Elite sport psychology/music/competition

Music fulfils many purposes in elite sport. It can play an important role in pre-event routines that help athletes get into the right frame of mind or control arousal. Music can be used to help a team bond or perhaps symbolise the qualities they need to display. In some sports where music is integral to performance, such as synchronised swimming or figure skating, music must be interpreted artistically. Meanwhile, the singing of the crowd or official team songs can provide inspiration. Finally, in downtime, music can assist relaxation and recuperation.

Pre-event routines

The inspirational effect of music that somehow produces superior physical performance is advocated by many outstanding athletes.

Michael Phelps, the American swimmer and most successful Olympian of all time, is perhaps the highest-profile devotee of pre-competition music.

Phelps pre-event routine includes listening to favourite music until just before he races. He likes rap music by artists such as Lil’ Wayne and Young Jeezy, whose lyrics contain aggressive messages of dominance and invincibility (e.g., “Yes, I’m the best, and no I ain’t positive I’m definite, I know the game like I’m reffing it”), which he transfers into his swimming performance.

A survey of 252 Swedish elite athletes showed that prominent reasons for listening to music were, in descending order, to psyche themselves up (consistent with Michael Phelps), to increase positive emotion, to increase motivation, to perform better, and to promote flow (an optimal experience characterised by total absorption in an activity). In terms of musical genre:

• 32% preferred intense and rebellious music (also in line with Phelps’ strategy).
• 28% preferred energetic and rhythmic music.
• 25% preferred up-tempo and conventional music.
• 1% preferred reflective and complex music.
• 14% preferred other music.

Controlling arousal

In the module on anxiety, we looked at how controlling arousal is a key determinant of good performance. Music can help with this, but the athlete must first be aware of their optimal mindset so as to know whether to psyche up or calm down. Gentle music with powerful lyrics can be good for keeping anxiety levels down, whereas intense or energetic music can be useful for increasing arousal.

Imagery can be used with music to good effect. In the Bobsled example from the imagery module, the team listened to Whitney Houston’s One Moment In Time, whilst visualising themselves calmly and decisively seizing the moment.

Music playlists should help an athlete build towards an optimal pre-competition mindset so that by the time the music finishes the athlete feels ready to compete. The final song will tend to stay in the head, so leave the most inspirational or meaningful music until last. Coaches and athletes should work together on building playlists that work for them.

Activity

Messing with tradition

There was controversy at the 2015 Wimbledon championships when some players came on court listening to music. Tennis great Martina Navratilova described it as disrespectful to both the traditions of Wimbledon and the crowd. Is this criticism fair? Is it acceptable for tennis players to use music to get into the zone right up to game time or should music be switched off in the changing rooms?

• Share your opinions on this subject

Music for relaxation and recuperation

Just as music can induce positive emotions and increase arousal, it can also be used to relieve tension and promote relaxation. Choosing music for relaxation may be easier than selecting arousing music because familiarity, lyrical content, and associations are less important. Relaxing music will often bring on a physiological response, lowering heart rate and slowing breathing. Relaxing music can be beneficial in many situations, including:

• On the eve of competition to help lower anxiety levels and get a good night’s sleep.
• In long gaps between the action in sports such as baseball, cricket and shooting.
• In multi-day events such as decathlon where arousal levels have been high and need to be reduced after the day’s exertions.
• When travelling to a sports venue by bus.

Some suggested music:

• Ambient and electronic music, by Brian Eno or Air.
• Chilled hip-hop, such as Paris, Tokyo by Lupe Fiasco.
• Relaxing jazz, such as Round About Midnight by Miles Davis.
• Relaxing rock or pop, such as Mirrorball by Elbow.
• Classical music, such as The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams.
• Most slow tempo music, including folk, roots reggae, bossa nova, indian classical, and other relaxing music from around the world.

The suggested music tempo is close to the resting heart rate of the athlete.