Title
A Video-Based Tactical Task Does Not Elicit Mental Fatigue and Does Not Impair Soccer Performance in a Subsequent Small-Sided Game
Antonio Tessitore
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”
Mauro Mandorino
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”
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Abstract
Mental fatigue can impair physical, technical, and tactical performance in sports. Since most previous research used general cognitive tasks to elicit mental fatigue, the aim of this study was to investigate whether a more sport-specific task could induce the effects of mental fatigue and impair the subsequent physical and technical performance in a soccer small-sided game. Ten soccer players performed two small-sided games on two different days in a crossover design. Before each small-sided game, they performed a video-based tactical task (30 min) and a control task (documentary watching, 30 min) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. Mental effort was measured through a visual analog scale after the tactical and control tasks. Subjective ratings of perceived exertion were assessed through the RPE questionnaire after the end of the SSG. Physical performance was assessed during the SSG through GPS technology. Results showed no differences (p > 0.05) in physical performance between the two conditions. None of the technical variables were negatively affected by the video-based tactical condition, with the number of total passes (p = 0.003; ES = 0.72 medium) and successful passes (p = 0.003; ES = 0.82 large) results even improved by the video-based tactical task. The mental effort required by the video-tactical task was significantly higher than the control task (p = 0.002; ES = 2.09 huge). However, overall RPE did not differ between conditions. The video-based tactical task did not elicit mental fatigue and did not impair subsequent physical and technical performance. The higher ecological validity of the task and the higher motivation of the participants might have contributed to the results.
Keywords
mental effortdecision makingcognitiveperception of effortmotivationfootball
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
Appeared in
Title
Sports
Volume
10
Issue
3
ISSN
2075-4663
Issued
2022
Publication
MDPI AG
Version type
Date issued
2022
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© 2022 by the authors
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