Abstract

This project explores if listening to music positively influences athletic performance. The

hypothesis stated that if athletes listened to music while performing various physically active

exercises, then they would receive better results in comparison to a workout executed without

music. The experiment consisted of three days with the Galloway School Varsity Boys

basketball team at the NYO and Oglethorpe gym. They performed the following activities with

and without music: a court length sprint, free throw shots made out of ten, their maximum wall

sit, their maximum plank, their maximum number of sit-ups, their maximum number of

push-ups, and their maximum number of squats. There was a total of 14 participants in the

experiment with 14 males in the no music group and 7 males in the music present group. The

experiment concluded with the music present group receiving worse results than the no music

group in most exercises and drills. During sprints (an average difference of about 36 seconds),

wall sits (an average difference of about 44 seconds), planks (an average difference of about 16

seconds), squats (an average difference of about 4 repetitions), and sit-ups (an average difference

of about 2 repetitions), athletes performed with better results without the presence of music.

During free throws made out of ten (an average difference of about 3%), athletes performed with

better results with the presence of music. However when testing push-ups, data showed no

significant difference regardless of the presence of music. Running, wall sits, planks, squats and

sit-ups were performed better without music. However, free throws and push-ups were

performed better with music. To improve the experiment, working with a younger age group,

such as Early Learning gym classes would allow for easier implementation and access to

participants. Further research of this subject would provide athletes a method to exercise with
greater results.