title: Effects of synchronous music on treadmill running among elite triathletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Music can provide ergogenic, psychological, and psychophysical benefits during physical activity, especially when movements are performed synchronously with music. The present study developed the train of research on synchronous music and extended it to elite athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated-measures laboratory experiment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elite triathletes (n=11) ran in time to self-selected motivational music, a neutral equivalent and a no-music control during submaximal and exhaustive treadmill running. Measured variables were time-to-exhaustion, mood responses, feeling states, RPE, blood lactate concentration, oxygen consumption and running economy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time-to-exhaustion was 18.1% and 19.7% longer, respectively, when running in time to motivational and neutral music, compared to no music. Mood responses and feeling states were more positive with motivational music compared to either neutral music or no music. RPE was lowest for neutral music and highest for the no-music control. Blood lactate concentrations were lowest for motivational music. Oxygen consumption was lower with music by 1.0%-.7%. Both music conditions were associated with better running economy than the no-music control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although neutral music did not produce the same level of psychological benefits as motivational music, it proved equally beneficial in terms of time-to-exhaustion and oxygen consumption. In functional terms, the motivational qualities of music may be less important than the prominence of its beat and the degree to which participants are able to synchronise their movements to its tempo. Music provided ergogenic, psychological and physiological benefits in a laboratory study and its judicious use during triathlon training should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Queensland, Australia. peter.terry@usq.edu.au
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Costas I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Karageorghis
authors.forename: Alessandra Mecozzi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Auria
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology*; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D011793:Queensland; D055815:Young Adult