Pre-serve preparatory movements including imagery and air movements are commonly observed in tennis players during both training and competition. The present study compared the effects of pre-performance explicit dynamic motor imagery (MI) and slight preparatory movements in young regional-level tennis players. Twenty players (M=12.94 years) with 4 to 6 years of regular practice completed four counterbalanced experimental conditions, namely Control (neutral counting task), Dynamic MI (external visual imagery combined with slight movements mimicking the serve), Slight movements and Slight movements plus countdown. Each session included a standardized warm-up followed by 10 second-ball serves performed in match-like conditions. Serve success percentage, serve speed, technical quality and efficiency were used as performance indicators. Results revealed significantly higher performance in the Dynamic MI condition compared with the Control and both Slight movement conditions. However, performing slight preparatory movements in isolation did not enhance serve performance compared to Dynamic MI. These findings suggest that combining imagery with congruent movements may facilitate motor preparation in young regional-level players, whereas movements performed without structured imagery may be insufficient to support performance gains. Overall, these results highlight the importance of explicitly guided dynamic MI when preparing the tennis serve in youth athletes.

Tropical climates can impair aerobic performance and alter psychological responses during exercise. Mindfulness-based intervention has been associated with improvements in sport performance; however, to our knowledge, no studies have examined their effects on running performance in a Tropical Climate (TC). The present study aimed to investigate whether a 6-week mindfulness intervention was associated with improved running performance and more favourable psychological responses during exercise in a TC. Thirty-two university students (Mage = 21.8 years) were randomly assigned to either a Control and Mindfulness group. Participants completed a 20-meter shuttle-run test before and after a 6-week mindfulness intervention (for the participants of the Mindfulness group only) in TC conditions (31 °C; 75%rH). Psychological variables including affect, perceived exertion, mindfulness level, thermal comfort and sensation of fatigue, and running performance (time to exhaustion) were assessed. Compared with the Control group, participants in the Mindfulness group improved their running performance by 15.4% between the pre- and post-test and reported lower levels of negative affect, perceived fatigue, perceived exertion, and thermal discomfort during the post-test. These findings provide preliminary evidence that a mindfulness-based intervention may represent a promising strategy for enhancing endurance performance in a TC and is associated with more favourable psychological responses during exercise. Further research is needed to determine whether these psychological changes contribute to the observed improvement in performance.

Cette étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer les effets des feedbacks de l’entraineur combinés ou non à une pratique en imagerie sur la performance de jeu de fond de cours au tennis. Trente jeunes joueurs de tennis (M = 11.54) de niveau régional, étaient volontaires pour participer à cette étude. Les joueurs ont été répartis, par tirage au sort, dans 3 groupes : Contrôle, Feedback et Feedback+Imagerie. Ils ont réalisé 3 phases expérimentales : Pré-test (30 balles de fonds avec lanceur de balle et super tie-break), acquisition (12 séances d’entrainement) et post-test (identique au pré-test). Alors qu’au cours des séances de la phase d’acquisition les participants du groupe Contrôle n’ont pas reçu d’autres consignes que de jouer en fond de cours, ceux du groupe Feedback ont bénéficié de feedbacks du coach après chaque faute non provoquée et les joueurs du groupe Feedback+Imagerie devaient en plus visualiser (selon une modalité d’imagerie visuelle interne) la réussite du coup précédent en prenant en compte les feedbacks donnsé par l’entraineur. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que compléter les feedbacks du coach, par de l’imagerie motrice, en améliore les effets. Nous recommandons aux entraineurs d’avoir recours à la visualisation intégrée dans les entrainements.

We determined whether the time of day when students exercise in a tropical climate and the environmental conditions in which they attend theory classes (air conditioning vs. tropical climate) have an impact on athletic performance and physiological, psychological and perceptual parameters. Twenty-nine students took part in four experimental sessions consisting of outdoor exercises and theory classes from 7am-1pm, according to a randomized and counterbalanced order. Cognitive and exercise performances, perceptual responses, core temperature and heart rate were assessed in the air-conditioned and tropical climate conditions. Cognitive performance was lower in the tropical vs air-conditioned environment, including lower concentration, higher inattention and lower processing speed during the theory classes. During theory classes in a tropical climate, heart rate and core temperature were higher. Average concentration scores (i.e. mean: 107.0 vs. 234.0), and inattention (i.e. mean: 96.0 vs. 32.5) at end-morning (i.e. 11am-1pm) were negatively affected by tropical climate compared to air conditioning when it was preceded by physical exercise at 9am-11am, but not at 7am-9am. There was a momentary sensation of fatigue, with higher scores at 11am-1 pm than at 7am-9am, in both conditions. Core temperatures were higher during exercise performance at 9am-11 am (38.6°C ±4.9°C) than at 7am-9 am (38.3°C ±5.2°C), but there was no difference for exercise performance, heart rate. Climate conditions must be taken into account for (i) cognitive performance and physiological parameters in tropical climate, and (ii) the time of day for exercise when theory classes take place in late morning and young student-athletes must perform cognitively well.

Cette étude avait pour objectif de tester les effets d’un programme de pleine conscience sur le sentiment d’auto-efficacité et la performance de jeu de fond court au lance-balle, ainsi que l’anxiété et la capacité à gérer les émotions en match officiel. Seize joueurs masculins (M = 22.4 ans) de niveau régional, classés entre 30/1 et 15/3 (FFT), étaient volontaires pour participer à cette étude. Répartis aléatoirement en 2 groupes : Contrôle et Pleine conscience, ils ont réalisé 3 phases expérimentales : Pré-test (30 coups droits et revers au lance-balle + match en tournoi), acquisition (programme de 6 semaines d’entrainement à la pleine concience ou écoute musicale) et post-test (identique au pré-test). Les scores d’anxiété pré-compétitive et d’auto-efficacité, les performances au lance balle ainsi que le nombre de gestes et de discours positifs et négatifs en match étaient relevés lors des pré- et post-tests. Les résultats de cette étude montrent qu’un entrainement à la pleine conscience augmente le sentiment d’auto-efficacité ainsi que la performance au lance-balle et diminue les gestes et discours négatifs des joueurs en compétition. Bien que les résultats de cette expérience nécessitent d’être confirmés, ils montrent l’intérêt de développer les capacités de pleine conscience des joueurs de tennis.

Background Since their introduction in professional football, penalty shoot-outs represent key moments in matches. Motor imagery (MI) can improve soccer performance, but different MI modalities can be used to mentally simulate motor actions. This study aimed to evaluate whether the MI modality used by the players would influence their penalty shoot-out performance. Methods Twenty youth skilled football players from the Elite Center of the French Regions of America (CERFA) voluntarily participated in this experiment (Mage ​= ​16.4 years). After an assessment of their MI ability, the participants completed 4 counterbalanced experimental sessions spread over 4 weeks, each including the completion of 5 penalty shoot-outs. The sessions consisted of a control condition (count-down and actual execution) and 3 MI conditions during which the players had to mentally imagine themselves performing a penalty shoot-out according to one of the MI modalities: Internal Visual Imagery (IVI), External Visual Imagery (EVI), or Kinesthetic Imagery (KI), before kicking. Number of goals scored, shooting accuracy and ball speed were measured and served as dependent variables. Results The soccer players benefited from MI. Indeed, in both the IVI and KI conditions, their performances were significantly higher than in the no-MI (i.e., control) condition with respect to the total number of goals scored and shooting accuracy variables. Conclusions Practically, we suggest skilled football players imagine, from an internal perspective, taking a successful penalty kick before shooting.

OBJECTIVE:Mental rotation (MR), which requires cognitive manipulation and spatial transformation of imagined object, is a form of implicit mental imagery that is useful in spatial reasoning and problem solving. As MR ability can be affected by thermal stress, we aimed to evaluate the effects of both the time of day and the TC on MR performance in tropical climate. METHODS:A sample of 36 participants acclimatized to a tropical climate performed a MR test under two environmental counterbalanced conditions (tropical climate - TC versus air conditioning - AC) at four times throughout the day (7 am, 11 am, 2 pm and 6 pm). RESULTS:Participants yielded higher MR performance in AC than in TC and better scores at 6 pm, compared to other times of the day, regardless of environmental conditions. MR performance was higher when the environment was perceived as more pleasant. Participants further reported a lower feeling of fatigue in late afternoon, when thermal comfort and positive affect were higher CONCLUSION: The results of this study can contribute to adjust implicit imagery guideline to TC by recommending performing MR late in the afternoon.

Background: Tennis players frequently use motor imagery (MI) to improve serve accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, breathing, such as forced expiration, can improve serving speed.Hypothesis: A combination of MI before action and breathing during movement would increase serve performance in skilled tennis players.Study Design: Nonrandomized, repeated-measures design.Level of Evidence: Level 3.Methods: A total of 20 tennis players (mean age, 24.2 years; SD = 5.9), with between 9 and 18 years of regular practice, completed 4 experimental counterbalanced sessions: Control (no instruction), Breathing (inhalation while throwing the ball and forced expiration while hitting), Imagery (external visual mental simulation before serving), and Imagery + Breathing (combination of both). Each session included the completion of 10 first-serves in an actual match condition. The speed, percentage of success, accuracy, and efficiency scores served as performance indicators and dependent variables.Results: Compared with the Control condition, Imagery significantly improved accuracy and percentage of success, and Breathing increased speed of the serves. Participants had significantly better performances in the Imagery + Breathing condition than in the Control condition; better serving speed than in the Imagery condition; and higher accuracy, efficiency, and percentage of success than in the Breathing condition.Conclusion: The combination of MI plus breathing resulted in an overall improvement in serve performance.Clinical Relevance: Tennis coaches and practitioners should integrate MI interventions and breathing practice during training and matches.

Motor imagery (MI) is frequently used in tennis players. This pilot study aimed to assess whether the MI modality and preference of skilled tennis players could influence their service performance when using MI before serving first balls. Twenty expert players (Mage = 18.6 years) completed the movement imagery questionnaire (third version) to assess their MI modality scores (internal visual, external visual, and kinesthetic) and their MI preference. Participants completed 4 experimental counterbalanced sessions spread over 4 weeks, each including the completion of 20 first-serve balls in match condition. The sessions included a control condition (i.e., only physical practice trials) and three MI conditions during which the players had to mentally imagine themselves performing a serve according to one of the imagery modalities, either internal visual, external visual, or kinesthetic, before serving. The percentage of success, the speed of the service balls (measured by a tablet with SWING VISION and a radar gun), and an efficiency score were recorded and then evaluated by experts and served as performance indicators and dependent variables. The results of this study showed that players benefited from MI before serving and that almost a third of the participants achieved a higher percentage of success and efficiency scores when using their preferred MI modality. These results lead us, in an applied way, to suggest to skilled tennis players to determine their MI preference and to have recourse to the mental simulation of a successful serve before serving the first balls in match condition.

IntroductionThis study aimed to test whether text messages prompting women with breast cancer to perform motor imagery would increase self-report Physical Activity (PA) duration using a randomized parallel trial design.Method52 participants were assigned to a Placebo, Imagery first or Imagery second group. The groups were exposed to two counterbalanced conditions: no morning text message or morning text message for 4 weeks. In the morning text message condition, the Imagery first and Imagery second groups received a message with the instruction to imagine realizing an aerobic exercise of their choice whereas the Placebo group received a placebo message, 3 days per week. In addition, all participants received an evening text message: “Did you do your cardio today? If yes, what did you do?”. Before, during and after the experimental session the participants fulfilled questionnaires assessing weekly PA, motivation to perform PA, self-efficacy and fatigue.ResultsParticipants in the Imagery groups reported significantly more weekly minutes of aerobic exercise and self-efficacy scores in the imagery morning message condition compared with the no morning message condition. The imagery groups reported significantly higher PA than participants in the Placebo group when the latter received the neutral morning message.Conclusions/ImplicationsText message can be effective in increasing minutes of aerobic exercise and self-efficacy in women with breast cancer.

De nombreux tournois de tennis ont lieu en environnement chaud et humide dans lequel les joueurs pratiquent en extérieur dans des conditions de températures et de radiations solaires élevées. L’objectif de cette étude originale était de tester l’influence de la couleur de la tenue vestimentaire sur des facteurs psychologiques ( e.g. , perception de l’effort, affects, sensation de fatigue, de sueur, et confort sensation thermique) et physiologiques ( e.g. , températures cutanées, tympaniques et vestimentaires). Treize joueurs de tennis expérimentés ont réalisé 2 sessions de 75 minutes de match, en condition chaude (M = 31,4 °C WBGT) et humide (M = 78 % rH), en portant des tenues blanches puis noires contrebalancées. Les résultats montrent une augmentation de la température tympanique les 30 premières minutes d’effort indépendamment de la couleur ainsi que des températures vestimentaires supérieures avec la tenue noire. De plus, la perception d’effort, les sensations de fatigue et de chaleur, ainsi que l’inconfort des joueurs augmentaient avec la durée d’exercice. Enfin, à partir de 60 minutes de jeu, les joueurs percevaient l’effort comme étant plus difficile, avaient un inconfort supérieur et se sentaient moins bien en tenue noire qu’en tenue blanche. Nous recommandons aux joueurs de tennis de porter des vêtements blancs ou clairs en environnement chaud et humide, car la couleur noire peut impacter négativement les facteurs psychologiques.

Cette étude avait pour objectif de tester les effets d’une routine de pré-performance au service, composée de discours interne motivationnel combiné à de l'imagerie mentale centrée sur la trajectoire de la balle et la zone cible à atteindre, dans le carré de service, sur la performance de joueurs de tennis de niveau expert. Vingt-sept joueurs masculins (M = 17.5 ans) de seconde série, jouant au tennis depuis plus de 10 ans, étaient volontaires pour participer à cette expérience. Les participants étaient répartis en 3 groupes (contrôle, discours et discours + imagerie) et ont réalisé 3 phases : Pré-test (20 services en condition de jeu), Acquisition : 16 séances (échauffement + 20 services + super tie-break), Post-test (20 services en condition de jeu). Le pourcentage de réussite, la vitesse et l’efficacité des services étaient mesurés aux Pré- et Post-tests et servaient de variables dépendantes pour des analyses statistiques (ANOVAS à mesures répétées). Les résultats de cette étude montrent une amélioration supplémentaire de la performance des services quand le discours interne motivationnel est combiné à l’imagerie mentale. Nous recommandons aux coaches et joueurs de tennis expérimentés d’utiliser le discours interne ainsi que l’imagerie dans leurs routines de pré-performance au service.

The aim of this study was to examine how imagery ability could affect service improvement, following pre-performance motor imagery (MI) intervention, in young novice tennis players. Participants were divided into 3 groups with regard to their MI ability scores (Poor imager, Good imager and Control groups) obtained on the Movement Imagery Questionnaire for Children. During a pre-test, participants performed 10 services. The pre-performance MI practice was included during physical practice for 24 sessions. Each session consisted of 20 services, which were first imagined and then physically performed. Participants of the Poor and Good imager groups were required to use external visual MI, while those of the control group were given a countdown task. Participants performed an intermediate-test, after a first block of 12 practice sessions, and a post-test one-week after the last block of practice session, which were identical to the pre-test. The results of this study showed that MI improved service performance (i.e., percentage of success, speed and efficiency), and that this improvement was faster in the Good imager than in the Poor imager group. More specifically, The Poor imager group required more MI interventions to achieve equivalent performance to Good imager group. The impact of MI practice on service performance, for novice tennis players, is discussed.

Casasanto (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 138, 351-367, 2009) conceptualised the body-specificity hypothesis by empirically finding that right-handed people tend to associate a positive valence with the right side and a negative valence with the left side, whilst left-handed people tend to associate a positive valence with the left side and negative valence with the right side. Thus, this was the first paper that showed a body-specific space-valence mapping. These highly influential findings led to a substantial body of research and follow-up studies, which could confirm the original findings on a conceptual level. However, direct replications of the original study are scarce. Against this backdrop and given the replication crisis in psychology, we conducted a direct replication of Casasanto's original study with 2,222 participants from 12 countries to examine the aforementioned effects in general and also in a cross-cultural comparison. Our results support Casasanto's findings that right-handed people associate the right side with positivity and the left side with negativity and vice versa for left-handers.

ObjectiveWe assessed the direct and indirect relationships between sleep quality, mental health, and physical activity with quality of life (QOL) in college and university students.MethodsIn a cross-sectional design, 3,380 college students (60% females; age = 22.7 ± 5.4) from four continents (Africa: 32%; America: 5%; Asia: 46%; and Europe: 15%; others: 2%) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Insomnia Severity Index (ISI); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS); the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form (IPAQ); and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-Brief).ResultsWe showed that sleep quality, insomnia, and depression had direct negative effects on the physical domain of QOL (β = −0.22, −0.19, −0.31, respectively, p < 0.001). There was a strong negative direct association between depression and the psychological domain of QOL (β = −0.60, z = −22.21, p < 0.001). Both stress and PSQI had direct effects on social relationships QOL (β = 0.11; z = 4.09; and β = −0.13; z = −7.40, respectively, p < 0.001). However, depression had the strongest direct impact on social relationships QOL (β = −0.41, z = −15.79, p < 0.001).ConclusionThe overall QOL of university students is associated with their sleep quality, mental health, and physical activity warranting further interventional studies aiming at improving students’ quality of life.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of motor imagery (MI: imagining the success or failure of a forehand or backhand shot) training according to an internal visual modality centred on the movement and the target to be reached on tennis performance. 66 young (Mage = 12.1 years) players were randomly divided into three groups: control, failure MI or success MI, and performed 3 experimental phases. The pre-test consisted of performing 6 blocks of 5 forehand and backhand groundstrokes (sent randomly by a ball launcher towards the baseline) and a super tie-break. The acquisition phase consisted of 12 sessions, each including a standardized warm-up followed by 15 min of background rally in pairs. The participants of the MI group were instructed, after unprovoked errors on their part, to imagine performing the previous shot correctly (positive MI) or missing (failure MI). The post-test was identical to the pre-test. The efficiency score of shots and the number of errors committed at the pre- and post-test served as dependent variables. The results of this study indicate that participants in the success MI group performed better than the control and failure MI groups at post-test. The success MI, performed after errors, has positive effects on the quality of the shot and reduces the number of unforced errors of tennis players, while failure MI induces negative outcomes. The use of success MI, integrated in training session, is recommended.

PurposeThis research investigated the pre-, per- and post cooling strategies used by competitive tennis players from various levels of play who occasionally train and compete in hot (>28°C) and humid (>60% rH), and dry (<60% rH) environments.Methods129 male tennis players (Mage = 24.9) competing at regional (N = 54), national (N = 30) and international (N = 45) levels, completed an online questionnaire regarding their use (i.e., timing, type, justification and effectiveness) of pre- (i.e., before practice), per- (i.e., during exercise) and post-cooling strategies when playing tennis in hot dry (HD) and hot humid (HH) conditions. Individual follow-up interviews were also carried on 3 participants to gain an in-depth understanding of the player's experience.ResultsCompetitive tennis players used both internal and external cooling strategies to combat the negative effects of HD and HH conditions, but considered the HH to be more stressful than HD and experienced more heat-related illness in HH environments. International players used cold packs and cold towel more frequently than the regional and national players in hot environments, and used cold water immersion and cold vest more frequently than the latter in HH. Differences in strategy use were mostly observed during per-cooling where regional and national players more frequently used cold drinks than international players who more frequently used cold packs in HD and cold towel in HH conditions. Moreover the latter more frequently used cold towel, cold packs and cold water immersion as post-cooling strategies than regional players.ConclusionWhen playing tennis in the heat, it is strongly recommended to employ cooling strategies to maintain health, limit declines in performance, and promote recovery. We also recommend improving education regarding the appropriate use and effectiveness of cooling strategies, and increasing their availability in tournaments.

In recent years, learning and motor control researchers have examined, in diverse ways, the practical strategies that enhance motor skill acquisition in sport. In this study we investigated the impact of combining Motor Imagery (MI), Feedback (F), and Action Observation (AO) on the quality of archery longbow shooting at a 10-meter target. We randomly assigned 60 young athletes to (a) a Control group (Control), (b) a Feedback and Motor Imagery group (F + MI), and (c) a Feedback, Motor Imagery, and Action Observation group (F + MI + AO). Over an 8-week intervention period athletes performed two training sessions per week. During each session, all participants engaged in two blocks of ten effective shots. Performance improvement was significantly greater in the F + MI + AO group than in the two other groups, confirming the beneficial impact of combining all three methods of improving archery accuracy. These findings suggest practical recommendations for athletes and trainers for delivering optimal mental training to improve shooting accuracy for these archers.

The performance of intense exercise in a tropical climate is associated with limited exercise capacity due to thermal strain. This limitation is exacerbated in sports requiring full protective equipment. Research evidence suggests disturbances in cognitive function due to thermal discomfort and/or protective equipment (e.g., helmets), and thus sports that require skills in decision-making, fast reaction times, precision, and/or inhibition can be greatly affected. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of countermeasures on the psychological and physiological responses in young international fencers wearing full protective equipment during an ecological fencing task. Nine young international fencers performed an aiming task in tropical conditions (1) without cooling interventions and (2) with cumulative cooling interventions (i.e., pre+percooling and head+torso). Participants completed a battery of cognitive (i.e., simple and choice reaction times, Stroop test), affective (i.e., PANAS), and perception (i.e., thermal environment, Feeling Scale, rating of perceived exertion) tests in each session, and their heart rate, skin temperature, and fencing performances (i.e., execution time and total score) were checked at several time points. Although the results revealed no differences in the perception of the thermal environment or the cognitive and affective scores, the cooling interventions seemed to improve movement precision during the fencing task and limit the decrease in pleasurable feelings related to the physical task. This study suggests that attentional resources are more available with cumulative cooling interventions, which leads to better performance during an ecological fencing task in tropical conditions.

(1) Background: Motor imagery (MI) is relevantly used to improve motor performance and promote rehabilitation. As MI ability and vividness can be affected by circadian modulation, it has been proposed that MI should ideally be performed between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Whether such a recommendation remains effective in a hot and humid environment, such as a tropical climate, remains unknown. (2) Methods: A total of 35 acclimatized participants completed a MI questionnaire and a mental chronometry test at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Visual (VI) and kinesthetic imagery (KI) abilities, as well as temporal congruence between actual walking and MI, were collected. Ambient temperature, chronotypes, thermal comfort, affect, and fatigue were also measured. (3) Results: VI scores were higher at 6 p.m. than at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., and temporal congruence was higher at 6 p.m. than at 7 a.m. Comfort, thermal sensation, and positive affect scores were higher at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (4) Conclusion: Data support greater imagery ability and accuracy when participants perceive the environment as more pleasant and comfortable. MI guidelines typically provided in neutral climates should therefore be adapted to tropical climates, with MI training sessions ideally scheduled in the late afternoon.