published in the IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia revealed that certain areas of the studio posed higher risks of causing noise-induced hearing loss.
Areas near the amplifiers in particular were found to have periods where the hearing level exceeded 115dB.
The researches also found early abnormal patterns in the hearing profiles of some of the participants, suggesting preliminary hearing problems.
Sound measurement
Decibel measurements are logarithmic, meaning that each increase of 10dB represents a tenfold increase in sound intensity.
A 3dB increase in sound level is often cited as the smallest change in volume that the average human ear can detect.
However, this does not mean the sound has become three times louder; rather, it represents a subtle, but noticeable, change in intensity.
Standard guidelines dictate that for every 3dB increase above the safe limit, the permissible exposure time is cut in half.
Therefore, if a class is blaring at 94dB, the safe exposure limit is just 30 minutes.
Spikes above 100dB mean that your ears should only be exposed for a few minutes, not the duration of an entire dance session.
Here is a guide from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) on safe noise exposure limits before hearing damage occurs:
- Up to 85dB: Generally safe for up to eight hours of total exposure
- Up to 90dB: Maximum safe exposure for about one hour
- Up to 100dB: Maximum safe exposure is limited to less than 15 minutes
- Up to 110dB: Maximum safe exposure is only about 1.5 minutes.
You can measure the music volume by purchasing a decibel meter or installing an app on your smartphone.
To protect your hearing, place yourself where the noise exposure is within a safe range.
In my Zumba class, it is sometimes 110dB even at the back door, so I know my hearing is being compromised.
In the next class, I’ll be wearing high fidelity earplugs.
I may be the odd one out, but hopefully, my ears will thank me for it.
Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
