The Effect of Extra-Curricular Mental Training with Biofeedback on Short Running Performance of Adolescent Physical Education Pupils

In this study, the relationship between mental training with biofeedback and performance was investigated. An adapted version of the Wingate five-step approach was used as a mental preparation technique for enhancing the short-running performance among 16-18-year-old adolescent physical education pupils. Participants (n = 79) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) experimental - regular training plus three stages of the Wingate mental training program, and (b) control - regular training and relaxing activities. After a baseline measurement, participants were tested on actual performance three times during a 12-week period. Results indicated that the experimental group exhibited a substantial increase in performance, whereas the control group remained relatively stable. Results are discussed in reference to previous work on the Wingate approach to mental training. Additional theoretical and methodological aspects are discussed that are relevant to the use of such interventions with other populations and tasks.