Abstract
Bio/neurofeedback training targets the development of an athlete's psychological skills, such as focus, management of anxiety, and recovery/relaxation ability in order to enhance overall performance. Focus training provides tools for the athlete to help them develop alertness and concentration and manage emotions, fears and distractions. Anxiety management training equips the athlete with skills to shift into a parasympathetic dominant state at will and regulate, or turn off, the stress response. Training to engage the body in deep relaxation serves to release stress from the nervous system.
In the present study, funded byOwn The Podium (OTP), 16 athletes were trained for 30-45 hours, using bio/neurofeedback instrumentation to learn to control physiological and neurological function. Sensors were attached to the body for the purpose of acquiring biological and neurological signals such as those produced by muscles, sweat glands, body temperature, respiration, and heart rhythm (i.e. biofeedback modalities) and brainwaves (i.e. neurofeedback modality). Each of the 16 athletes who participated in the three year study improved their overall ability to self-regulate. Most improvement was in self-regulation of respiration rate, muscle tension and peripheral body temperature. The electrodermal response (arousal regulation) and heart rate variability ranges did not reach the required criteria consistently, indicating that work would need to be continued on those modalities.
