Effects of brief yoga exercises and motivational preparatory interventions in distance runners: results of a controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy of two preparatory interventions on one mile run performance in 90 high school long distance runners.


METHODS
After participants had completed a one mile baseline run, they were randomly assigned to participate in either one of two interventions (brief yoga exercises, motivational shouting exercises) or a no intervention control condition. Experimental conditions were implemented one week after the baseline run about 20 minutes before a second one mile trial.


RESULTS
Participants assigned to the motivational intervention improved their running performance significantly more than those assigned to the other two conditions. Although the magnitude of the effect was small, participants assigned to yoga exercises showed significant improvements in running performance relative to control condition participants. Consumer satisfaction ratings indicated that participants who were assigned to the motivational and yoga exercise groups liked their interventions more than those assigned to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Motivational and yoga interventions designed to improve long distance running performance were equally acceptable to the participants, but the former had a greater effect.
Donohue
B
B
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA. donohueb@unlv.nevada.edu
Miller
A
A
Beisecker
M
M
Houser
D
D
Valdez
R
R
Tiller
S
S
Taymar
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015013:Yoga