An Examination of Short-Term Mental Conditioning or Mindfulness Training on Physiological, Psychological, and Performance Outcomes during a Cycling Task

Mental strength training (MS) and mindfulness (MD) training can increase performance. This study tested the hypothesis that one week of MS or MD would increase performance as well as begin to elucidate the physiological underpinnings that allow for increased performance. In a randomized between groups pre-test – post-test design, 42 participants visited the lab on 4 separate days. A VO_2peak with ventilatory threshold (VT) was performed on day 1. The subsequent visits consisted of time trials to exhaustion (TTE) performed at 10% above VT. Between visit 3 and 4, MS (n=16) and MD (n=13) groups watched a video or listened to an audio recording for 10-15 minutes each day for one week while the control group (CON) (n=13) did no training. Heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), VAS scores for pain and fatigue, and EMG were recorded during the time trials. Peripheral fatigue was assessed via changes in pre- vs. post-exercise quadriceps force in response to supramaximal magnetic femoral nerve stimulation (Δ_Qtw.pot). CD-Risc, GRIT-S, and the 5-factor mindfulness surveys were also completed before study day 3 and 4. TTE increased significantly in the MS (8.7±13.6%) and MD (4.6±5.5%) groups while CON did not significantly change (-4.9±11.6%). There were no changes in peak HR or RPE. Peak fatigue was increased following MS and peak fatigue and pain were increased following MD. EMG was significantly decreased following MS. One week of mental training, whether MS which included grit and resilience training or for MD, has the ability to improve TTE performance. However, current psychological surveys are not sensitive enough to detect changes in mental performance, perhaps because they are not sport/exercise specific. Further, MS may improve performance by reducing EMG input and shifting to a more external focus, allowing a decreased activation of muscle and subsequent reduced fatigue rate