title: The role of preparatory heart rate deceleration on balance beam performance.
abstract: Preparatory heart rate deceleration occurs in tasks with an external focus of attention and is often assumed to facilitate balance performance. However, its effects upon sport-related complex balance movements have not been studied. Heart rate patterns during the preparation period of an acrobatic element (flic-flac) on the balance beam were studied in 14 female gymnasts (M age 13.2 years). A significant heart rate deceleration was found in attempts with a fall in the consecutive acrobatic element, but not in attempts without a fall. These data suggest that preparatory heart rate deceleration may be detrimental to the performance of complex movements on the balance beam.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cottyn
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Clercq
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crombez
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lenoir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000523:psychology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D004856:Postural Balance; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted