A rowing-specific mindfulness intervention: Effects on mindfulness, flow, reinvestment, and performance
Katherine V. Sparks, Christopher Ring
Frontiers in Psychology September 7, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.871804 via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 6-week rowing-specific mindfulness intervention, combining generic and rowing-specific practices, increased flow, mindfulness, and rowing performance in rowers, while decreasing conscious motor processing from pre-test to post-test. However, the intervention did not change mindfulness or reinvestment more than the control condition. Participants evaluated the intervention positively. These results provide preliminary evidence that sport-specific mindfulness training can benefit athletes.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 44 |
| Population | Rowers |
| Intervention | rowing-specific mindfulness intervention |
| Duration | 6-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Intervention Reinvestment Mindfulness-meditation Athletic-performance Flow-states |
| Citations | 20 |
| Key finding | A 6-week rowing-specific mindfulness intervention increased flow, mindfulness, and performance, and decreased conscious motor processing, but did not preferentially change mindfulness or reinvestment compared to a control group. |
Abstract
Mindfulness can benefit athletes’ mindset and performance. These benefits may be enhanced by sport-specific mindfulness interventions. Accordingly, our objectives were 2-fold: first, to develop a rowing-specific mindfulness intervention, and second, to investigate its effects on mindfulness, flow, reinvestment, and rowing performance. Rowers were randomly assigned to either a 6-week rowing-specific mindfulness intervention (n = 23), which included generic and rowing-specific practices, or a control group (n = 21). Rowers completed pre-test and post-test measures of performance, mindfulness, flow, and rowing-specific reinvestment. Lastly, rowers completed an evaluation form following the intervention. The results demonstrated that the intervention group increased flow, mindfulness, and improved performance, additionally conscious motor processing decreased from pre-test to post-test. However, the intervention did not preferentially change mindfulness or reinvestment compared to control. Participants provided favorable feedback and evaluated the intervention positively. Our 6-week rowing-specific mindfulness intervention promoted flow, encouraged mindfulness, and aided performance. Thus, we provide preliminary explorative evidence that a sport-specific mindfulness intervention can benefit athletes. We recommend that future research, with large sample sizes and improved home practice, should examine mediators and moderators of the mindfulness-performance relationship.