Warm-up plus verbal communications administered as placebo procedure during the training session improves running...

Area of Science:

• Sport Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• The placebo effect is recognized in sports, but its application within a single training session is underexplored.
• Existing research highlights the FIFA11+ warm-up for injury prevention, not performance enhancement.
• Understanding the interplay between psychological factors and physical performance is crucial for optimizing athletic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a within-session placebo procedure on running performance.
• To determine if a conditioning treatment combined with verbal suggestions can enhance sprint-interval training (SIT) outcomes.
• To explore the efficacy of a psychological intervention in improving endurance metrics.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-six participants were divided into PLACEBO and CONTROL groups.
• Three sessions included a baseline and an experimental session featuring SIT until exhaustion.
• The PLACEBO group received a conditioning treatment (FIFA11+) and deceptive verbal feedback, while the CONTROL group did not receive the psychological interventions.

Main Results:

• The PLACEBO group demonstrated significant increases in total running time and total running distance (TRD).
• No significant performance improvements were observed in the CONTROL group.
• Physiological and metabolic responses confirmed participants reached exhaustion in all SIT sessions.

Conclusions:

• A within-session placebo procedure, integrating conditioning and verbal suggestions, effectively enhances running performance.
• This cognitive-behavioral strategy offers a practical, ecologically valid method for coaches to improve athlete outcomes.
• The findings underscore the significant role of the cognitive domain in modulating physical performance in athletes.