Abstract
Training in front of mirrors is common, yet little is known about how the use of mirrors effects muscle force production. Accordingly, we investigated how performing in front of a mirror influences performance in single and multi-joint tasks, and compared the mirror condition to the established performance effects of internal focus (IF) and external focus (EF) instructions in a two part experiment. In the single-joint experiment 28 resistance-trained participants (14 males and 14 females) completed two elbow flexion maximal voluntary isometric contractions under four conditions: mirror, IF, EF and neutral instructions. During these trials, surface EMG activity of the biceps and triceps were recorded. In the multi-joint experiment the same participants performed counter-movement jumps on a force plate under the same four conditions. Single-joint experiment: EF led to greater normalized force production compared to all conditions (P ≤ 0.02, effect-size range [ES] = 0.46–1.31). No differences were observed between neutral and mirror conditions (P = 0.15, ES = 0.15), but both were greater than IF (PP ≥ 0.1, ES = 0.10–0.21). Multi-joint experiment: Despite no statistical difference (P = 0.10), a moderate effect size was observed for jump height whereby EF was greater than IF (ES = 0.51). No differences were observed between neutral and mirror conditions (ES = 0.01), but both were greater than IF (ES = 0.20–22). The mirror condition led to superior performance compared to IF, inferior performance compared to EF, and was equal to a neutral condition in both tasks. These results provide novel and practical evidence concerning mirror training during resistance type training.
Keywords
[RstdPub], effects of instructions, single, multi-joint tasks, use of mirror
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2016
Publisher
Public Library of Science
School
Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
24590
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Halperin, I., Hughes, S., Panchuk, D., Abbiss, C., & Chapman, D. W. (2016). The Effects of Either a Mirror, Internal or External Focus Instructions on Single and Multi-Joint Tasks. PLoS ONE, 11(11), e0166799.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166799