This study examined the effects of music volume (loud vs quiet) on resistance training in 17 college students (11 men, 6 women). The results showed that 100% of participants preferred loud music over quiet music. When listening to loud music, 58.8% felt an increase in energy and 64.7% enjoyed the music. While the study supported the hypothesis that participants prefer loud music, the findings were contrary on the secondary hypothesis about music volume increasing exercise intensity. More research is needed to provide quantitative evidence on the relationship between music volume and exercise intensity.

1. The Effect of Music Volume on Resistance Training
in College Age Men and Women
Anthony Hallam
Eastern Illinois University
Participants ResultsIntroduction
Procedures
Results (continued)
Discussion
Percentages were used to calculate results in total
participants, total men, and total women.
Results on the data collected are provided in the next
three tables.
100% of the participants preferred loud music over
quiet music. This is in agreement with a study conducted
by Edworthy and Waring (2006) which revealed that
participants preferred fast and loud music compared to
fast/quiet, slow/loud, and slow/quiet music.
11 participants (64.7%) enjoyed the music and 10
(58.8%) felt an increase in energy. The similarity here
may suggest that the participants felt an increase in
energy simply because they enjoyed the music, not
because music volume was higher.
The results from the study are both supportive and
contrary to the author’s hypothesis. 100% of the
participants preferred loud music over quiet music,
supporting the primary hypothesis. When observing the
secondary hypothesis, the data from this study and the
previous studies discuss that high intensity can be
reached regardless of music volume; these findings are
opposite of the hypothesis. However, there is evidence to
suggest that exercise intensity increases with music
volume. Further research is needed to provide more
quantitative evidence.
Table 2
Data Analysis
Gender n
Data
observed
Number of
participants
Percentage
(%)
Men 11
Increase
energy 8 72.7
Neutral
energy 3 27.3
Preferred
music 11 100
Liked the
music
played 8 72.7
Preferred
louder music 11
Better
workout 10 90.9
Normally
listen to
music 11 100
Preferred
headphones 5 45.5
Table 3
Data Analysis
Gender n
Data
observed
Number of
participants
Percentage
(%)
Women 6
Increase
energy 2 33.3
Neutral
energy 4 66.7
Preferred
music 4 66.7
Liked the
music
played 3 50
Preferred
louder music 6 100
Better
workout 6 100
Normally
listen to
music 5 83.3
Preferred
headphones 4 66.7
Table 1
Data Analysis
Gender n
Data
observed
Number of
participants
Percentage
(%)
Men & Women 17
Increase
energy 10 58.8
Neutral
energy 7 41.2
Preferred
music 15 88.2
Liked the
music
played 11 64.7
Preferred
louder music 17 100
Better
workout 16 94.1
Normally
listen to
music 16 94.1
Preferred
headphones 9 52.9
Ju-Han & Jing-Horng Lu (2013) concluded that
music was the best way to increase physical performance
when compared with video and music/video combination.
Karageorghis et al. (2013) demonstrated that listening to
asynchronous music while swimming can reduce time to
completion (TTC) and increase state motivation in college
aged athletes, and Karageorghis et al. (2009) showed that
time to exhaustion was delayed in participants listening to
synchronous music during treadmill walking.
Synchronous music has been shown to increase 400-
m sprint time in non-elite athletes (Simpson &
Karageorghis, 2006), and Rendi, Szabó, and Szabó (2008)
revealed that music increased strokes per minute and
improved TTC in the 500m rowing sprint.
Little research has emphasized music volume and its
ergogenic effects. Edworthy & Waring (2006)
demonstrated that fast/loud music compared to fast/quiet,
slow/loud and slow/quiet music yielded the most
significant ergogenic effects during 10 minute treadmill
exercise, but limited evidence exists beyond this.
There were 17 participants for this study (11 males, 6
females) with a mix of African-American and Caucasian
ethnicities. The sample was a mix of trained and untrained
participants as defined by the ACSM (American College of
Sports Medicine, 2014). Criteria for a participant to be part
of the study were of normal college age (18-22), participate
in 3 consecutive workout sessions, demonstrate high energy
during each workout, and complete the provided survey after
each session. Participants were excluded from the study if
any of the criteria were not met or if mobile phones or
personal music players were used during any part of the
study.
Participants performed 3 workout sessions. The
sessions consisted of no music, quiet music (61db), and loud
music (84db), respectively. The two music sessions were
accompanied by Calvin Harris’ album Motion. Each session
lasted 40 minutes and participants were given the freedom
to choose their own resistance training routine each day.
Participants were verbally encouraged to work hard
throughout all sessions and were monitored on intensity and
external distractions.
A short paper survey was distributed by the examiner
at the end of each session by handing two sets of the survey
to the participants allowing them to pass it to each other.
Questions to determine gender, age, and year in school were
asked in every survey. Information revealing name, initials,
or any other forms of identity was not required on the
surveys.
Measurements
The volume for the two sessions was determined by
measuring the volume of music from 2 large speakers at 6
different locations in the area used. The 4 corners of the
room plus the center of the room at the two side walls were
used as the 6 locations. Measurements were taken during the
loudest part of one song to ensure that variations in song
volume did not skew measurements recorded. The mean of
the 6 locations was taken and used as the volume for the two
corresponding days.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to examine the
psychological effects of music volume during resistance
training
Hypothesis
The primary hypothesis was that participants will
prefer loud music over quiet music. The secondary
hypothesis was that exercise intensity will increase with
music volume.