Content area
Full Text
The purpose of this research was to study biofeedback training which effects on self-regulation of physiological states, such as sympathetic arousal. The use of peripheral biofeedback is growing rapidly in sport psychology. The aim is to lower competition stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. In this research six elite athletes with experience at the international level, received 12 hours of biofeedback training. The effect of this training was explored by the wireless physiological monitoring and feedback system (a Pro Comp and Biograp system).The findings indicated: after respiratory training, all athletes developed self-awareness of the Respiration Rate (one of their physiological states). Also they developed self-regulation techniques to decrease their sympathetic arousal. The athletes can enhance their sport performance because it gives them new tools for stress managing, arousal and anxiety regulation(according to the result). Research in the field of Biofeedback training provides credible information to athletes, as well as coaches, sport psychologists and other support staffworking with the athletes.
Keywords: Biofeedback training, Respiration rate, Arousal, Self-regulation, Basketball.
Introduction
The use of peripheral biofeedback is growing rapidly in sport psychology. The aim is to lower competition stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. To date applied sport psychologists spend much of their time encouraging athletes to develop psychological skills that will enhance their performance (Vealey, 2007; Williams, 2006).
These skills and strategies enable athletes to develop self-awareness and self-regulation of arousal (Crews, Lochbaum, & Karoly, 2001).
The main purpose of all of these psychological skills or strategies is to enable an athlete to perform exceptionally well in the stressful environment of national, international and Olympic level competition (Krane & Williams, 2006; Mellalieu, Hanton, & Fletcher, 2006).
To achieve appropriate arousal levels, Biofeedback is often mentioned as a useful meansfor facilitating the learning of self-regulation by competitive athletes (Blumenstein, Bar Eli, & Tenenbaum, 2002; Collins & MacPherson, 2006; Ravizza, 2006). Biofeedback can be a powerful tool for physiological and psychological change, increasing individual awareness and control over the body, reducing habitual stress, improving arousal regulation (Schwartz & Andrasik, 2003). the most common biofeedback modalities used in sport are heart rate variability, respiration, temperature, EMG, EDR, and EEG. These biofeedback modalities reveal the subtle and dramatic changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) Sime , 2003) .
Muscle contraction and...