Physical and psychomotor performance of Australian football and rugby league officials during a match simulation. Issue 5 (3rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Elsworthy, Nathan; Burke, Darren; Dascombe, Ben J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of sports sciences. Volume 34:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 420
• Page End: 428
• Publication Date: 2016-03-03
• Subjects: cognition -- perceptual skill -- intermittent exercise -- decision making -- team sport officials; Sports -- Periodicals; Sports -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 612.044
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1057208
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-0414

Abstract

Abstract: The onset of exercise facilitates an improvement in psychomotor performance until the second ventilatory threshold, after which performance is reduced. This inverted-U relationship appears valid for incremental and steady-state exercise, however, not for intermittent exercise. This study examined changes in psychomotor performance of team sport officials during a laboratory-based match simulation. Twelve elite Australian football ( n = 5) and rugby league ( n = 7) officials (32.5 ± 5.5 years; 180.0 ± 6.8 cm; 78.8 ± 7.6 kg) completed the match simulation on a non-motorised treadmill. Physiological measures were routinely taken, while psychomotor performance was assessed using the Eriksen flanker task (multiple-choice response time). Significant reductions ( P < 0.05) were observed in distance covered and high-speed running during the second half when compared to the first. No significant differences ( P > 0.05) in psychomotor performance at different time points were observed. Response time was significantly improved when running above 65% of maximal sprinting speed ( P < 0.01). This data questions the application of the inverted-U hypothesis for intermittent exercise and suggests that the short high-intensity efforts may not result in the same physiological events that limit psychomotor performance during sustained high-intensity exercise. More so, the high-intensity efforts during the match protocol appeared to promote psychomotor performance during the intermittent exercise.