Posted by Chuck Hees on September 28, 2000 at 20:44:58:
I am new to the sport and am curious if anyone has used bio-feedback in their training. If so, what did you use and how did you integrate that into your training program?
Posted by MIke Keyes on September 28, 2000 at 21:09:36:
Biofeedback is a good, but rather expensive, way to learn to relax. In addition, by becoming good at biofeedback, you may actually impede your shooting by bringing your heart rate below the optimal rate needed for shooting. Most shooters shoot their best at a rate 11 beats per minute above their resting heart rate. This is not an absolute number and the variation is quite wide, but research done in the '80s show that shooters who do not raise their heart rate while competing do not do as well as those who do.
Biofeedback will use heart rate as a parameter and training to lower the heart rate with this method can be detrimental.
Aerobic training is a better method for heart rate control, especially since the same research shows that shots on the heart beat are usually not as good as the ones just before the heart beat. Also, the best shooters show very few shots on the heart beat (but these are usually not as good as the others) which is part relaxation and part training.
I would save my money if I were you and learn a simple method such as the Benson or Jacobsen methods.
Posted by Chuck Hees on September 29, 2000 at 12:26:19:
Thanks for the feedback. I'll look into the Benson and Jacobsen methods.
Do you have any references to that research done in the '80s? I would be interested in reading about that research and the reasons why the slight elevation is important. I am assuming that it would have something to do with the level of attention and focus.
The aerobic training is definitely something that I need to focus on to lower my resting heart rate. I remember reading something recently about Nancy Johnson and her Olympic performance. If I remember right she was able to get her resting heart rate down around 50 bpm or possibly lower through long-distance running. Time to hit the gym again. :-)
Posted by pilkguns on September 30, 2000 at 08:20:43:
I hope you don't mind a bit of shameless advertising, but following on to Mikes excellant comments, the RIKA HT has a (optional)heartbeat monitor, and both are used by Nancy and Ken Johnson.
Posted by Mike Keyes on October 01, 2000 at 12:21:10:
The reference is:
Dan Landers (1986) Psychophysiological assessment and biofeedback: Applications for athletes in closed skill sports. In JH Sandweiss & S. Wolf (Eds.) Biofeedback in Sport. New York: Plenum
Probably not in print anymore, but you might check abebooks.com
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