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Prior brain endurance training improves endurance exercise performance
Neil Dallaway1, Sam Lucas1, Joesph Marks1
1School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
European Journal of Sport Science
|December 7, 2022
Summary
Brain endurance training (BET) performed before exercise significantly boosts endurance performance more than physical training alone. This mental training approach enhances fatigue resilience and may improve brain oxygenation.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sports Science
Background:
- Mental fatigue (MF) negatively impacts endurance exercise performance.
- Brain endurance training (BET) builds resilience to MF and enhances performance.
- Concurrent mental and physical training is effective but not always practical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of mental training performed *before* physical training (prior BET) on exercise performance.
- To determine if prior BET improves endurance capacity compared to physical training alone.
- To explore the physiological mechanisms, such as prefrontal oxygenation, underlying prior BET benefits.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial with pre-test, training, and post-test phases.
- Participants completed handgrip and working memory tasks during assessments.
- The BET group underwent cognitive tasks before physical training sessions for five weeks.
Main Results:
- Endurance performance increased by 24% in the prior BET group versus 12% in the control group (p < 0.05).
- The BET group exhibited higher prefrontal oxygenation during exercise post-training (p < 0.05).
- Exertion, motivation, heart rate, and heart rate variability remained consistent between groups.
Conclusions:
- Mental training conducted before physical training significantly enhances endurance performance.
- Prior BET offers a practical alternative to concurrent training for improving fatigue resilience.
- Improved prefrontal oxygenation may contribute to the performance benefits of prior BET.
Keywords:
Mental fatigueattentionmuscle fatiguenear infrared spectroscopyprefrontal cortexpsychobiological modelMore Related Videos
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