The effects of mindfulness training on competition-induced anxiety and salivary stress markers in elite Wushu athletes: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the impact of stress and related psychophysiological responses on competitive performance, psychological interventions that reduce stress and may thus increase athletic performance need to be evaluated. In this pilot study, the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on competitive anxiety, self-confidence and mindfulness, and autonomic and endocrine stress responses to a competition in elite athletes were explored. METHODS: Twenty-six male elite Wushu athletes (N = 26) were randomly assigned to either MBI (8 weeks) or a wait-list control group. Both groups participated in three competitions at baseline, immediately post intervention, and at a 2-month follow-up. Athletes completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 prior to the competitions. Saliva, from which the stress markers cortisol (sCort) and alpha-amylase (sAA) were determined, was collected prior to and after competitions as well as after awakening and in the evening of competition days. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVAs showed that the MBI group, but not the wait-list control group, demonstrated an increase in self-confidence and mindfulness and a decrease in competitive anxiety from baseline to post intervention (all p < .001, all ɳp2 > 0.39). The MBI group exhibited lower sCort daily levels (p = .001, ɳp2 = 0.332) and lower sCort (p = .013, ɳp2 = 0.121) and sAA responses (p = .022, ɳp2 = 0.119) to the competition after the intervention. Daily sAA was unaffected by the intervention (p = .742, ɳp2 = 0.011). These changes remained stable up to the 2-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The present pilot study suggested that mindfulness-based intervention might be associated with a diminished physiological and psychological stress responses to competition. Whether this in turn translates to change in performance needs to be examined in future studies with larger samples. Moreover, different sport activities need to be considered before findings can be generalized.

Long-term adherence to exercise: the relationship with functional fitness and personal motivation among community-dwelling independent-living older women / Adesão a longo prazo a um tipo de exercício físico: relação com a capacidade física funcional e motivações pessoais entre mulheres idosas fisicamente independentes / Adhesión a largo plazo de un tipo de ejercicio físico: relación con la capacidad física funcional y motivaciones personales entre mujeres mayores físicamente independientes

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study were to examine the relationships between functional fitness, self-esteem, aesthetic body care and long-term adherence to dance, and to identify other characteristics related to dance adherence in the elderly. METHODS: Seventeen women, aged 59-86 years-old, who practised a type of dance labeled "bodily expression". RESULTS: Functional fitness was correlated to dance adherence and was the only factor related to this variable in a linear regression analysis. Self-esteem and aesthetic body care seemed to play an indirect role on adherence. Functional fitness, specially upper-body flexibility and lower-body muscular function, and interest in dance (qualitative data) were related to long-term adherence to dance. CONCLUSIONS: Functional fitness and interest in exercising were the main aspects related to participants' long-term adherence to dance.

OBJETIVO: Examinar a relação entre adesão a longo prazo à prática da dança e capacidade física functional, autoestima e atenção dada à estética corporal, e identificar outros aspectos relacionados à adesão deste exercício em indivíduos idosos. MÉTODOS: 17 mulheres, de 59 a 86 anos, que praticavam um tipo de dança rotulada "expressão corporal". RESULTADOS: A capacidade física functional se correlacionou à adesão à prática de dança, e foi o único fator relacionado a esta variável na regressão linear realizada. A autoestima e a atenção dada à estética corporal parecem desempenhar um papel indireto sobre a adesão. O "interesse em praticar a dança" também se relacionou com a adesão. CONCLUSÃO: Capacidade física functional e "interesse em praticar a dança" foram os principais aspectos relacionados à adesão a longo prazo da dança.

OBJETIVO: Examinar la relación entre adhesión a largo plazo de la danza y capacidad física funcional, auto-estima y atención dada a la estética corporal, e identificar otros aspectos relacionados a la adhesión de este ejercicio en individuos mayores. METODOLOGÍA: 17 mujeres, de 59 a 86 años, que praticavan una danza llamada "expresión corporal". RESULTADOS: La capacidad física funcional fuera correlacionada a la adhesión a la práctica de danza, y fuera el único factor relacionado a esta variable en la regresión linear realizada. La auto-estima y la atención dada a la estética corporal parecen desempeñar un papel indirecto sobre la adhesión. El "interés en practicar la danza" también se relacionó con la adhesión. CONCLUSIÓN: Capacidad física funcional e "interés en practicar la danza " fueran los principales aspectos relacionados a la adhesión a largo plazo de la danza.