Effects of music listening on anaerobic performance and motivation in healthy young adults

Luca Cavaggioni ^1* Damiano Formenti ¹ Ibrahim Ouergui ² David Perpetuini ³ Paolo Castiglioni ^1,4 Alessandro Berengan ⁵ Athos Trecroci ⁶ Luca Paolo Ardigò ^7* Giampiero Merati ^1,4

• ¹ Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
• ² High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Jendouba, Tunisia
• ³ Department of Engineering and Geology, University of Studies G. d'Annunzio Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
• ⁴ Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus (IRCCS), Milan, Lombardy, Italy
• ⁵ Master Degree in Sciences of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities, University of Insubria, Varese, Lombardia, Italy
• ⁶ Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
• ⁷ Department for Teacher Education, NLA University College, Oslo, Norway

The study aimed to investigate and confirm from a physiological and psychological perspectives whether preferred music would influence anaerobic performance in Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST).Methods: Eighteen (male n= 12, female n= 6) sub-élite track and field and football athletes (22.2±2.1 years, height 175.3±8.0 cm, mass 66.4±10.6 kg, BMI 21.5±2.2 kg•m -2 ) were voluntarily recruited.RAST procedure was performed by recording maximum power (Pmax), average power (Pmean), minimum power (Pmin), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and motivational level (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS) while listening through headphones a preferred or no music.Results: Listening to music increased motivational level (p<0.001, effect size 1.31, very large) with no statistical significance on the other performance variables measured. Listening to music significantly increased motivation (p<0.001, effect size = 1.31, very large) compared to no music. However, no significant differences were observed in other performance variables between the "with music" and "without music" conditions.Conclusions: Overall, listening to preferred music during an anaerobic exercise improves motivation as confirmed by previous evidence. This could be helpful for athletes to strive even higher goals by improving their current performance level.