impact of music on mood characteristics and performance accuracy in basketball players

Background: In recent years, psychological and physiological effects of music on athletic performance have become an attractive field of research. The present study investigates the effect of various kinds of music on mood characteristics and performance accuracy in skilled and semi-skilled female basketball players

Materials and Methods: The population for this quasiexperimental study consisted of skilled players [League] and semi-skilled players [PE students]. Seventy-two female basketball players [36 skilled and 36 semi-skilled] were selected randomly and assigned to different groups [exciting music, relaxation music, and favorite music]. Data was collected in two days using Brunel mood scale and 5-value Zachary scale for measuring the accuracy of basketball free-throw

Results: ANOVA results show that listening to music improved mood characteristics of participants significantly regardless of their skill level [p=0.012]. The interaction of test and type of music was significant on mood variables [p=0.01]. Favorite music was more effective than exciting music in improving mood properties [p<0.05]. In addition, music improved athletic performance regardless of skill level or type of prescribed music [2.58 +/- 0.093 in pretest vs. 2.88 +/- 0.77 in posttest]. Also, skilled players had significantly higher performance accuracy than semiskilled players [3.23 +/- 0.58 vs. 2.54 +/- 0.79] [p=0.001]

Conclusion: Results showed that negative emotions such as anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and stress decreased in athletes regardless of the type of music, and positive mood characteristics, such as feeling strong, increased, which is indicative of mood improvement. Also, music improved the performance level regardless of the skill level or the type of prescribed music

Description of the changes of some humoral immune variables immediately and 24 hours after exercise during the preparation exercises for rock climbing

Background: The specific preparatory activities may have different effects on various body systems which are not yet clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a single session of specific preparatory activities on humoral immunity and white blood cell [WBC] immediately and 24 hours after exercise in elite rock climbing athletes

Materials and Methods: Ten elite rock climbing athletes [age23.3 +/- 2.2 years, height 173.6 +/- 4.8 cm, and weight 64.5 +/- 7.3 kg took part in this quasi-experimental study. Subjects were asked to perform specific exercises for 95 minutes [10 minutes warm up, 75 minutes climbing with different degrees of severity, and 10 minutes cool down]. Blood samples were taken before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 24 hours after exercise. Data were analyzed using paired sample Student's t-test and general linear model [p<0.05]

Results: All levels of immunoglobulins decreased immediately after the activity, but this change was significant only for IGM. White blood cells were increased significantly. However, after the 24-hour recovery period, IgG levels were significantly lower than before and immediately after exercise. IgM and IgA also increased significantly. The WBC counts after 24 hours had no significant difference with the previous levels

Conclusion: This study showed that following changes in humeral immune system variables and WBC count after an exercise in elite rock climbers, a 24-hour rest period can be effective to restore basal levels of these variables. Others may require more time