Effect of listening to music on repeated-sprint performance and affective load in young male and female soccer players

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to compare the effect of listening to music during warming-up on repeated-sprint performance and affective load in young male and female soccer players. 33 Tunisian highly trained soccer players [19 men (age: 17 ± 0.3 years, BMI: 21.9 ± 1.4 kg m− 2) and 14 women (age: 17 ± 0.2 years, BMI: 21.3 ± 3.5 kg m− 2)] took part in two experimental sessions with or without listening to music during warming-up. High-tempo music (> 130–140 bpm) was chosen. The players then performed a repeated-sprint test (six 40-m sprints with 180° direction change interspersed with a 20-s passive recovery period). Best and mean sprint times, performance decrement, as well as affective load scores were measured. The analysis of variance for repeated measures revealed a significant improvement in best and mean time only in females (P 0.05). Female academy soccer players seemed to derive the greatest benefit from motivational music during repeated-sprint exercise compared to their male counterparts.