Does Music Matter? How Tunes Affect Swimmers Before a Race

Does Music Matter? How Tunes Affect Swimmers Before a Race

Sweat dripping down your face. Arms and legs pulsating with nervous vitality. The thumping heartbeat beating by way of your chest. 

Pre-race stress is extremely frequent amongst swimmers. There are some ways athletes look to deal with inner pressures, all relying on the person. But a technique that’s turn out to be virtually common is music.  

A visit to any swim meet will result in the sight of lots of of athletes, immersed of their headphones as they put together for his or her races. A research by the University of Missouri again in 2003 estimated that 94% of athletes utilized music earlier than participating in competitors, a quantity which has certainly solely grown within the cellular phone period. But are the pre-race jam periods efficient for swimmers? Or can they really be detrimental to efficiency? 

Music for Pre-Race Motivation

Music may be utilized in many alternative methods earlier than racing, and for quite a lot of totally different causes. Dr. Michelle Cleere, a sports activities psychologist who has expertise working with Cal’s swim group, says using music at a swim meet depends upon a swimmer’s character. 

“Music is often part of what we call a ‘performance routine,’” Cleere mentioned. “This is how you get mentally warmed up, so it comes down to what specific headspace the swimmer wants to be in.”

One of the most typical headspaces is usually the need for inspiration earlier than a race. Some of the world’s greatest athletes make the most of music to drive them to success, like Lilly King’s highly effective pop tunes again in 2017. 

According to the analysis, this methodology can have a constructive affect on success, particularly earlier than a race. Research by Smirnaul (et. al.) for The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness confirmed that listening to 5 minutes of music, chosen by the members, led to elevated efficiency in a time trial of the 200 freestyle. The research confirmed that the music created an “increased motivation, or decreased perception of effort,” making the athletes extra profitable. 

A key consider how properly motivation works for athletes may very well be the depth of the music, nonetheless. As Cleere identified, it may be tough for athletes to succeed when using intense music earlier than a race, even when it will increase motivation. 

“There’s not a lot of swimmers who want that big-time intensity before a race,” Cleere mentioned. “There’s nerves, your heart rate is beating, your head’s pounding… most people don’t want more of that.”

Comfort Is Key

The antithesis to using music to supply vitality earlier than a race is utilizing it to appease. Numerous rivals favor to really feel at their most comfy earlier than they dive into the water. Swimmers like “Dancing Queen” Sierra Schmidt have used music to calm down themselves behind the blocks, discovering the tunes that make them really feel essentially the most at dwelling. 

Research achieved for the University of Trento in Italy by Matteo Chies and Claudio Mulatti tells us that the utilization of music might doubtlessly permit swimmers a aid from their pre-race anxiousness. The researchers say that the music might support athletes in reaching a “flow-state,” a spot of deep immersion right into a sport or exercise. The athletes can block out the exterior “noise” surrounding them by falling deep into the place of consolation.

Cleere pointed to this methodology as the most typical utilization of music earlier than racing. 

“Most of us love music; it makes us feel really good,” mentioned Cleere. “It’s something that can distract us, and help us find a more centered space.” 

How to Find The Best Music For You

Swimmers can make the most of music earlier than a race in two very alternative ways. But how ought to a swimmer resolve which sort of music to hearken to? To Cleere, it’s a easy course of. 

“I usually ask my swimmers to think about the last couple of races where they did well,” Cleere mentioned. “What headspace were you in before those races? And that’s usually pretty revealing.”

“Performance routines” are totally different for each swimmer, in response to Cleere. But by working to find what works greatest for an athlete individually, they will work towards efficient efficiency. 

“It can really set the stage for what an athlete wants to happen, before they race,” Cleere mentioned. “There’s a lot of work that goes into this (mental headspace of a swimmer), but music can always be a factor.”