The Role of Preparatory Heart Rate Deceleration on Balance Beam Performance.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Cottyn, Jorge; Clercq, Dirk De; Crombez, Geert; Lenoir, Matthieu
- Source
- Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology; April 2008, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p159-170, 12p
- Subject
- Heart beat
Balance beam
Gymnasts
Women athletes
Athlete physiology
Physiology -- Research
Sports -- Psychological aspects
Psychology
Attention
Task performance
Gymnastics
Acrobatics
Fear of falling
- Language
- ISSN
- 08952779
Preparatory heart rate deceleration occurs in tasks with an external focus of attention and is often assumed to facilitate balance performance. However, its effects upon sport-related complex balance movements have not been studied. Heart rate patterns during the preparation period of an acrobatic element (flic-flac) on the balance beam were studied in 14 female gymnasts (M age 13.2 years). A significant heart rate deceleration was found in attempts with a fall in the consecutive acrobatic element, but not in attempts without a fall. These data suggest that preparatory heart rate deceleration may be detrimental to the performance of complex movements on the balance beam. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.