Effects of Music on Athletic Performance

Abstract

Arousal or mental/physical stimulation can have a significant impact on sports performance. By achieving maintaining an optimal arousal state, athletes can perform better, both mentally and physically. Listening to music during exercise may serve as a tool to achieve and maintain this optimal arousal. The purpose of this study is to explore the practicality of music’s use in intense exercise/sport. This study utilized the Broad Jump (BJ) and Illinois Change of Direction Test (ICODT) to assess lower body power and agility. Participants completed three trials of each test to assess their performance. The first trial acclimated the participants to the movements. The second trial used no music, and the last trial used the participant’s choice of music. The only song requirement was a tempo of 100-120BPM (fast tempo). A Paired Samples T-Test showed a mean increase of 0.099m and a standard deviation of 0.0599m from non-music to music trial for the BJ and a t-value of -5.88. The ICODT had a mean decrease of 0.634s from the non-music to music trials, a standard deviation of 0.455sec, and a t-value of 4.402. Both tests produced statistically significant results (p-value <0.005). The results indicate music can facilitate high-level performance.