Listening to Motivational Music: Lactate and Cortisol Response to a Single Circuit Resistance Exercise for Young Male Athletes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the listening to motivational music and lactate and cortisol response to a single circuit resistance exercise (CRE) in male handball players. Sixteen handball players were randomly assigned to two equal groups of eight participants that trained with the intensities of 60% (G60) and 80% (G80) of their 1RM. G60 and G80 performed the exercise with (G60-M and G80-M) and without (G60-nM and G80-nM) music. Serum cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone (GH) and lactate levels were measured before (BE), immediately (IAE) and two hours after the exercise (2AE). In all groups, GH and lactate increased from BE to IAE and decreased from IAE to 2AE (p≤0.05). Serum cortisol levels decreased from BE to IAE and BE to 2AE in the group G60-M (p≤0.05). Listening to motivational music during CRE had no effect on GH, epinephrine and norepinephrine, yet decreased responses of lactate and cortisol were observed, which might be one of underlying mechanisms of fatigue reduction. More studies are needed to understand the exact mechanisms about the hormonal responses to music listening during exercise.

Keywords: Music, Circuit Resistance Exercise, Growth Hormone, Catecholamine, Lactate, Cortisol