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Mental Rehearsal Improves Passing Skill and Stress Resilience in Rugby Players

C. Martyn Beaven Orcid Logo, Liam Kilduff Orcid Logo, Christian J. Cook Orcid Logo

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, Volume: 18, Issue: 9, Pages: 1047 - 1052

Swansea University Author: Liam Kilduff Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0117

Abstract

PURPOSE: Mental rehearsal is commonly employed, with positive visualization proposed to enhance complex skill performance. Additionally, video stimulus has been associated with enhanced kinesthetic sensations and rapid hormone fluctuations that may contribute to enhancing mental rehearsal and the co...

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Published in: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
ISSN: 1555-0265 1555-0273
Published: Human Kinetics 2023
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa63752
Abstract: PURPOSE: Mental rehearsal is commonly employed, with positive visualization proposed to enhance complex skill performance. Additionally, video stimulus has been associated with enhanced kinesthetic sensations and rapid hormone fluctuations that may contribute to enhancing mental rehearsal and the conscious and unconscious emotional state for skill execution. Here we assessed the impact of a 15-min mental rehearsal interventions on rugby- specific tasks and the associated hormone profile. METHODS: Professional rugby players (n=10) volunteered for a randomized cross-over study. They completed three 15-min preparatory phases (Positive or Negative video-guided mental rehearsal, or self-directed mental rehearsal alone) prior to an exercise stressor and rugby-specific passing task. Salivary testosterone and cortisol were monitored to assess stress responses. RESULTS: Performance during the rugby passing task was improved following the positive video condition (91 ±7.4%) compared to the negative video (79 ±6.0%; ES: 1.22 ±0.75) and self-visualization (86 ±5.8%; ES: 0.58 ±0.75), with a significant correlation observed between passing performance and salivary testosterone (r = 0.47±0.34, p= 0.0087). Positive video imagery prior to an exercise stressor also significantly enhanced physiological stress resilience (r = 0.39±0.36, p= 0.0352). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot demonstrates that mental rehearsal was enhanced by appropriate, context-specific video presentation. We propose that the interaction between sex steroids, the adrenal axis, and subsequent conscious and unconscious behaviours may be relevant to competitive rugby. Specifically, we suggest that relatively elevated free testosterone imparts a degree of stress resilience, which may lead to enhanced expression of competitive behaviours and provide an enhanced state for rugby skill execution.
Keywords: Testosterone; Cortisol; Visualization; Video; Motivation
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: This project was undertaken as part of the Elite Sport Performance Research in Training (ESPRIT) with Pervasive Sensing programme [EP/H009744/1] and partly funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK.
Issue: 9
Start Page: 1047
End Page: 1052

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