Can Biofeedback Deception Of Heart Rate Improve Cycling Performance?

The use of biofeedback deception, which involves altering a subject’s perception of a biological variable, may improve sport performance. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effect of heart rate (HR) deception on cycling performance. METHODS: Thirteen subjects (10 men, 3 women; age: 29.4±10.2 yrs; BMI: 23.6±3.2 kg/m2) volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were asked to complete two functional threshold power (FTP) tests on a cycle ergometer. This test is used to determine the upper limits of aerobic energy production in cyclists and provide an indication of fitness and race preparedness. After a warm-up, subjects were asked to cycle for 20 minutes, with a goal of maintaining their highest possible power output. Subjects were told they were testing new HR monitoring equipment. They were fitted with both a HR chest strap and an optical sensor attached to the ear lobe. In one condition, the HR displayed by the optical sensor was coded through software to provide an incorrect HR that displayed 10 bpm lower than actual HR (DEC). In a control condition (CON), the correct HR was displayed. Subjects were blind to the display and could only view their HR from the optical sensor. It was presumed that if subjects believed their HR was relatively low, they would increase their power output during the test. Recorded variables included max and average speed, cadence, power, work, force & torque, as well as true HR and pre/post blood lactate concentration ([BL]). The order of testing was counterbalanced. Paired-samples t-tests were used to compare conditions. RESULTS: No differences were seen in any of the cycling variables (all p>.05). Mean power was very similar (CON: 226.7±69.3 W, DEC: 222.6±65.4 W; p=.589), as was mean HR (CON: 161.2±17.8bpm, DEC: 160.3±13.7bpm; p=.676). Post-test [BL] values were 10.5±4.0 (CON) and 10.6±3.6 mmol·L-1 (DEC) (p=.936). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the use of biofeedback deception (i.e., HR deception) is unable to improve performance during a high-intensity cycling test. However, subjects were not verbally encouraged during testing to use HR to guide their performance; this verbal encouragement, combined with biofeedback deception, may be necessary to influence subjects to increase power output, subsequently improving performance.