Functional and mental training effects in archery sport performance

Purpose: In archery, use of elastic bands, along with bodyweight exercises (i.e. ‘‘functional training’’), is widely accepted as a training strategy that effectively improves shooting technique (Lee and De Bondt 2005) because it allows to simulate the shooting action without bow and arrow. Indeed, Monzoni et al. (2017) demonstrated that athletes’ performance in official competition increased significantly more after a functional training program aimed at improving strength (using elastic bands and calisthenics) and balance (exercises per- formed using the BOSUÓ instable support), compared to gym workout alone. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to com- pare, in high level archers, the effects of two different training programs on the performance during official competitions, in which a group will performed a combination of mental and functional training. Methods: 20 male athletes with a minimum of 6 years of archery experience were recruited. Participants were assigned to one experimental group (EG) and to one control group (CG) with a balanced random order. The performance (i.e. total score of the participants) of each group was recorded during official competitions that took place just before and after the 6-month training intervention. All archers underwent a specific technical training program (3 sessions per week, 90 min per session) and functional training program (3 sessions per week, 90 min per session). In addition, the EG has performed a specific mental training program (2 session per week, 60 min per session) executing concentration exercises and analysis of personal technique. Results: No statistical differences were found among the pre-training scores of the two groups, whereas the Ds resulted significantly different (p \ 0.05). The D of EG (3.87 ± 1.45%) increased significantly (p \ 0.001) more than the D of CG (1.28 ± 1.19%). Conclusion: The results highlight that the use of functional training (using elastic bands, calisthenics and the BOSU ball, with the aim of simulating the shooting technique) combined with mental training (executing concentration exercises and analysis of personal technique) within an additional specific archery training program is effective in improving athletes’ performance during official competitions. References Dal Monte A (1983) La valutazione funzionale dell’atleta. Sansoni Editore, Firenze Tursi D, Napolitano S (2014) Technical movements in archery. J Hum Sport Exerc 9(Proc1):S570–S575 Monzoni R, Lucertini F, Ferri Marini C, Federici A (2017) Functional training is effective in improving archery sport performance. J Hum Sport Exerc 12(PROC3):S1118–S1119