Deception has no acute or residual effect on cycling time trial performance but negatively effects perceptual responses (original) (raw)
Related papers
Effects of Deception on Exercise Performance
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2012
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether it was possible to reduce the time taken to complete a 4000-m cycling time trial by misleading participants into believing they were racing against a previous trial, when, in fact, the power output was 2% greater. Methods: Nine trained male cyclists each completed four 4000-m time trials. The first trial was a habituation and the data from the second trial was used to form a baseline (BL). During trials 3 and 4, participants raced against an avatar, which they were informed represented their BL performance. However, whereas one of these trials was an accurate (ACC) representation of BL, the power output in the other trial was set at 102% of BL and formed the deception condition (DEC). Oxygen uptake and RER were measured continuously and used to determine aerobic and anaerobic contributions to power output. Results: There was a significant difference between trials for time to completion (F = 15.3, P = 0.00). Participants completed DEC more quickly than BL (90% CI = 2.1-10.1 s) and ACC (90% CI = 1.5-5.4 s) and completed ACC more quickly than BL (90% CI = 0.5-4.8 s). The difference in performance between DEC and ACC was attributable to a greater anaerobic contribution to power output at 90% of the total distance (F = 5.3, P = 0.02, 90% CI = 4-37 W). Conclusions: The provision of surreptitiously augmented feedback derived from a previous performance reduces time taken for cyclists to accomplish a time trial of known duration. This suggests that cyclists operate with a metabolic reserve even during maximal time trials and that this reserve can be accessed after deception.
Frontiers in physiology, 2016
The provision of performance-related feedback during exercise is acknowledged as an influential external cue used to inform pacing decisions. The provision of this feedback in a challenging or deceptive context allows research to explore how feedback can be used to improve performance and influence perceptual responses. However, the effects of deception on both acute and residual responses have yet to be explored, despite potential application for performance enhancement. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of challenging and deceptive feedback on perceptual responses and performance in self-paced cycling time trials (TT) and explored whether changes in performance are sustained in a subsequent TT following the disclosure of the deception. Seventeen trained male cyclists were assigned to either an accurate or deceptive feedback group and performed four 16.1 km cycling TTs; (1 and 2) ride-alone baseline TTs where a fastest baseline (FBL) performance was identified, (3) a T...
Deception Improves Time Trial Performance in Well-trained Cyclists without Augmented Fatigue
Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2018
To investigate the effects of feedback, in the form of a virtual avatar paced at 100% and 102% of baseline performance, on neuromuscular fatigue after a 4-km cycling time trial (TT). We hypothesized that improved cycling performance would occur because of the participants exceeding a previously established critical threshold and experiencing greater neuromuscular fatigue. After familiarization, 10 well-trained cyclists performed a baseline 4-km TT without feedback (BASE), followed by two 4-km TT where they raced against an avatar (set at 100% accurate [ACC] and 102% deception [DEC] of baseline power output) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. Before and after each TT, neuromuscular fatigue was assessed using maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the quadriceps, and supramaximal electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve, during and 2 s after MVCs to assess voluntary activation and potentiated twitch force. Blood lactate was taken pretrials and posttrials and RPE ...
Deception Studies Manipulating Centrally Acting Performance Modifiers: A Review
Athletes anticipatorily set and continuously adjust pacing strategies before and during events to produce optimal performance. Self-regulation ensures maximal effort is exerted in correspondence with the end point of exercise, while preventing physiological changes that are detrimental and disruptive to homeostatic control. The integration of feedforward and feedback information, together with the proposed brain_s performance modifiers is said to be fundamental to this anticipatory and continuous regulation of exercise. The manipulation of central, regulatory internal and external stimuli has been a key focus within deception research, attempting to influence the self-regulation of exercise and induce improvements in performance. Methods of manipulating performance modifiers such as unknown task end point, deceived duration or intensity feedback, self-belief, or previous experience create a challenge within research, as although they contextualize theoretical propositions, there are few ecological and practical approaches which integrate theory with practice. In addition, the different methods and measures demonstrated in manipulation studies have produced inconsistent results. This review examines and critically evaluates the current methods of how specific centrally controlled performance modifiers have been manipulated, within previous deception studies. From the 31 studies reviewed, 10 reported positive effects on performance, encouraging future investigations to explore the mechanisms responsible for influencing pacing and consequently how deceptive approaches can further facilitate performance. The review acts to discuss the use of expectation manipulation not only to examine which methods of deception are successful in facilitating performance but also to understand further the key components used in the regulation of exercise and performance.
Increased Fatigue Response to Augmented Deceptive Feedback during Cycling Time Trial
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2017
This study aimed to investigate the effect of different magnitudes of deception on performance and exercise-induced fatigue during cycling time-trial. Methods: Following three familiarization visits, three females and eight males performed three 5 km cycling time-trials while following a simulated dynamic avatar reproducing either 100% (5K100%), 102% (5K102%) or 105% (5K105%) of the subject's previous fastest trial. Quadriceps muscle activation was quantified with surface electromyography. Fatigue was quantified by pre-to post-exercise (10 s through 15 min recovery) changes in quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force, potentiated twitch force evoked by electrical femoral nerve stimulation (QTSingle) and voluntary activation (VA, twitch interpolation technique). Results: Greater quadriceps muscle activation in 5K102% vs. 5K100% (12±11%) was found in parallel with a 5±2% and 2±1% improvement in power output and completion time, respectively (p < 0.01). Exercise-induced reduction in MVC force and VA were 14±19% and 28±31% greater at exercise termination (at 10 s) whereas QTSingle recovery (from 10 s to 15 min) was 5±5% less in 5K102% vs. 5K100% (p < 0.01). No difference in performance or fatigue indices measured at exercise termination was found between 5K100% and 5K105%. Conclusion: Muscle activation and performance improvements during a deceptive cycling time-trial were achieved only with a 2% magnitude of deception and were associated with a further impairment in MVC force, QTSingle recovery and VA compared to control. Performance improvement during cycling time-trial with augmented deceptive feedback therefore resulted in exacerbated exerciseinduced peripheral and central fatigue.
Physiological and Psychological Effects of Deception on Pacing Strategy and Performance: A Review
The aim of an optimal pacing strategy during exercise is to enhance performance whilst ensuring physiological limits are not surpassed, which has been shown to result in a metabolic reserve at the end of the exercise. There has been debate surrounding the theoretical models that have been proposed to explain how pace is regulated, with more recent research investigating a central control of exercise regulation. Deception has recently emerged as a common, practical approach to manipulate key variables during exercise. There are a number of ways in which deception interventions have been designed, each intending to gain particular insights into pacing behaviour and performance. Deception methodologies can be conceptualised according to a number of dimensions such as deception timing (prior to or during exercise), presentation frequency (blind, discontinuous or continuous) and type of deception (performance, biofeedback or environmental feedback). However, research evidence on the effects of deception has been perplexing and the use of complex designs and varied methodologies makes it difficult to draw any definitive conclusions about how pacing strategy and performance are affected by deception. This review examines existing research in the area of deception and pacing strategies, and provides a critical appraisal of the different methodological approaches used to date. It is hoped that this analysis will inform the direction and methodology of future investigations in this area by addressing the mechanisms through which deception impacts upon performance and by elucidating the potential application of deception techniques in training and competitive settings.
Psychophysiology, 2012
Effects of deception and expected duration on the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, and heart rate (HR) were examined during treadmill (n = 12) and cycling (n = 8) exercise. Participants completed three conditions: (1) 20 MINexercise for 20 min, stop after 20 min; (2) 10 MIN-exercise for 10 min, in 10th min be told to exercise for 10 min more; and UNKNOWN-no information about duration. Intensities were set at 70% and 65% of peak oxygen uptake for treadmill and cycling, respectively. RPE increased (treadmill) and affect decreased (treadmill and cycling) in the absence of changes in HR and oxygen uptake in the 10 MIN conditions. These changes suggest a disruption to a feed-forward/ feedback system. The lower HR in the UNKNOWN conditions suggests a subconscious attempt to conserve energy when the duration of the exercise task is unknown.
Physiology & Behavior, 2014
Objective: This study examined the effects of speed deception on performance, physiological and perceptual responses, and pacing during sprint-distance triathlon running. Methods: Eight competitive triathletes completed three simulated sprint-distance triathlons (0.75 km swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run) in a randomised order, with swimming and cycling sections replicating baseline triathlon performance. During the first 1.66 km of the run participants maintained an imposed speed, completing the remaining 3.33 km as quickly as possible. Although participants were informed that initially prescribed running speed would reflect baseline performance, this was true during only one trial (Tri-Run 100%). As such, other trials were either 3% faster (Tri-Run 103%), or 3% slower (Tri-Run 97%) than baseline during this initial period. Results: Performance during Tri-Run 103% (1346 ± 108 s) was likely faster than Tri-Run 97% (1371 ± 108 s), and possibly faster than Tri-Run 100% (1360 ± 125 s), with these differences likely to be competitively meaningful. The first 1.66 km of Tri-Run 103% induced greater physiological strain compared to other conditions, whilst perceptual responses were not significantly different between trials. Conclusions: It appears that even during 'all-out' triathlon running, athletes maintain some form of 'reserve' capacity which can be accessed by deception. This suggests that expectations and beliefs have a practically meaningful effect on pacing and performance during triathlon, although it is apparent that an individual's conscious intentions are secondary to the brains sensitivity to potentially harmful levels of physiological and perceptual strain.