The Taylor Swift Challenge

Abstract

Taylor Swift famously got in shape for her three-hour-long Eras Tour concerts by singing all 40+ songs...while running on a treadmill! Have you ever tried running while singing at the top of your lungs? How hard do you think it is? In this science project you will measure the impact talking and singing have on a group of volunteer runners. Is anyone in better shape than Taylor Swift?

Summary

Areas of Science

Human Biology & Health

Difficulty

Method

Scientific Method

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Very Low (under $20)

Safety

This project involves strenuous physical activity. Make sure all volunteers are healthy enough to participate safely.

Credits

Ben Finio, PhD, Science Buddies

Science Buddies is committed to creating content authored by scientists and educators. Learn more about our process and how we use AI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfWoOQsueBE

Objective

Measure the effect of talking and singing on speed, heart rate, and/or breathing rate while running. 

Introduction

Have you ever felt out of breath or noticed your heart beating faster after running? What about when singing or dancing? Have you ever considered combining the two? That is exactly what Taylor Swift did to prepare for her Eras Tour concert (Figure 1), which was three hours long and had more than 40 songs - that is a lot of singing and dancing! To get in shape for the tour, Taylor ran on a treadmill while singing all of the songs from the concert. This workout became known as the "Taylor Swift Challenge," and people who tried to repeat it quickly found out how difficult it was!

Image Credit: Paolo V / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

Figure 1. Taylor Swift and dancers onstage during the Eras Tour.

How exactly does singing affect your ability to run? Do you think it makes it harder? In this science project, you will find out by recruiting volunteers to both run normally and while singing their favorite Taylor Swift songs (well, any song will work). You can measure how long it takes your volunteers to run a certain distance, like around a track or soccer field, but there are other things you can measure as well.

For example, you could measure each volunteer's heart rate, also called their pulse. Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. It is measured in beats per minute (bpm). Your heart rate is generally lower when you are resting and faster when you are exercising. You can also measure respiratory rate, or breathing rate - the number of breaths a person takes in one minute. You can even make other observations, like how much the volunteers are sweating. Check out the resources in the bibliography to learn more about these and other vital signs, which are measurements of your body's basic functions.

Are you and your volunteers in better shape than Taylor Swift? Can you handle the Taylor Swift Challenge? Get ready to find out!

Terms and Concepts

• Heart rate
• Pulse
• Beats per minute
• Respiratory rate
• Breathing rate
• Vital signs

Questions

• How does activity level affect heart rate and breathing rate?
• Do you think people will run faster, slower, or the same speed while singing?

Materials and Equipment

• Place where your volunteers can run a fixed distance, like a track, soccer or football field, gymnasium, etc. 
• Stopwatch, sport watch, or smartwatch for each volunteer
• Optional: heart rate monitors (note that many smartwatches can also measure heart rate)
• Group of volunteers (at least 8-10)

This project follows the Scientific Method. Review the steps before you begin.

Working with Human Test Subjects

There are special considerations when designing an experiment involving human subjects. Fairs affiliated with Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) often require an Informed Consent Form (permission sheet) for every participant who is questioned. Consult the rules and regulations of the science fair that you are entering, prior to performing experiments or surveys. Please refer to the Science Buddies documents Projects Involving Human Subjects and Scientific Review Committee for additional important requirements. If you are working with minors, you must get advance permission from the children's parents or guardians (and teachers if you are performing the test while they are in school) to make sure that it is all right for the children to participate in the science fair project. Here are suggested guidelines for obtaining permission for working with minors:

1. Write a clear description of your science fair project, what you are studying, and what you hope to learn. Include how the child will be tested. Include a paragraph where you get a parent's or guardian's and/or teacher's signature.
2. Print out as many copies as you need for each child you will be surveying.
3. Pass out the permission sheet to the children or to the teachers of the children to give to the parents. You must have permission for all the children in order to be able to use them as test subjects.

1. Decide what distance you will have your volunteers run (straight across a soccer field, around a 400m track, etc.). Your volunteers should be able to run the distance as fast as possible twice, with a long break in between. Choose a distance that is appropriate for your volunteers' age and level of athleticism. Check with an adult (like a parent, teacher, or coach) if you are not sure. 
2. Divide your volunteers randomly into two groups. Group 1 will run without singing first, and Group 2 will run while singing first. After a break, the two groups will switch. 
3. Prepare a data table like Table 1. Add enough rows for all your volunteers. Write down each volunteer's name and group number.
4. Have Group 1 run the distance you selected (without singing) and record all of their times in your data table. See the Variations section if you would also like to measure heart rate and/or breathing rate. 
5. Have Group 2 run the same distance (while singing) and record all their times. 
6. Wait until both groups have fully recovered (at least 10 minutes, if not longer).
7. Have Group 1 run the same distance (while singing this time) and record all their times.
8. Have Group 2 run (without singing) and record all their times. 
9. Calculate average times across all volunteers for singing and not singing. Record these averages in your data table. 
   1. Note: if you recorded your times in minutes and seconds (mm:ss format), you may need to convert to seconds before calculating an average. There are 60 seconds in one minute. So, for example, one minute and thirty seconds (1:30) is 90 seconds. 
10. Calculate the time difference for each volunteer by subtracting the not-singing time from the singing time. Do the same for the average times. 
11. Make a bar graph of your data.
    1. The horizontal axis should have your two testing conditions (not singing and singing).
    2. The vertical axis should have the average time for each group.
12. Analyze your data.
    1. Is there a difference between the test conditions? If so, on average, did people run faster while singing or not singing?

Swipe left to see more

Swipe left to see more

Volunteer Name	Group number	Time (singing)	Time (not singing)	Time difference
Average	n/a

Table 1. Example data table.

Ask an Expert

Do you have specific questions about your science project? Our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.

Post a Question

Global Goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Good Health and Well-Being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Variations

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