Effects of rhythmical and extra rhythmical musical qualities on Spinning™ performance

INTRODUCTION Motivational music benefit has been found to improve sport performance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate ergogenic effects of rhythmical and extra-rhythmical qualities of the music on Spinning™ performance. MATERIALS & METHODS Twenty health adults, 8 males and 12 females, aged 25.70 ± 3.97 (Tab. 1), volunteered this study and performed three 50 min Spinning™ sessions, under each of the three conditions: LOW-BPM music tracks, with a tempo in the range 120-150 BPM, HI-BPM music tracks with a tempo in the range 150-180, and RHYTHMICAL BASE, using only bass and drums, without melody, with a tempo in the range 150-180 BPM. Heart Rate (HR) and fatigue rate perception were monitored during the tests (Lopez-Minarro and Muyor Rodriguez, 2010). RESULTS MANOVA revealed a significant difference in the parameter "TIME TO 75% MTHR“ (time taken to reach the 75% of the Maximum Theoretical HR) (F3.20=3,811; P<0,05). Post hoc analysis showed that the "TIME TO 75% MTHR" in LOW-BPM session, was significantly longer than in the HI-BPM and RHYTHMICAL BASE sessions (p<0,05), while no significant differences were found between HI-BPM vs. RHYTHMICAL BASE sessions (Fig. 1). After reaching the 75% MTHR, in the RHYTHMICAL BASE session, the HR showed a trend of reduction, not found on the LOW-BPM and HI-BPM sessions (Fig. 2). Fig. 2: Trend of HR Means calculated every 3 min in the three groups DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION The BPM of music influenced the HR, such as a "pacemaking" effect (Karageorghis et al., 2007), more in the first phase of Spinning™ performance (start of session - reaching of 75% of the MTHR), than in the second one (reaching of 75% of the MTHR - end of session) (Karageorhis et al., 2010). In the second phase, the extra rhythmical effect of the music, as melody, influenced the Spinning™ performance, probably increasing the participant ability to sustain the effort.