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Published on: January 28, 2020
Talk yourself back on track: Motivational self-talk reverses ego depletion in endurance swimming
1College of Sport Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Objectives:
This study investigated whether a structured motivational self-talk intervention could mitigate the negative effects of prior cognitive exertion on endurance performance during a simulated competitive swimming trial.
Design:
A randomized controlled experimental design was employed.
Methods:
Thirty-seven male competitive swimmers were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group completed three 1500-m freestyle time trials: Baseline, following a non-demanding congruent Stroop task; Cognitive Exertion, following a cognitively demanding incongruent Stroop task requiring sustained self-control; and Cognitive Exertion + Self-Talk, following the same incongruent Stroop task and a motivational self-talk intervention using personalized cue words. The control group completed the same three trials, each preceded by the congruent Stroop task. Total swim time, 500-m split times, post-trial ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and heart rate (HR) were recorded.
Results:
Prior cognitive exertion significantly impaired swimming performance, with decrements emerging progressively across trial segments and reaching their greatest magnitude in the final 500 m. Swimmers using motivational self-talk after cognitive exertion showed no statistically significant difference in total time, split times, or post-trial RPE relative to baseline, while cardiovascular markers remained comparable across conditions.
Conclusions:
Motivational self-talk effectively counteracts the negative effects of cognitive exertion on endurance swimming. Incorporating structured self-talk strategies into training routines may offer a practical approach to sustaining performance under mentally demanding conditions.
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