Effects of Respite Music During Recovery Between Bouts of Intense Exercise

Appropriately selected music can positively influence physical performance and psychophysical responses to exercise, yet little is known about the role of music during recovery between intermittent bouts of activity. In the present study, 45 anaerobically trained males completed two 30-s Wingate anaerobic tests (WAnTs) separated by 10 min of self-paced active recovery, for which they were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: stimulative music (STIM), sedative music, or a no-music control. Blood lactate was measured at baseline, immediately after the first WAnT, and at the end of the recovery period. Felt arousal, heart rate, and pedal cadence were measured immediately after the first WAnT, and at Minute 5 and Minute 10 of active recovery. WAnT performance was recorded in both trials. Data were analyzed using one-way and mixed-model analyses of variance. Participants in the STIM group showed a significant increase in peak power from Trial 1 to Trial 2, whereas participants in the sedative music and control groups showed decreased peak power from Trial 1 to Trial 2. Participants in the STIM group had a higher mean heart rate during the recovery period as well as higher levels of felt arousal, and a significant pre-post recovery drop in blood lactate that was not evident in the other groups (all p < .05). In conclusion, it appears that STIM respite music exerts a positive influence on self-paced exercise recovery, which can facilitate blood lactate clearance and improve subsequent exercise performance.