Time Interval Moderates the Relationship Between Psyching-up and Actual Sprint Performance

Abstract

Hammoudi-Nassib, S, Chtara, M, Nassib, S, Briki, W, Hammoudi-Riahi, S, Tod, D, and Chamari, K. Time interval moderates the relationship between psyching-up and actual sprint performance. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2014-This study attempted to test whether the strongest effect of psyching-up (PU) strategy on actual sprint performance can be observed when the strategy is used immediately (or almost) before performance compared with when there is a delay between PU and performance. To do so, 16 male sprinters (age, 20.6 6 1.3 years; body mass, 77.5 6 7.1 kg; height, 180.8 6 5.6 cm) were enrolled in a counterbalanced experimental design in which participants were randomly assigned to 10 sessions (2 [Experimental Condition: imagery vs. distraction] 3 5 [Time Intervals: no interval, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes]). Before performing the experimental tasks, participants rated: (a) the Hooper index, (b) their degree of self-confidence, and (c) after the completion of the experimental test; they rated their perceived effort. Findings showed that the imagery significantly improved sprint performance. Specifically, the imagery enhanced performance on the phase of acceleration (0-10 m) and on the overall sprint (0-30 m) when used immediately before performance and at 1-and 2-minute intervals but not for 3-and 5-minute intervals. These findings support the hypothesis that the potential effect of the PU strategy on performance vanishes over time. The preexperimental task Hooper and self-efficacy indexes did not change across the 10 experimental sessions, reinforcing the view that the observed performance changes were directly caused by the experimental manipulation and not through any altered status of the athletes (self-efficacy, fatigue/recovery, and stress). The potential mechanisms underlying such a process and practical applications are discussed.

Celebrating 50 years of Independence of Bangladesh

“…This sustainably beneficial impact of VMBR intervention regime on the Thirty Mt. Dash performance, got evidentially supported by several previous research investigations 45,58,[65][66][67] . As Silmani and the coresearchers 67 conducting an extensive systematic review on impacts of differential types of visualization techniques earlier pointed out and confirmed positive role of visualization on increment in Thirty Mt.…”

“…As Silmani and the coresearchers 67 conducting an extensive systematic review on impacts of differential types of visualization techniques earlier pointed out and confirmed positive role of visualization on increment in Thirty Mt. Dash performance 45,65,66 .…”

“…Dash performance was investigated, which confirmed sustainable impact of VMBR intervention. Apart from that, the psyching-up strategies employed by Hammoudi-Nassib and coresearchers 65 , was also different from what was used in this study, as in this study action-oriented VMBR training was imparted. Nonetheless, findings of this study, received confirmatory support from the previous studies 58,66,67 .…”

“…Here we need to clarify that Hammoudi-Nassib and colleagues 65 conducted their experiment on sprint performance, while in this study thirty-Mt. Dash performance was investigated, which confirmed sustainable impact of VMBR intervention.…”

Listening to Music during Warming-Up Counteracts the Negative Effects of Ramadan Observance on Short-Term Maximal Performance

“…The absence of a music effect on these variables could be due to the fact that the participants listened to music while warming-up and not while performing the task. In accordance with this suggestion, authors [ 32 ] have recently shown that the greater the time interval after the use of a mental strategy, the lower the impact of this strategy on STMP.…”