Tempo influences affective responses and perceived exertion during musical self-selected swimming in a randomized crossover trial

Music serves as an ergogenic and affective aid in land-based exercise, yet its real‐time impact during swimming remains underexplored. Prior work has focused on pre‐performance arousal or post‐exercise recovery, leaving a gap in understanding how music tempo affects swimmers’ psychophysiological and emotional responses. This study examined the effects of no music (Beats Per Minute [BPM]), slow‐tempo (65 BPM), and fast‐tempo (120 BPM) music on affect (via the Exercise‐Induced Feeling Inventory [EFI] and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale [PACES]), Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and stroke mechanics during an 800 m self‐paced freestyle swim. In a single‐blind, randomized crossover trial, 24 university swimmers (18 male, 6 female) with ≥ 1 year of experience and neutral music preference completed three 800 m trials under randomized auditory conditions using bone‐conduction headphones. After each trial, participants rated affective valence (EFI), enjoyment (PACES), and exertion (RPE). Stroke rate, stroke length, performance time, and heart rate were monitored continuously. Music tempo significantly influenced affective measures but not physical or exertional outcomes. Fast‐tempo music increased EFI Positive Engagement compared to no music (p = .013), with no changes in Revitalization, Tranquility, or Physical Exhaustion (ps > .05). Both slow‐ and fast‐tempo conditions elevated PACES scores versus no music (p < .01). No significant effects emerged for stroke rate, stroke length, swim time, RPE, or heart rate (all ps > .05). While music tempo did not alter performance or perceived effort during self‐paced swimming, it meaningfully enhanced positive engagement and enjoyment. These findings suggest that tempo‐congruent music may be a practical strategy to enrich emotional experiences, potentially improving adherence and motivation in aquatic exercise settings. Trial registration: This trial was not prospectively registered. The study was conducted in compliance with relevant national and institutional regulations. Due to local regulatory and institutional constraints applicable to this type of educational/exercise research in our setting, prospective registration on a public trial registry was not completed and retrospective registration is not permitted under those constraints. To maximise transparency, we provide the full study protocol (version and date), the pre-specified statistical analysis plan, ethics approval documentation (including approval number and dates), de-identified participant-level data and analysis code as Supplementary Materials (see Supplementary Files in system). We acknowledge that prospective registration is best practice and we will prospectively register future trials.