Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Brain endurance training improves physical, cognitive, and multitasking performance in professional football players

Staiano, Walter, Merlini, Michele, Romagnoli, Marco, Kirk, Ulrich, Ring, Christopher, Marcora, Samuele Maria (2022) Brain endurance training improves physical, cognitive, and multitasking performance in professional football players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 17 (12). pp. 1732-1740. ISSN 1555-0265. E-ISSN 1555-0273. (doi:10.1123/ijspp.2022-0144) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:98191)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided. (Contact us about this Publication)
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0144

Abstract

Purpose: Brain endurance training (BET)—the combination of physical training with mentally fatiguing tasks—could help athletes adapt and increase their performance during sporting competitions. Here we tested whether BET completed after standard physical training improved physical and mental performance more than physical training alone during a preseason football training camp. Methods: The study employed a pretest/training/posttest design, with 22 professional football players randomly assigned to BET or a control group. Both groups completed 40 physical training sessions over 4 weeks. At the end of a day of physical training, the BET group completed cognitive training, whereas the control group listened to neutral sounds. Players completed the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test, repeated sprint ability random test, soccer-specific reactive agility test, and Stroop and psychomotor vigilance tests pretraining and posttraining. Mixed analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results: In the posttest (but not pretest) assessments, the BET group consistently outperformed the control group. Specifically, the BET group was faster (P = .02–.04) than the control group during the 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test, the directional phase of the repeated sprint ability random test, and the soccer-specific reactive agility test. The BET group also made fewer errors (P = .02) during the soccer-specific reactive agility test than the control group. Finally, the BET group responded faster (P = .02) on the Stroop test and made fewer (P = .03) lapses on the psychomotor vigilance test than the control group. Conclusion: The inclusion of BET during the preseason seems more effective than standard physical training alone in improving the physical, cognitive, and multitasking performance of professional football players.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1123/ijspp.2022-0144
Uncontrolled keywords: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine; Physical Therapy; Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation; cognitive training; mental fatigue; elite athletes; sport performance; team sport; neuro-performance
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation. Leisure > Sports sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Sport and Exercise Sciences
SWORD Depositor: JISC Publications Router
Depositing User: JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited: 21 Nov 2022 14:38 UTC
Last Modified: 13 Dec 2022 14:52 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/98191 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Merlini, Michele.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Marcora, Samuele Maria.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.