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 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.