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.