Effect of Extrinsic Motivation on Cycle Time Trial Performance

Abstract

PURPOSE: Athletes often follow pacing patterns that seem unreasonably aggressive compared to pre-race performances, potentially because of the extra motivation provided by the competitive environment. This study was designed to determine the effect of extrinsic motivation on cycling time trial performance. METHODS: Well-trained recreational level cyclists (n = 7) completed four 1500-m time trials in the laboratory including a practice trial, two self paced trials, and a final trial where a monetary reward for improved performance was unexpectedly presented. Time, total power output, power output attributable to aerobic and anaerobic metabolic sources, VO and HR were measured. RESULTS: The time (sd) required for completion of the second, third and last (extrinsically motivated) time trials was 133.05 (2.13), 134.06 (3.39) and 133.64(3.04) s respectively, and was not significantly different (P≥0.05). There were no significant differences for average power output (396 (19), 397 (23) and 401 (17) W respectively), or to power attributable to aerobic (253 (12), 254 (10) and 246 (13) W) and anaerobic sources (143 (14), 143 (21) and 155 (11) W). Additionally, the highest VO2 was not significantly different over three consecutive time trials, 3.76 (0.19), 3.73 (0.16) and 3.71 (0.22)l-min−1. CONCLUSION: The extrinsic motivation provided by an unanticipated monetary incentive did not change either the time trial performance or the pattern of energy expenditure during the time trials, suggesting that performance on a 1500-m time trial is highly stable and not readily changeable with simple external motivation. The results are consistent with the teleoanticipation hypothesis which suggests that the combination of a pre-exercise template and feedback from the exercising musculature acts to prevent the development of severe metabolic disturbances during exercise despite striving to optimal performance.