Stress reactivity after maximal exercise: The effect of manipulated performance feedback in endurance athletes

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the effect of performance feedback on stress reactivity after recovery from maximal exercise. Forty competitive athletes were recruited to complete a maximal exercise test. Performance feedback was manipulated after the exercise test to give four groups: (1) high performance, (2) low performance, (3) accurate feedback and (4) no exercise control. Cardiovascular reactivity was assessed during psychological stress. The results indicate that accurate feedback participants experienced lower relative reactivity to stress (lower mean arterial pressure) than their no-exercise counterparts. These results demonstrate that the stress-buffering effect of exercise extends to maximal exercise. In addition, high-performance participants experienced lower relative reactivity than low-performance participants. Thus, low-performance feedback was sufficient to remove the buffering effect of exercise. There were no differences between the high-performance and accurate feedback conditions, or between the low-performance and control conditions.

The effect of non-contingent and accurate performance feedback on pacing and time trial performance in 4-km track cycling

“…This study therefore provides support for this supposition, and although the results are not unexpected, they are novel. Previous research concerning performance feedback and high-intensity exercise has largely focussed on knowledge of results or manipulated performance feedback given postexercise, or performance feedback given during an incremental test 14 15. In these studies, the provision of correct performance feedback led to improved performance15 and reduced stress reactivity 14.…”

Effects of a brisk walk on blood pressure responses to the Stroop, a speech task and a smoking cue among temporarily abstinent smokers

“…Given that positive exercise performance feedback has been shown to result in a greater attenuated BP response to stress than neutral or negative feedback (Bartholomew 2000), it is important to minimise experimenter bias by ensuring that the researcher who administers the stressors is blind to the preceding treatment.…”

The moderating effect of physical activity on cardiovascular reactivity following single fat feedings

“…While behaviors like consuming high-fat meals appear to enhance cardiovascular reactivity, other behaviors, such as exercise, have been found to reduce cardiovascular reactivity. Numerous investigators have shown that acute bouts of exercise can decrease cardiovascular reactivity if done at a high intensity (Alderman, Arent, Landers, & Rogers, 2007;Bartholomew, 2000;Hamer, Taylor, & Steptoe, 2006). When exercise doses were greater than 30 min at 50% VO 2max, a meta-analysis has shown large effects on the reductions of cardiovascular reactivity (Hamer et al, 2006).…”