Monitoring mood state to improve performance in soccer players: A brief review

Introduction: Psychological aspects of sport are key in maintaining athlete motivation and make a difference in competitive outcomes. Adjustments to training may be necessary according to athletes’ emotional state. Therefore, it is important to assess and quantify mood states throughout the season in team sports, including among soccer players. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) is a widely used questionnaire that assesses emotional states characterized by positive or negative feelings and can be administered repeatedly to assess changes in mood state. This review aims to assess and summarize the current literature on mood state variation in soccer players with a specific focus on training loads, training modalities, and competitive performance. Methods: A literature search was systematically conducted and resulted in 156 records. After removing duplicates, items with irrelevant titles and abstracts were screened out, and full texts were then screened for relevance and compared with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The remaining 37 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Results: POMS scores were related to variability in training load, intensity of the training period, modality of training exercises, competitive performance and time of day in soccer players. Common recommendations include monitoring the mood state of soccer players during training sessions, matches, and throughout training periods to detect early signs of psychological disturbance and aid in optimizing high-level training performance. Conclusion: The POMS allows for monitoring of players’ psychological state, providing coaches with data to aid in adjusting acute program variables according to players’ psychological states and improve performance. Results offer practical support for the use of a simple POMS measurement as part of an overall program to monitor the players’ psychological states. Results also highlight how training choices (i.e., load and exercise modality) and competitive performance are related to mood states (i.e., tension, anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and vigor)

Psycho-physiological aspects of small combats in taekwondo: impact of area size and within-round sparring partners

The study investigated physiological and psychological responses to taekwondo combat sessions as a function of different area sizes and within-round sparring partners. Twenty-four adolescent (age: 17 +/- 1years) male (n = 12) and female (n = 12) taekwondo athletes participated in the study. Each athlete confronted 1 (1 vs.1; no sparring partner change) or 2 (1vs.2; within-round sparring partner change every minute) opponents in different area sizes (i.e., 4 x 4 m, 6 x 6 m, and 8 x 8 m) for 2 min. Blood lactate concentration ([La]) was measured before and after bouts. Heart rate (HR) was measured throughout the contests and rating of perceived exertion was assessed after bouts. Mean HR (HRmean) and percentage of maximum HR (%HRmax) determined during a 20-m multistage shuttle run test were used for analysis. Mood states were assessed before and after bouts and physical enjoyment was analyzed after bouts. The results showed higher HRmean and %HRmax values for the 1 vs.1 compared to the 1vs.2 condition (p < 0.001) and [La] values were higher at post-combat measurements (p < 0.001). Moreover, tension and fatigue were higher in 6 x 6 m compared with 8 x 8 m (p = 0.022 and p = 0.023, respectively) and anger was higher in 6 x 6 m and 8 x 8 m in comparison with 4 x 4 m (p = 0.012 and p = 0.043, respectively). Confusion increased from before to after bouts (p < 0.001), from 4 x 4 m and 6 x 6 m area sizes to 8 x 8 m (p = 0.001 and p = 0.018, respectively), and from 1vs.1 to 1vs.2 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, vigour decreased from before to after bouts (p < 0.01). Taekwondo combat sessions are a specific conditioning exercise for athletes. Thus, coaches can use the 1vs.1 condition to elicit higher HR responses and 6 x 6 m area size to induce higher psychological stress, mimicking what occurs during a competition

Effect of Intensified Training Camp on Psychometric Status, Mood State, and Hematological Markers in Youth Soccer Players

During training camps, training load is purposefully intensified. Intensified training loads (TL) are associated with psychological variations, increased fatigue, insufficient recovery, decreased muscular performance, and biological changes in adult athletes, but whether these changes occur during training camps in youth athletes has not been established. The aim of this study was to assess changes in psychometric status, vertical jump performance (i.e., height), and hematological markers before and after an intensive training camp in youth soccer players. In this case, 15male youth soccer players (mean ± SD: age: 14.8 ± 0.4 years; height: 172.0 ± 6.9 cm, body mass: 60.8 ± 7.9 kg; training experience: 5.2 ± 0.7 years) completed a 2-week training program consisting of 1 week of moderate TL (MT) and 1 week of intensive training camp (TC). Rate of perceived exertion (RPE), TL, monotony, strain, and psychometric status (total quality of recovery (TQR) and well-being indices (sleep, stress, fatigue, and muscle soreness) were monitored before each first daily training session across two weeks. The profile of mood states (POMS), countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and blood markers (complete blood count, urea, and creatinine) were assessed before and after TC. TL (d = 5.39, large), monotony (d = 3.03, large), strain (d = 4.38, large), and well-being index (d = 7.5, large) scores increased and TQR (d = 4.6, large) decreased during TC. The TC increased tension, fatigue, and total mood disturbance and decreased vigor (all p <0.01). CMJ performance p < 0.01, d = 0.52, moderate), creatinine (p < 0.01, d = 1.29, large), and leukocyte concentration (p < 0.01, d = 1.4, large) and granulocyte concentration (p < 0.01, d = 1.93, large) increased after TC. Percentage of lymphocytes (p < 0.05, d = 1.17, large) and monocytes (p < 0.01, d = 1.05, large) decreased while the percentage of granulocytes (p < 0.05, d = 0.86, large) increased significantly. Well-being, quality of recovery, mood, granulocyte concentration, and creatinine were all altered during the week-long intensified training camp. These results may provide coaches with valuable information about psychometric status and physiological fatigue and recovery of youth soccer players to better prescribe and adjust training loads during intensive training periods

Synergetic effects of a low caffeine dose and pre-exercise music on psychophysical performance in female taekwondo athletes

The ergogenecity of caffeine (CAF) and pre-exercise music have been studied extensively in male and mixed-gender groups, but there is limited information on their synergistic effects in females. This study assessed the effects of combining a low dose of CAF with warm-up music on taekwondo specific performance, perceived exertion (RPE), and psychological aspects in female athletes. In a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study, 16 female taekwondo athletes (M ± SD; age: 17.69 ± 0.60 years) performed the taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s) and its multiple version (FSKT-mult) under the following conditions: 1) no supplement with music (NS+M); 2) no supplement without music (control); 3) CAF without music (CAF+NM), 4) placebo without music (PL+NM), 5) CAF with music (CAF+M), 6) PL with music (PL+M). After each test, athletes rated their RPE, feeling scale (FS), felt arousal scale (FAS) and physical enjoyment (PACES). CAF+M induced better physical performance than other conditions on the FSKT-10s, FSKT-mult, and more desirable psychophysiological responses including RPE post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKT-10s, PACES post_FSKT-10s, FS, FAS post_warm-up, FAS post_FSKT-10s and FAS post_FSKT-mult (all p &lt; 0.05). Except for PL+M, CAF+M also elicited more desirable responses than other conditions for FAS post_TSAT (p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, CAF+M and CAF+NM conditions enhanced TSAT, PACES post_TSAT, RPE post_FSKT-mult greater than the other conditions (p &lt; 0.05). Preceding warm-up music stimulus with a low dose of CAF may be a more efficient strategy to enhance physical performance and affective valence in female taekwondo athletes compared with using either strategy in isolation

Effects of conditioning activity mode, rest interval and effort to pause ratio on post-activation performance enhancement in taekwondo: a randomized study

Introduction: The present study assessed the effects of conditioning activities, using different effort-to-pause ratios and rest intervals, on taekwondo physical performance.Methods: Twenty-one athletes (13 males and 8 females) (Mean +/- SD; age = 20.4 +/- 1.4 years) performed a control (CC) and twelve experimental conditions. Each condition contained a standard warm-up (i.e., CC: running at 9 km/h for 10 min) and conditioning activities comprising plyometrics P) or repeated high-intensity techniques (RT) using 1:6, 1:9 and self-selected rest (SSR) ratios, and two rest intervals (3 and 7 min). Athletes then performed a battery of fitness tests: countermovement jump (CMJ), taekwondo specific agility (TSAT), 10s and multiple frequency speed kick test (FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult, respectively).Results: All of the preloads provided higher performance outputs compared to the control trial (all p &lt; 0.05). For CMJ, 1:6 ratio with 3 min induced lower values with RT compared to P (p = 0.037) and 1:9 ratio using 3 min induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.027). Additionally, 1:6 ratio using 7 min induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.016). For FSKT-10, 3 min using 1:6 induced higher values with P compared to RT, while RT induced higher values with 7 min using 1:6 ratio compared to P (both p &lt; 0.001). Moreover, 3 min using 1:9 ratio induced higher values with P compared to RT (p = 0.034), while RT induced higher values with 1:9 ratio using 7 min compared to P (p &lt; 0.001). Finally, 3 min using SSR ratio induced higher values with RT compared to P (p = 0.034).Conclusion: Plyometrics and RT activities improved performance with plyometrics requiring shorter rest interval to induce potentiation effects compared to RT, which required longer interval

Acute effects of different activity types and work-to-rest ratio on post-activation performance enhancement in young male and female Taekwondo athletes

The study assessed conditioning activities' (CAs') effects involving different work-to-rest ratios (WRR) on taekwondo athletes' physical performance. Adolescent taekwondo athletes (age: 16 ± 1 years) randomly participated in the control six experimental conditions. Each condition was composed of standard warm-up and CA composed of plyometrics (P) or repeated high-intensity techniques (RHIT) performed using three different WRR: 1:6, 1:7, self-selected rest time (SSRT). After rest, athletes performed countermovement jump (CMJ), taekwondo specific agility test (TSAT), 10 s frequency speed kick test (FSKT-10s), multiple frequency speed kick test (FSKT-mult). P1:7, SSRT induced techniques higher number in FSKT-10s (p &lt; 0.001 for all comparisons) and lower TSAT time (p &lt; 0.01 for all comparisons) compared with control. Kicks-number recorded during FSKT-mult was lower in the control compared with RHIT1:6 (p = 0.001), RHIT1:7 (p &lt; 0.001), RHITSSRT (p &lt; 0.05), P1:7 (p &lt; 0.001), and SSRT (p &lt; 0.001). Kicking decrement index (DI) during FSKT-mult was lower after RHIT1:6 compared with control (p = 0.008), RHIT1:7 (p = 0.031), P 1:6 (p = 0.014), PSSRT (p = 0.041). (1) P1:7 and PSSRT can be used to improve taekwondo-specific agility and kicks-number, (2) RHIT1:6 is beneficial to maintain low DI, and (3) plyometric and different WRR-repeated-techniques can enhance kicks-number