The Effects of Music During Exercise on Performance of Active Individuals

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to distinguish between different genres of music and the role music plays during exercise to motivate active individuals to perform their best during workout sessions. Specifically, the study explores what genre of music works best for specific workouts that lead to improvement, the differences in performance with music due to motivation and energy levels across gender, and the differences in motivation and energy levels between athletes and non-athletes when listening to music. 90 subjects participated in the study by a survey administered on a social media site. Survey Monkey quantitatively analyzed the data using descriptive statistics. Qualitative methods such as text analysis and constant comparison determined the specific qualities that music enhances during exercise. From the data collected, there were trends with motivation and perceived energy levels for each gender, athlete and non-athlete status, and genre. However, all music listened to during workouts led to an increase in motivation and energy levels which improved performance in all types of workouts. Throughout the data, almost every individual who participated in exercise, athletes and non-athletes included, saw an increase in energy during workout and increased motivation to complete the workout to the best of their ability. Athletes and non-athletes experienced the same amount of increase in motivation, energy level, and performance while listening to music when exercising. Future research will focus on music listening in the gym with females relating to distraction and self-consciousness.