To answer this question, one must understand the variables involved:
- The context in which the music is played in i.e in training/exercise, pre-competition ‘psyching up’ or during sport.
- The role of music in these contexts for example background or synchronous music during training.
- The genre and tempo of certain music and how this can have either a damaging, positive or no effect on performance in sport.
IS MUSIC DURING TRAINING AND EXERCISE WORTH IT?
There are a plethora of benefits to listening to music whilst training or exercising and so improve sporting performance and overall output.
- Synchronous music can enhance the performance of the participant regarding aerobic activities such as long distance cycling or spin cycling. Synchronous music essentially refers to performing repetitive movements ‘in sync’ with the rhythm and the beat of the music. Research has indicated that synchronous music acts as an ‘ergogenic aid’ and has been used typically to increase exercise duration of non trained participation.
- Asynchronous music (background music) also has beneficial effects during training and exercise . Research suggested that asynchronous music was good in regulating output for low to mid intensity exercise and also improves the mood of the participants. The same study has also shown that background music is associated with reduced heart rate, blood pressure and RPE during treadmill running. RPE is the rating of perceived exertion which means how hard you think your body is working. Reduced RPE therefore allows participants to relax, reducing muscle tension, which is advantageous in the early stages of exercise. The benefits of background music do not however carry over into high intensity exercise, according to this research.
Besides the role of music in training and exercise, the type of music also has an effect on sporting performance.
WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC FOR WHAT SPORT, DOES IT MATTER?
Recent research has indicated that different types of music have different effects on sporting performance. At a general level music distracts our attention from fatigue thus prolonging exercise and performance. However, more specifically the actual tempo of the music can have an effect too.
Research has evidenced the effect of ‘stimulative’ music (134bpm and faster) compared to slow music (96bpm and slower) when immediately being played before a grip strength test. The results proposed that, in comparison to slow music, stimulative music when played immediately before the grip strength test led to better results. Potentially, stimulative music can be used as an aid immediately before strength demanding tasks and sports.
An interesting study suggested that fast tempo music reduces our reaction time compared to slower music. Therefore fast music played immediately before stimuli dominated sports, such as tennis, squash, table tennis and cricket, is more beneficial to sporting performance. This emphasises the importance of the type of music and its effects on different sports.
Another study indicated that a slower tempo increases physiological efficiency and performance and therefore this can prolong exercise performance.
However, besides the tempo of the music, other research argues against the idea that different genres have different effects on performance. The study showed that regardless of the genre of music (motivational or not motivational), the overall distance participants cycled during low to mid intensity training, was unchanged.
THE GAINS OF ‘PRE TASK MUSIC’
The use of music as a tool to manipulate emotions plays a very important role in regulating mood just before a match or sporting competition. In this context, music is used for ‘psyching up’. Research proposes that the main benefits of listening to music before a sporting competition are:
- Increased positive moods and reduced negative mood
- Pre-event activation or relaxation
- Disassociation from unpleasant feelings such as pain and fatigue
- Reduced ratings of perceived exertion especially during aerobics
- Increased likelihood of athletes achieving ‘flow states’
Also, Further research was carried out on pre task music’s effect on isometric muscular endurance and its effect on netball shooting performance. The results suggested that pre task music led to an increase in sporting performance in both cases.
Pre-task music used alongside imagery has also been used to enhance sporting performance. For example a participant listens to a song before their sporting event and the music triggers past imagery of them perhaps scoring a goal/ their sporting successes.
Therefore this increases their confidence and is a stepping stone for athletes to achieve a ‘flow state’ which can lead to outstanding sporting achievements.
IMPACT OF MUSIC ON CHOKING
According to a recent study, ‘choking’ is defined as a critical deterioration in the execution of habitual processes as a result of an elevation in anxiety levels under perceived pressure leading to substandard performance. In simpler words, choking means poor sporting performance under high pressure/ high anxiety levels.
An increase in motivation to perform accurately leads the athlete to become self-aware and consciously monitor behaviour. This increase in self awareness is known as ‘explicit monitoring of execution’ and can lead to choking. This is most likely to happen in highly pressured sporting scenarios and when motivation to perform well and arousal is high.
The Study showed that use of music as a ‘dual task’ - helped to prevent choking. Basketball players listened to music while taking free throws and this improved their performance. The music in this case enhanced sporting performance under pressure as participants paid more attention to the music lyrics while performing, which as a result reduced their general distractibility.
FINAL THOUGHTS
On the whole, listening to music, if applied in the right context and the correct way, is a highly effective way in enhancing sporting performance.
The benefits of listening to music can not only be seen on the sporting field but also in training and during general exercise.
However, keep in mind that for very high intensity activities, motivational music may not give you the extra push that you think it will!
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