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UNIT 2 MUSIC
PE - Music in Sport and Exercise
Student information

This lesson links to the topic of using music in sport, part of the Educacion Fisica
programme:

Nowadays, many people listen to their own choice of music when they go to the gym or go for a
run and even sometimes in the swimming pool. This includes some professional sportsmen and
women, who listen to music when they are training and also during competitions.

Starter - working with a partner, discuss why you think music is used in sport.

Do you do any sport? Do you listen to music when you are doing sport? Why / Why not? Do you
know any other sports where people play music while they are training or competing? Can you
think of any reasons why?

Now read the text to find out how music can improve performance in sport:

In the serious world of competitions, where athletes very often have similar ability, music
can have a small, but significant effect on performance. Music also helps athletes when they
are training. Scientific studies have revealed some key ways in which music can influence
preparation and competitive performance by altering emotional and physiological processes.
Music can focus attention, so the athlete does not think so much about sensations of fatigue.
Also, when people listen to music, it affects their mood: positive aspects such as happiness
increase, and negative aspects such as tension, depression and anger, decrease.
Studies show that the synchronization of music with repetitive exercise is associated with
working harder in activities like rowing, cycling, cross-country skiing, and running. Musical
tempo can regulate movement, and as a result, it means that athletes perform at a higher level
for longer. Synchronizing movements with music also enables athletes to perform more
efficiently, and results in increased endurance. In one recent study, participants who cycled
in time to music found that they required 7% less oxygen to do the same work compared to
cycling with music that did not help them maintain a regular rhythm. Scientists believe these
positive effects of music are because the regular tempo of the music helps athletes to use
energy more efficiently.
Paula Radcliffe, the world record marathon runner is a fan of music for exercise and told a
journalist; I make a playlist and listen to it during training. It helps me psychologically and I
think about times when Ive worked really hard, or felt good. With the right music, I do a
much harder training session.
Adapted from: http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/music-sport-and-exercise-update-
research-and-application

Photocopiable Pearson Educacin, S.A., 2011 1

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Check your understanding

1. Find words or phrases in the text that have the same meanings as:

Impact (noun) Investigations Changing Tiredness

Discussion

1. Music is used in many types of exercise and in the various stages of training and
competitions. Choose between 5-10 examples of different sports or exercises and describe the
type of music you think would be good for each one and why. Give examples of songs you would
use.

Photocopiable Pearson Educacin, S.A., 2011 2