The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance

Swimming, known as one of the most prestigious Olympic sports, represents a highly sought-after aspiration for athletes around the globe. A notable aspect of sports performance is the intricate interplay between mental well-being and physical performance, wherein an individual's mental state si...

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Main Authors: Kai Shian Foo, Kuan Juen Leong, Hua Ann Mok, Yee Cheng Kueh, Rajesh Kumar, Garry Kuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. 2025-06-01
Series:Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667239124000418
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author Kai Shian Foo
Kuan Juen Leong
Hua Ann Mok
Yee Cheng Kueh
Rajesh Kumar
Garry Kuan
author_facet Kai Shian Foo
Kuan Juen Leong
Hua Ann Mok
Yee Cheng Kueh
Rajesh Kumar
Garry Kuan
author_sort Kai Shian Foo
collection DOAJ
description Swimming, known as one of the most prestigious Olympic sports, represents a highly sought-after aspiration for athletes around the globe. A notable aspect of sports performance is the intricate interplay between mental well-being and physical performance, wherein an individual's mental state significantly influences their athletic capabilities. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance. A pre-and post-intervention study design was employed, involving 40 participants aged 18–24 years, encompassing both male and female athletes. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three research conditions: mental imagery, music, and control groups, with gender matching applied. Over four weeks, the mental imagery group engaged in 12 sessions of auditory prerecorded imagery scripts, while the music group listened to their preferred music during the same number of sessions. The control group did not undergo any interventions. The findings of the study indicated that both music and mental imagery positively influenced sprint swimming performance.
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series Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
spelling doaj-art-ceec6fa1d1214287802d1c5bcb6728af2025-08-20T03:09:57ZengKeAi Communications Co. Ltd.Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology2667-23912025-06-0151283210.1016/j.ajsep.2024.12.002The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performanceKai Shian Foo0Kuan Juen Leong1Hua Ann Mok2Yee Cheng Kueh3Rajesh Kumar4Garry Kuan5Exercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, MalaysiaExercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Life Skills Development, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylor's University, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, MalaysiaExercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, MalaysiaBiostatistics and Research Methodology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, MalaysiaDepartment of Physical Education, Osmania University, Hyderabad, IndiaExercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia; Corresponding author.Swimming, known as one of the most prestigious Olympic sports, represents a highly sought-after aspiration for athletes around the globe. A notable aspect of sports performance is the intricate interplay between mental well-being and physical performance, wherein an individual's mental state significantly influences their athletic capabilities. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance. A pre-and post-intervention study design was employed, involving 40 participants aged 18–24 years, encompassing both male and female athletes. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three research conditions: mental imagery, music, and control groups, with gender matching applied. Over four weeks, the mental imagery group engaged in 12 sessions of auditory prerecorded imagery scripts, while the music group listened to their preferred music during the same number of sessions. The control group did not undergo any interventions. The findings of the study indicated that both music and mental imagery positively influenced sprint swimming performance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667239124000418Mental imageryMusicSprint swimming performance
spellingShingle Kai Shian Foo
Kuan Juen Leong
Hua Ann Mok
Yee Cheng Kueh
Rajesh Kumar
Garry Kuan
The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
Asian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Mental imagery
Music
Sprint swimming performance
title The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
title_full The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
title_fullStr The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
title_full_unstemmed The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
title_short The effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
title_sort effects of mental imagery and music on sprint swimming performance
topic Mental imagery
Music
Sprint swimming performance
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667239124000418
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