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MENTAL FATIGUES AFFECT ON REPEATED WINGATE ANAEROBIC TESTS

Abstract

The fact that mental fatigue has an effect on cognitive and skilled performance is well known, but limited research has been conducted looking at the effects of mental fatigue on athletic performance. PURPOSE: To investigate if there are any effects on anaerobic power following a mental fatiguing test. METHODS: In this repeated measures counterbalanced designed study, 10 active, healthy, college-aged participants (7 males and 3 females) completed 2 Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAT). Each participant reported to the lab on 3 separate occasions. The first lab visit consisted of obtaining descriptive data and conducting 2 WAT for familiarization. Each experimental trial started with 60 min of either a mentally fatiguing test (MF) or 60 min of watching a non-mentally fatiguing sitcom (CON). After each 60 min session the BORG RPE scale and the 20 question Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI-20) were used to assess mental fatigue. Furthermore, we assessed Heart Rate (HR) and Blood Pressure (BP) every 10 min throughout the beginning 60 min of the MF trial and CON trial to quantify any physiological strain that may have occurred. Following the 60 min sessions, 2 WAT were performed with 5 min of low intensity cycling between each WAT. Immediately after each WAT, HR, BP, RPE, peak power output, fatigue index and average power were recorded. RESULTS: No differences were found between HR and BP during the 60 min MF trials and CON trials. However, RPE and SOFI-20 revealed a state of mental fatigue (p < 0.05). Following each WAT, no differences were seen (p > 0.05) between the different variables assessed following the MF trials and CON trials. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that mental fatigue did not have an impact on anaerobic power output; however, further research should be conducted looking at the affects of mental fatigue on athletic performance.

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