F. I. T. Cutting Edge text

 
When Not to Use Music 

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The Role of Music 24 
24 
We have discussed how carefully selected music has the potential to aid the performance 
of athletes and exercise participants. However, there are certain instances in which music 
should be avoided. For example, in the early stages of learning, before a skill becomes 
autonomous, a high proportion of information processing capacity is required for the learner 
to make accurate movements. Accordingly, parallel processing of music and kinesthetic cues 
can result in a performance decrement. Along similar lines, while learning a new skill, 
feedback from a coach or exercise instructor is of seminal importance, and music provides an 
unnecessary distraction that can inhibit learning. The research we have reviewed also 
indicates that music is not particularly effective during very high intensity activity. Moreover, 
there is evidence to suggest that moderate intensity activity coupled with very loud music (> 
100 dB SPL) can result in temporary hearing loss (Lindgren & Axelsson, 1988), which is 
obviously to be avoided.
It is slightly ironic that some governing bodies of sport have banned the use of music or 
personal audio players in competition (e.g., the International Amateur Athletics Federation). 
This is perhaps partly due to the potential work-enhancing effects of music, but also relates to 
the fact that music can be so intoxicating that it can place athletes in mass-participation 
events in mortal danger of, for example, being struck by a car. For this reason the organizers 
of the New York Marathon banned the use of personal music players in the 2007 event, 
which prompted considerable media debate on the effects of music in sport, plus hundreds of 
complaints from competitors. The complaints continued to come thick and fast right up to the 
2009 event, but the ban was not relaxed. Of course, banning 
iPods
™ and other mp3 devices 
in such large-scale events is very difficult to police.