REFINING MUSIC TEMPO FOR AN ERGOGENIC EFFECT ON STATIONARY CYCLING EXERCISE

Abstract

The effect of music on exercise performance has been studied from many perspectives, but the results have not been as clear as expected, probably because of a lack of appropriate controls. The purpose of this study was to measure stationary cycling performance in a warm environment under carefully controlled conditions, modifying only the presence of music and its tempo. Ten physically active students, 24.5±3.6 years (mean±SD) selected their favorite exercise music and performed a maximum cycling test. During subsequent visits to the laboratory, they pedaled at their preferred speed against a constant resistance (70% of maximum) in an environmentally controlled chamber (28.6±0.5 °C db and 65±3% rh) for 30 min, on three different days, without music (NM), medium tempo music (MT-120 bpm) or fast tempo music (FT-140 bpm), in random order. Perceived exertion (PE), heart rate (HR) and total work performed (W) were recorded. There was no significant difference among conditions for PE (4.47±1.52; 4.22±1.5; 3.83±2.06 a.u. for NM, MT and FT, respectively, p=.162) or HR (142.4±24.53; 142.6±24.37; 142.9±18.36 bpm for NM, MT and FT, respectively, p=.994), but W was different (43.4±19.02; 46.1±20.34; 47.1±20.97, kJ for NM, MT and FT, respectively, p=.009); post-hoc analysis showed that the W difference was only between FT and NM. Using individually selected preferred music in a carefully controlled environment, participants improved their spontaneous cycling performance only when the music had a fast tempo of 140 bpm.