Is Motivation Associated with Mental Fatigue during Padel Trainings? A Pilot Study

Brain Endurance Training Improves and Maintains Chest Press and Squat Jump Performance When Fatigued

ABSTRACT

Díaz-García, J, López-Gajardo, MÁ, Parraca, JA, Batalla, N, López-Rodríguez, R, and Ring, C. Brain endurance training improves and maintains chest press and squat jump performance when fatigued. J Strength Cond Res 38(9): 1568-1575, 2024-Mental fatigue can impair resistance exercise performance. Brain endurance training (BET)-the addition of demanding cognitive tasks to standard exercise training-improves endurance exercise performance more than standard training. Although BET has yet to be evaluated with resistance exercise, it is expected to improve performance, particularly when the performer feels mentally fatigued. The study employed a pretest (week 0), midtest (week 3), posttest (week 6), and follow-up (week 9) design, with subjects randomized to BET ( n = 46) or control (exercise training) ( n = 45) groups. In testing sessions, subjects performed chest press and squat jump exercises to failure before (feeling fresh) and after (feeling tired) a 30-minute cognitively demanding Stroop task. Training comprised 5 BET or control training sessions per week for 6 weeks. In each training session, subjects completed 4 sets of each exercise to failure, with each exercise set preceded by a 3-minute cognitive task (BET) or rest (control). Exercise performance (number of repetitions to failure) and mental fatigue markers were assessed. In pretesting, exercise performance did not differ between the groups. In midtesting and posttesting, BET performed more chest press and squat jump repetitions when fatigued by the 30-minute Stroop than control. The mental fatigue elicited by the Stroop task gradually declined with training in BET compared with control. In conclusion, BET enhanced resistance exercise performance compared with standard training when tested subsequent to a mentally fatiguing cognitive task. These benefits were maintained weeks after training ended. Brain endurance training is an effective method to mitigate the deleterious effects of mental fatigue on resistance exercise performance.

Brain endurance training improves shot speed and accuracy in grassroots padel players

OBJECTIVES

Evidence that mental fatigue impairs sport performance has created a demand for countermeasures. We examined the effects of brain endurance training, a form of fatigue-inoculation, on shot performance in grassroots padel players.

DESIGN

A pre-, mid- and post-test design, with participants randomized to brain endurance training (n = 30) or control (n = 31) groups.

METHODS

During testing, participants completed a Padel Stroke Performance Test, before and after a demanding 30-min cognitive task (Stroop). Training comprised 3 sessions/week for 6 weeks. In each training session, participants completed 10-min warm-up, 15-min technical drills, 15-min tactical drills, and 20-min simulated games. These physical activities were intermixed with short 4-min periods of Stroop (brain endurance training group) or rest (control group) totaling 20-min. Performance was measured by shot speed and accuracy of padel strokes. Mental fatigue indices were measured before and after the Stroop task using a visual analog scale rating, a psychomotor vigilance task, and a go/no-go task.

RESULTS

During testing, the 30-min Stroop task elicited a state of mental fatigue, confirmed by higher subjective ratings, slower responses during the psychomotor vigilance task, and slower saccade latencies during the go/no go task. Compared to pre-testing, in mid- and post-testing, the brain endurance training group hit progressively faster and more accurate padel shots after the Stroop task compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain endurance training enhanced skill-based psychomotor performance when fatigued compared to standard padel training. Brain endurance training is a countermeasure that promotes mental fatigue durability.

Impact of HIIT Sessions with and without Cognitive Load on Cortical Arousal, Accuracy and Perceived Exertion in Amateur Tennis Players

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises, with and without cognitive load, on the accuracy, critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) on recreational tennis players. A total of 32 players of tennis at recreational level (25 men and 7 women) were enrolled in this cross-sectional the study. Participants had to perform, randomly, two HIIT sessions. In one of them, cognitive load was induced by conducting an incongruent Stroop during rests. After training accuracy of tennis serve, CFFT, and RPE were measured. Results showed that accuracy after baseline and HIIT without cognitive load were significantly higher than after HIIT with cognitive load. RPE significantly increased (p-value < 0.001) after HIIT sessions in both, with and without cognitive load. However, significant differences were not observed between the two sessions in the RPE (p-value = 0.405). Furthermore, differences were not obtained in the CFFT neither within nor between sessions (p-value > 0.05). Therefore, HIIT with and without cognitive load increased the RPE in recreational tennis players. Furthermore, HIIT sessions with cognitive load significant altered tennis serve accuracy.

Effect of exhaustion on dynamic balance of professional padel players

Padel is an intermittent multidirectional racket sport that uses tennis’ rules and its scoring system. The popularity of padel has seen exponential growth; becoming one of the most practiced sports in the world. Balance constitutes a central component of racquet sports competitive demands. The aim of this study was exploring the effect of an exhaustive exercise on dynamic balance in elite padel players. 34 first division padel players with national rankings (age: 31.6 ± 7.9 years, height: 181.1 cm ± 5.26 cm; body mass: 81.1 kg ± 9.95 kg) volunteered for this study. Subjects were first tested for dynamic balance using the Y balance test. Then, they performed a volitional exhaustion test, followed by a dynamic balance retest. A significant main effect of condition for all balance variables was detected (all p < 0.03) except for the postero-lateral distance. A significant main effect of time was only found for the anterior distance (p < 0.001). Significant condition*time interaction was found for all variables (p < 0.02) except for the posterolateral distance. Posthoc analysis of the condition × time interaction indicated that compared to the control condition, exhaustive exercise deteriorated balance as showed by the significant decrease in the composite score (p = 0.05) and in the anterior direction (p < 0.001). This makes us focus on elaborating novel training systems in padel to improve the anterior direction distance after fatigue, being the reason of the decrease of dynamic balance capacity. This will boost the possibilities of scoring during a competitive situation.