Managers Heart Rates in Competition – Mental Approach to Games (Des Jennings, Sports Institute NI & Kevin McGuigan, Sport Scientist Ulster GAA)

Session Outline SectionDuration Setting the Scene: Background / What is Heart Rate 10 minutes The Project – Heart Rate Analysis (Project Outline & Results) 15 minutes Impact on Decision Making (Heart Math & Practical Demonstration) 15 minutes Practical Implications (Connecting Theory & Practical) 15 minutes Recommendations & Discussion (Questions) 15 minutes

Picture this....

Background – Dugmore (2002) Peak HR – 120 BPM Peak HR – 160 BPM

Dugmore (2002) “ Getting your heart to these sorts of levels would normally only happen if you had done a vigorous work-out in the gym”. “Your heart needs to be fit to withstand those surges......many managers are former players and if they don’t take care of themselves, they will be at significant risk”.

What is Heart Rate? What is it? – The body’s ‘rev counter’; What does it feel like? – Practical Example 1 (Volunteer) How do stress and physical activity affect HR? – “It’s far more dangerous when stress causes the response because the adrenaline tends to narrow the arteries and that could contribute to the risk of heart disease”. (Dugmore, 2002)

What Can Affect HR? Exercise 2 In groups of 2 / 3 discuss what events during a match YOU THINK can affect / impact upon HR? Feedback ; Discussion.

The Project - Overview 5 Senior Inter-county managers and 2 University managers participated; Each wore a real time HR monitor for the duration of the match; Key incidents were annotated on the system during the match; A total of 17 results were gathered across a range of matches of varying intensity; McKenna Cup; NFL; Ulster Senior Football Championship

Results - Statistics McKenna Cup (8)NFL (6)USFC (3) Collective Results (Based on the average across the group) Peak HR (BPM) Peak HR (%) Average HR (BPM) Average HR (%) Individual Results Top Peak HR Low Peak HR Top Avg HR Low Avg HR

Results - Graphs

Results - Example Approximate resting heart rate - 78 BPM Throw In Half Time Major Incident

What Can Affect HR? Return to Exercise 2 – The Answer In groups of 2 / 3 discuss what events during a match YOU THINK can affect / impact upon HR?

Controversial Decision Heart Rate Peak 190 BPM

Goal For Heart Rate Peak 130 BPM

Penalty For - Goal Heart Rate Peak 135 BPM

Goal Against Heart Rate Peak 130 BPM

Good Tackling Near Sideline Heart Rate Peak 130 BPM

Making Substitution Heart Rate Peak 115 BPM

Goal Against Heart Rate Peak 127 BPM

How can this heart rate response to pitch activities impact on decision making abilities? Des Jennings

The Physiology of Performance CortisolDHEA Positive Emotion Negative Emotion Dynamic Passionate Frustrated Angry Cool under pressure In control Loss of interest Cynical High Arousal Adrenaline Low Arousal Relaxation Fight / Flight Acetylcholine

Generating Coherence “synchronising systems” System Respiratory Centre Heart Digestive Blood Pressure Cognitive Autonomic Centre

TIME (SECONDS) APPRECIATION FRUSTRATION Perceptions & Emotions profoundly affect Autonomic Nervous System Balance and Heart Rhythms HEART RATE

RESPIRATION TIME (SECONDS) BLOOD PRESSURE (PTT) FREEZE-FRAME HEART RATE VARIABILITY Generating Coherence Heart Rate (BPM) Time (sec.) Resp. Units

Results There was an overall reduction in cortisol levels of 9.4% (range to +29.6%) in the HM group compared to an overall increase of 21.1% (range to %) in the CON group.

Testimonial I found it helpful in helping deal with pressure situations such as before big games and even before interviews and presentations in university. Yes, I felt the training taught me to be more in touch with my body and helped me channel nervous energy into positive energy effectively. I found the Heartmath useful to help control my heart rate and breathing. Tried to use the breathing technique during periods of pressure in games and training. If this was useful or successful was very hard to measure however it did provide a method of routine which in turn helped in focussing my attention in the present. I used it in particular with my kicking practice, and found it very useful.

Case Studies

K3 K2 K Niall O’Connor: Heart Rate Graph

K1 K2 K Ian Humphreys: Heart Rate Graph

Heartmath Practical Exercise 3: Need very brave volunteer.

Recommendations How do you mentally prepare for games? – Visualisation; – Mental Rehearsal; How do you prepare your support team for games? – Runners / Physio / Doctor / Selectors; – Does everyone know their role on match day? Do you prepare for What if Scenarios? – Not all situations can be controlled, do you have contingencies in place for unforeseen developments? – Injuries / Red Cards / Bad Start

Recommendations Are you watching the game rather than engrossed in it? – Learning to take a backward step; – Remove the emotion from the situation; How fit are you? – Good fitness levels can help keep a lower heart rate; – It can also protect you from a health perspective; Can you regulate your heart rate during the game? – Breathing techniques; – Relaxation techniques.

Questions?