An Evaluation of Distraction Control in Experienced Cyclists During a 20 Minute Time-Trial Performance

Ramirez D¹, Lewis DK², Kinnunen DA³ and Benn M⁴

¹Department of Kinesiology, California State University, United States ²College of Health Science and Public Health, Eastern Washington University, United States ³Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences, Eastern Washington University, United States ⁴Exercise Science, Pinnacle Training Systems, United States

Abbreviations

PM: Preferred Music; NPM: Non-Preferred Music; NM: No Music; PPI: Physiological Performance Inventory; BMRI: Brunel’s Music Rating Inventory; HR: Heart Rate; RPE: Rating of Perceived Exertion: SPC: Sport Psychology Consultant.

Introduction

Cyclists who ride while listening to their preferred music (PM) may alter the physiological component of their training session by suppressing fatigue, lowering their heart rate, and reducing the perceived level of exertion [5]. Preferred music may provide performance benefits, thus serving as a positive distraction [4]. Karageorghis C, et al. [5] reported that when listening to PM, ergogenic and psychological benefits are experienced during high-intensity exercise. Distractions can be interpreted positively or negatively, and if the athlete can manage the negative distractions, higher results are likely to be achieved [6], demonstrating that a stimulus can be controlled. Negative distractions can also be brought on by the athlete making a mistake, having a negative mindset, or difficulties staying in the moment [7].

Cyclists with less experience in mental toughness tend to rely more on music as motivation [8]; furthermore, are more likely to allow non-preferred music (NPM) to interfere with achieving optimal performance [8].

Mental toughness is defined by Loehr [9] as the athlete’s ability to repeatedly perform near the upper range of their skill and talent despite the competitive circumstances. Additionally, it is one’s ability to overcome the physical and mental demands that come along with high levels of competition [9]. A distraction can be defined as a stimulus that is interpreted negatively, interrupting the intended task, thus resulting in a decline in performance [9]. Orlick [10] stated that distraction control can be defined as the athlete’s ability to regain or maintain positive attention when faced with adversity, whether its origin is internal or external. Being a mentally tough athlete is not about having “a killer instinct” [9]; instead, the mentally tough athlete can manage and overcome adversity, pressure, or stress and generally cope better than their competitors [10, 11, 12]. Developing mental toughness enables athletes to manage internal or external distractions to optimize performance consistently [13].

Training with PM, a positive external distracter, is a method commonly employed by many athletes, as music can alter perceptions of time, effort, and motivation [14]. Preferred music is described as any genre, song, or melody that the individual most enjoys when given an array of other music options [15]. Synchronizing activity with music at a faster tempo allows a mentally tough athlete to trick the body into working at exerting greater effort for longer periods [15].

Conversely, when slower music is administered to those who are less mentally tough, they tend to succumb to the external stimuli by reducing their cadence [16], accompanied by an increase in heart rate (HR), an elevated rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and report higher displeasure in the activity [8]. Additionally, those less skilled perceive the slower cadence as an unpleasant stimulus, which requires an increase in mental effort to achieve their desired ride goal; the outcome is an augmented perception response [13]. Additionally, the exerciser who is less skilled in mental toughness strategies disengages early (psychologically and physiologically), which increases RPE, even though HR remains unchanged [13]. One-way athletes may mitigate the effect of distraction on performance is through the use of mental toughness skills.

Literature has shown that negative distractors during training or competition can be detrimental to the performance of an inexperienced athlete whose mental toughness skills are evaluated as low [12, 13]. When using music as the control distracter, performance, HR, and RPE can be increased or decreased, depending on the type of music [17]. The research also states that for individuals to maximize performance, they must be exposed to a similar stressor-purposeful practice [18]. The skilled athlete develops specific and automated routines that require a low level of active awareness [12].

The purposes of this study were to 1) determine the effect of a distractor (i.e., NPM and No Music) on experienced road cyclists’ performance (i.e., power, HR, RPE) during a 20 min continuous cycling session, and 2) determine whether participants’ mental toughness (low vs. high) minimizes or negates the distractor’s effect on performance.

Two hypotheses were given for this research study. First, in cycling athletes, music perceived to be motivating (PM) will have a positive effect on performance in comparison to the NPM and no music (NM) treatments. Second, those with higher mental toughness are anticipated to demonstrate similar performance outcomes (power, HR, RPE) for the PM, NPM, and NM treatments.

Cyclists who successfully achieve personal goals in their sport may be relying on more than just fitness; these athletes practice mental skills [9]. Experienced cyclists who are unable to achieve their cycling goals through physical training alone should consider implementing mental skills into their training regimen; psychological skills training is not just for elite performers [9].

Methods

Due to the specific experience required of these participants, purposeful sampling was used for participation. Inclusion for participation were that the cyclist successfully passed the Physical Activity Readiness and You Questionnaire health survey, are actively training and competing, cycles with music using at least one headphone during training, cycles a minimum of 100 miles a week, and has completed a minimum of one-time trial (requiring at least a continuous 20 min effort) within the past year.

Discussion

It was hypothesized that music perceived to be motivating (PM) would have a positive effect on performance in comparison to the NPM and NM treatments. Analyzing the covariates (e.g. age, sex, years cycling) found that this hypothesis was not supported. It was also hypothesized that cyclists with higher mental toughness (i.e., PPI scores) would exhibit similar performance outcomes in both the PM and NPM conditions, as well as in the NM treatments. However, this group of cyclists performed similarly on all performance measures; the null hypothesis was not rejected, with no significant differences between treatments were found.

Participant PPI scores revealed low mental toughness, with scores ranging from 6 to 25 in all areas. Analyzing the PPI scores revealed no differences in mental toughness and performance; cyclists relied on physical training for their performance, and lacked the psychological component required to achieve competitive peak performance. Participants showed high performance metrics in all areas except when measuring their BMRI; they worked harder under the PM conditions than under NPM and NM variables. Participants are able to maintain focus during training and achieve strong performance outcomes; however, in competition, these metrics may not translate, such as in attitude control and attention. While in training, athletes can pause a negative situation and reset, whereas in competition, this is not an option. The literature has shown that athletes who are stronger in mental skills experience positive, consistent, and improved performance outcomes [12]; however, the participants in this study do not demonstrate consistency within treatments, specifically with the NPM and NM variables.

Furthermore, it was found that the music did not have a significant impact on the psychological or physiological variables, as some literature suggests [23]. This group of cyclists achieved nearly consistent levels of physical performance for each music condition. However, although not statistically robust, real-world implications include an increase in power and distance, as well as a decrease in RPE, under the PM performance (Table 4). When riding longer distances or climbing hills +/- 8 watts of power, along with a lower perceived exertion level, offers a substantial performance benefit [24].

Future directions for continued research include exploring mental toughness skills in other cycling disciplines, such as gravel, cyclo-cross, and mountain biking, as there is limited data available on mental toughness and performance outcomes in these athletes. Finally, and leading to further research, limitations include that the current study relied on the RPE scale to seek the cyclists’ perspectives on their effort levels with each intervention. Measuring oxygen consumption, in addition to RPE, would provide valuable insight into the cyclist’s physiological experience.

Implications

Ninety-six percent of the participants reported no prior experience with an SPC, instead seeking mental skills advice from books, friends, blogs, or their coach; most of which do not address the specific and comprehensive needs of the individual athlete. Notably, 100% of the participants believed that mental skills are beneficial and implemented skills to the best of their knowledge and ability pre, during, and post training and in competition. However, the participants stated they did not know how to find a sports psychologist, nor did they believe they could afford the consultation fees.

Cycling athletes who compete at the highest professional level have access to mental skills experts. Conversely, cyclists who compete at high levels of amateur status and desire mental skills support lack the resources. Speaking with anonymity to protect the affiliated practicing organization (APA Ethics Code Standard 4.07), an expert in the field of sports psychology as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), the consultant offered the following regarding the availability of services and fees:

I am not aware of a single comprehensive list of sports psychologists, as each consultant has different pricing, style of support, and location. However, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee provides a list of well-vetted and highly qualified CMPCs that can be found by the state or the type of training they offer. Oftentimes, the athlete will come in seeking support in one area, and frequently it will blend into other areas and deepen; insurance will cover the costs of consultation services when there is a mental health diagnosis. For future exploration, it would be to increase the ease of accessibility of SPC resources to non-professional athletes. The participants in this study would benefit from working with an SPC to increase their use of mental skills, rather than relying on fitness, for optimal and consistent performance. The crucial piece to achieving competitive peak performance in this group of cyclists is to increase mental toughness.

The results of this study have the potential to serve as an educational tool for athletes and coaches, as well as a basis for further research into the physical and psychological effects on exercisers who train while listening to PM.