Effect of Heart Rate Biofeedback Training on Air Pistol Shooting

Abstract

This study examined the effect of heart rate (HR) biofeedback training on athletic performance, HR and EEG activity in air pistol shooting. In this study, sixteen male pistol shooters were recruited and evenly assigned into either control or experimental groups. The experimental group received the biofeedback training for 30 minutes each time, 3 times per week for 10 weeks. Shooting performance and heart rate data were collected from both two groups before training, during training (5th and 10th week) and 2-week after the training. Besides, EEG data were recorded before and after the 10-week training. The HR biofeedback training enhanced the HR deceleration and shooting performance in athletes. Furthermore, a retention effect was observed 2-week after the training. However, no association between the HR biofeedback training and the left- temporal alpha power was noticed. The significant effect of 10-week HR biofeedback training on HR deceleration and athletic performance was not only right after the training, but also 2-week after the training. Nevertheless, the effect of HR biofeedback training on shooting performance was not mediated by the change of α at the left temporal brain.