Music in Sport

A sidenote of Michael Phelps' utter dominance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were his ever-present headphones just before a race. What he was listening to was the topic of some discussion, and it turns out it was an assortment of Lil Wayne, Jay Z, and others (Yahoo Sports has the scoop on that).

But what is it about music that can lead to better athletic performance? Does it even help? Do athletes use it? A sizable body of sport psychology research shows that the answer to these questions seems to be yes.

Research has many interesting points about music and athletics. It seems that music can affect sport performance by: modifying arousal and motivation levels, reducing perceived amount of exertion, increasing focus, and elevating or lowering rates of physical movement.

In fact, the online journal Athletic Insight gives us some interesting research regarding NCAA athletes and their use of music for enhanced performance. The study demonstrated that athletes used music for four reasons:

1. To control arousal levels before and after competition

2. To improve mental focus

3. To control mood before competition

4. To build a sense of team and camaraderie

For example, many athletes commented that they used upbeat, fast-tempo music to increase their arousal level immediately before competition. But, participants also noted that in the hours leading up to competition, slow music was extremely helpful to take their mind off outside stressors, relax, and concentrate on what they wanted to do at game time.

Read the rest of the fascinating study from Georgia Southern University here, and let us know what you think! As a reader, coach, or athlete, do you listen to music for any of the reasons above? Does it help, or not help? What songs are particularly helpful? Share your thoughts by commenting to this article.

Using the On-and-Off switch: NFL players and everyday life

NFL football, sometimes called our "gladiator sport", is without a doubt the most violent sport in mainstream America today. It's easy to think of hard-hitting gridiron warriors like Brian Dawkins, Ray Lewis, and Shawne Merriman as modern day gladiators...but we forget that's only for a couple hours on Sunday. How does that switch get flipped to be fathers, husbands, and regular people for the other six days of the week?

Here's what some athletes said, as covered in an NYT article from Super Bowl XLII:

“You have to have two personalities, one for football, one for your daily life.” - Clem Daniels, ex-Raiders running back

"Once you get on the field and put the helmet on, it’s like a whole other animal. Really, I like to think of it like my mask, not really as a superhero or anything like that. Once I put that mask on, I don’t know, it’s like controlled violence.” - Kawika Mitchell, Giants linebacker

"Football is a violent sport. It is a sport of: ‘Who gives up first? What can you do to make your opponent give up or not want to play?" - Kareem McKenzie, Giants offensive tackle

So what happens when the switch can't be turned off, or the athlete doesn't know how? One possibility could be a rash of violent behavior - see the Cincinatti Bengals. Another possible consequence of not knowing how to get out of game day mode could be burnout. Some tips for avoiding burnout:

1. Set short term goals - short term goals can both provide a positive sense of accomplishment and build long-term motivation, providing for context and positive momentum in training. It helps us stay grounded and focused, and avoid 'getting lost' in training

2. Learn self-regulation skills - Skills such as relaxation, imagery, or goal setting can help ward off burnout. Burnout usually involves sport eclipsing all other aspects of life with negative consequences all around, and good self regulation can moderate the stress involved in intense athletic performance and training.

3. Keep a positive outlook - When training and performing, try to keep focus on what you can control and improving your skills. Concentrating on outside criticism or factors which can't be controlled (i.e., "I can't believe the ref made that call!!") can lead to excess stress and burnout down the road. Try having a good source of social support (close friend, teammate) to help keep your focus positive.

Read the whole New York Times report here.

Anxiety and its Consequences

All athletes, performing at all levels of competition, are familiar with feelings of anxiety and arousal. Whether it's a small child with a dry mouth before their first basketball game or Greg Oden's first step onto the court for an NBA game that actually matters, everyone experiences some degree of anxiety relating to competition.

How can anxiety influence us during competition? Several theories have come out of sport psychology research over the decades. One theory of particular note was pioneered by British psychologist Graham Jones. His theory was simple: That our perception of how our own ability to control our anxiety, and our ability to control outselves and our surroundings, determines the anxiety's effect. If an athlete feels they are in control, and that anxiety is manageable, than this level of arousal will likely lead to superior performance. However, the opposite can have negative consequences.

Another theory which has been well demonstrated in research is Yuri Hanin's Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF). In a nutshell, Hanin posits that every athlete will have a different amount of anxiety or arousal which can lead to their ultimate performance. For example, one athlete may compete well at relatively low levels of arousal but not when extremely anxious or "pumped up"; alternatively, another athlete may perform poorly when unaroused but very well in high anxiety or tension situations.

So now that we know about anxiety, what can we do about it to maximize our performance? Check out Peak Performance's guide to controlling and managing our anxiety. They have five key points for maximizing effectiveness:

1. Establish your 'winning feeling'

2. Centering

3. The five breath technique

4. Thought stopping

5. Letting go

Read more

Archery Psychology

British paralypians, in search of Beijing gold, worked with sport psychologists for the duration of their stay in the Paralympic Village. The British paralympic archery team has trained with sport psychologist Katherine Bond for the last three years. She draws from her experience in rugby, golf, and soccer to hone the skills of the archers. Bond says of her stance on sport psychology: "It's about making that one per cent difference, and leaving absolutely no stone unturned in the quest for excellence. Sport psychology has the potential to contribute to helping athletes get the very best out of themselves."

Read the whole report from the Midworth and Petworth Observer here.