The use of MP3 technology by athletes is often seen as an integral part of mental preparation and it’s commonplace to see athletes wearing headsets whilst preparing for competition. When journalists ask athletes what they listen to, their answers can differ considerably. The portability and flexibility offered by MP3 players provides opportunities for athletes seeking to manipulate performance states, visualise upcoming performances or simply act as a distracter.Athletes can often be observed preparing for competition by listening to music of their choosing, which is clearly a good starting point. However, the coach faces the task of harnessing this behaviour so that it helps the athlete. For example, an athlete who is engrossed in learning the words of the latest song might not be using technology to help them prepare!
Consultants are fortunate in that there is a degree of scientific study to inform the decision on what music to use (5). For instance, music can help to motivate an individual, attain pre-event activation or relaxation, focus concentration, dissociate from fatigue/discomfort, manipulate moods (increase positive moods and reduce negative moods), reduce perceived exertion, increase work output through synchronization of movement and music tempo, and improve motor skills acquisition when rhythm or association is matched with required movement patterns (6).
Nike has capitalised on such associations by designing sports shoes and clothing lines that accommodate MP3 hardware. This range is called Nike+, and the associated website (http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/?locale=en_gb) has pre-prepared sport mixes and ‘power songs’ selected because of their perceived positive impact on sports performance.
We have utilised the music functions of MP3 players to establish ‘performance folders’ for athletes. In a recent book(7), we described our work with a female athlete to enhance her use of this technology when preparing for tennis matches. She comments: ‘I have a relaxing play list that I have on in the way to a tournament in the car, then half an hour before I play, I have my pump up play list which has got all my upbeat songs. After my match I go back to my relaxing play list again. If I’m just walking around at a tournament I have a random play list on to get myself in a good mood.’
A recent study identified how music was used to support preparation and performance for an athlete over the course of a season(8). Results show the idiosyncratic nature of music preference. Each track was selected by judging its motivational implications. Slow, relaxing music (relatively for the individual) was selected for very light jogging and stretching phase of the warm up. This was followed by slow tracks that had meaningful lyrics, chosen for a 15-minute aerobic warm-up. The process continued until the final 15 minutes of each race in which high tempo tracks were selected. In selecting music to listen to during performance, he rated each song in terms of its motivational implications.
While reading this article i figure out that I did understand it but not completly. I think music is a good way to practice sports because it relaxes you and sometimes is a good anti-depressant.
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