Effects of Stressed Tempo Music on Performance Times of Track Athletes

This study was conducted to assess whether stressed tempo music would effect performance rates of track athletes. The music the athletes listened to was systematically increased over a three-week period to determine if the track athletes' times became faster. The participants of this study were measured during practice for the times in which they ran the 400 meters, or one lap around a track. The 27 track athletes that were a part of this study were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=12) or the control group (n=15). The experimental group was provided with Compact Disks (CD) of their music preferences with altered tempos. The control group practiced two times a week without music. The experimental group listened to their selected music twice a week. Both groups were timed once a week (Mondays) during the four-week period. Both groups were made up of members of the track and the cross-country teams. The cross-country team's practice schedule consisted of Monday speed workouts. On Monday's the cross-country team would run 5 to 6 400 meters. The cross-country team would 400 meters and then have a short rest period before they were to run it again. The track team ran two 400 meters with rest in between each day in addition to their practice schedule of speed drills for turn-over, hurdle drills, jumping exercises, etc. to help build up their stamina. Graphic analysis of the data revealed differences during Monday practices of those involved in the experimental group. The experimental group was able to decrease their times while running 400 meters by an average of half a minute. The control group's times slightly decreased by about two minutes. The results of this study show that track athletes who listen to music with slightly increasing tempos can decrease their running times.