Explore the vast range of titles available.

In this study, we investigated the neural and behavioral mechanisms associated with precision visual-motor control during the learning of sport shooting. We developed an experimental paradigm adapted for naïve individuals and a multisensory experimental paradigm. We showed that in the proposed experimental paradigms, subjects trained well and significantly increased their accuracy. We also identified several psycho-physiological parameters that were associated with shooting outcomes, including EEG biomarkers. In particular, we observed an increase in head-averaged delta and right temporal alpha EEG power before missing shots, as well as a negative correlation between theta-band energies in the frontal and central brain regions and shooting success. Our findings suggest that the multimodal analysis approach has the potential to be highly informative in studying the complex processes involved in visual-motor control learning and may be useful for optimizing training processes.

Primary objectives of neurofeedback training (NFT) are to improve concentration, stress and anxiety management, and performance optimisation. This narrative review examines the role of NFT as a tool to improve mental and cognitive skills of target shooting and archery athletes. Current research discusses how neurofeedback training can act on brain waves by influencing specific EEG frequency bands in order to improve cognitive flexibility. This contribution reports studies that have applied neurofeedback protocols in precision disciplines such as archery and shooting. The results of the studies considered showed that neurofeedback can lead to faster reaction times, more sustained attention, and better emotion management, contributing significantly to athletes’ performance. Furthermore, it is emphasised that neurofeedback could be combined with other techniques such as motor imagination to maximise effectiveness in precision sports training. This review emphasises the importance of future studies that focus on the integration of neurofeedback with biofeedback in neuromodulation protocols. Current perspectives and limitations of research in this area are also indicated. Neuromodulation by means of neurofeedback represents a promising strategy to improve the overall mental and cognitive abilities of target shooting and archery athletes with an interesting potential for high-level performance. Future research should focus on integrated approaches and customised protocols to optimise the use of neurofeedback in a precision sports context.

In 2018, the Olympic shooting regulations were modified to increase the number of women's shots from 40 to 60, equaling the number given to men. This research presented in this paper addresses two research issues: (1) has the performance of women's shooting changed as a result of this increase in the number of shots? and (2) with the equalized number of shots in place, do women and men perform differently? This study included 292 shooters who competed in the 2016 and/or 2018 European Championships who all obtained top-50 results. Our sample included balanced quotas for sports (50% pistol and 50% rifle) and by category (50% women and 50% men). Both championships were held in the same facilities and in the same month of the season, but with the difference that in 2016, women had 40 shots and in 2018 they had 60 shots. We observed that women's performances did not diminish for the pistol or the rifle category when their number of shots were increased. Men and women shot equally well with rifles, although the men's performance with pistols was higher than that of women. We concluded that sports in which physical strength is a minor factor, as in the case of shooting, should revise their regulations in the interest of greater gender equality in sports.

Background Research on personality in sport is popular because it allows you to forecast the greediness of actions in sports competition situations. The purpose of this paper is to determine which personality traits characterize individual sports champions. Materials and Methods The subjects of the research were Polish athletes (N = 600) between 20 and 29 years of age from 20 individual sports disciplines (each n = 30). Then, a sample of champions (n = 56) and other individual disciplines athletes (n = 544) was selected from the study population. The Big Five model was used to examine their personality (NEO‐FFI). Results Individual sports champions were characterized by a lower level of neuroticism, a higher level of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness in relation to other athletes. Conclusion Each sports discipline is characterized by slightly different psychological requirements for athletes. The undertaken sports activity shapes the personality, and the shaped personality traits have an impact on taking solutions in the starting situation. The level of intensity of neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness may determine the result in competition in individual sports. The purpose of this paper is to determine which personality traits characterize individual sports champions. Sports activity shapes the personality, and the shaped personality traits have an impact on taking solutions in the starting situation. The level of intensity of neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness may determine the result in competition in individual sports.

This study presents a novel approach to understanding the impact of stress on shooting performance. We utilized the unique qualifying system of shooting competitions, dividing the 60 consecutive shooting results into six sets of 10 shots each. By comparing the differences between these sets, we could examine the influence of stress on performance. Our findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between the athletes’ different game stages and shooting performance, with the best performance observed in the middle stage of the game. The game’s start (the second set compared to the third set) and end stages (the sixth set compared to the fifth set) are associated with similar performance declines. Based on the assumption that the three different psychological variables stress, arousal, and somatic anxiety will increase with the number of sets, we first provide a sporting example of the nonmonotonic relationship between the three psychological variables mentioned above and performance. To illustrate the inverted-U hypothesis, we reasonably speculate that an athlete achieves optimal performance at an intermediate level of arousal or stress or somatic anxiety. The low and high levels of arousal or stress or somatic anxiety lead to poor performance. These results provide compelling evidence for the inverted-U relationship between arousal, stress, somatic anxiety and performance, underscoring the significance of the inverted-U hypothesis in sports psychology.

This study investigates the effect of caffeine on concentration and performance in the 10 m Air Rifle - Standing position. It focused on measuring total aiming time and performance results under two conditions: without caffeine and after consuming 220 ml of coffee, containing approximately 90 milligrams of caffeine (from 7 g of coffee powder). This method was elected to reflect caffeine intake from coffee while minimizing the risk of unintentional doping violations. Measurements included individual performance assessments and the time taken from aiming to shot release: participants completed 3 sets of 24 shots under the influence of caffeine and 3 sets without caffeine (totaling 864 shots per condition). Thus, we evaluated 864 shots with caffeine and 864 shots without caffeine. The research sample consisted of 12 competitive sport shooters classified in the first and master categories. An ex post facto intra-individual and inter-subject research design was employed to assess differences in mean values of total aiming time with and without caffeine intake. To determine the statistical significance of these differences, the nonparametric Wilcoxon T-test for dependent samples was used. This analysis revealed a significant difference in total aiming time under the influence of caffeine compared to without it. Data were collected using a stopwatch and specialized electronic target systems designed to measure and evaluate shooting performance. The results were recorded in graphs and tables, including graphs showing the individual shot values for visual clarity. The graphs illustrate the difference in the size of shot dispersion with and without caffeine. Based on the individual shot values and their differences across total aiming time, we found an association between caffeine and non-caffeine conditions. A more significant change in total aiming time was observed for shooters who do not normally drink caffeinated coffee. Otherwise, shooting performance values did not change in most shooters. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that caffeine has a highly individual effect on shooting performance and there is no direct impact on shot score values.

Problem Formulation and Objectives. Petanque is one of the sports that has become number 1 among the surrounding community, especially for young and adult athletes, even athletes who are just starting to pursue this sport. However, petanque has two important procedures that are difficult to master, namely the basic shooting strategy. This basic shooting method includes eye-hand coordination, concentration, and anthropometric structure as a precise distance. The core of this study is to discuss whether there is a crucial relationship between dexterity, focus, and adjustable distance to the capacity of basic shooting procedures in the game of petanque. Method. A total of twenty adult athletes were selected as the total sample for this associative quantitative study. The procedures and instruments of this study collected all variable data. Shooting ability (Y) data was obtained using the game station shooting test ability with the recorded result being point 1 of the ball throw, according to the points on the game station shooting resistance with score units. Next, data was obtained for hand eye coordination (X1) using the tennis ball throwing and catching test. The assessment is determined based on the number of balls that can be thrown with the right hand and then caught with the left hand or vice versa according to the participant's habits for 30 seconds but as many assessment units.. Next, for concentration (X2), data is obtained using the Grid Concentration Test, the sample value is how many numbers can be connected sequentially within a predetermined time with a score unit. Next, arm length (X3) was measured using an anthropometer test tool. Assessment of arm length measurements using units of measurement in centimeters (cm). The data was then analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results. Research findings show that hand eye coordination, concentration and arm length influence the shooting ability of petanque athletes (p<0.05) with a simultaneous influence of 52.50%. The influence of hand eye coordination is 37.29%, concentration is 4.02%, and arm length of 13.37%. Of these three factors, hand eye coordination is the dominant factor that influences an athlete's shooting ability without ignoring other factors (concentration and arm length). Conclusion. Good hand eye coordination, good concentration and optimal arm length have an impact on the shooting ability of petanque athletes. This examination is supposed to be helpful for mentors, sports educators and competitors to assess the significance of these variables to acquire ideal shooting results.

Psychological aspects like anxiety, injuries’ effects, professional psychological support (PPS), psychological training (PT), or athlete-coach relationships could influence shooters’ performance. This study tried to determine which aspects were critical from the shooters’ perspective. Eight elite shooters were interviewed. After using qualitative methods, the following categories were obtained: importance of PT; anxiety and competition relationship; mental preparation; PPS; stress during training; injuries’ psychological effects and coach’s influence. PT is important for shooter’s performance, being PPS a key aspect. Moreover, anxiety levels are critical, raising during the pre-competitive period and oscillating during competition. Furthermore, shooters considered more effective the stress placed on training by the coach than by themselves. Accordingly, the coach plays a key role. Surprisingly, injuries did not affect shooters psychologically, nor in their competitive performance. We conclude that the combination of PPS, shooter competitive experience and the optimal coach’s work can promote a greater performance in Olympic shooting.

Background: Elite sport shooters must maintain exceptional accuracy under intense competitive pressure, where even slight emotional fluctuations can considerably affect performance. While prior research has largely focused on technical skills, the relationship between neurophysiological characteristics and anxiety regulation remains underexplored. Gaining a deeper understanding of how individual nervous system (NS) characteristics shape emotional responses before competition is crucial for designing personalized psychological training programs tailored to elite shooters. Approach: A mixed-methods design was used with 34 elite sport shooters (mean age 25.6 ± 3.8 years), integrating psychometric assessments, neurodynamic testing, and semi-structured interviews. Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between neurophysiological characteristics and anxiety regulation during the pre-competition period in elite shooters. Additionally, it determined whether individualized neurodynamic profiles could inform tailored psychological interventions to improve performance consistency under pressure. Results: Situational anxiety increased significantly from 36.1 ± 6.2 to 46.2 ± 8.9 (p < 0.001) between 15 days and 1 day prior to competition, whereas trait anxiety remained stable. Athletes with stronger nervous system profiles achieved significantly higher shooting scores (9.2 ± 0.6 vs. 8.5 ± 0.8, p < 0.01) and exhibited smaller increases in situational anxiety (20.9% vs. 44.6%). Moderate situational anxiety (38-45 points) was associated with optimal performance, while high anxiety corresponded to a 17.3% reduction in 10-point shots. Qualitative findings indicated that athletes with strong NS profiles used more effective emotional regulation strategies, such as breath control and cognitive reframing, supporting greater resilience under stress. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of neurophysiological profiling in the psychological preparation of elite shooters. Combining NS data obtained from tapping tests with targeted emotion-regulation strategies may enhance performance consistency and mitigate competitive anxiety. Personalized interventions tailored to an athlete's neurodynamic profile represent a promising approach for optimizing outcomes in precision sports.

Firearms account for the majority of suicide deaths in the USA. A recommended approach for suicide prevention is reducing access to firearms by temporarily removing them from the home. We sought to understand how firearm owners and those who reside with them view and might use voluntary, temporary out-of-home firearm storage. From July to November 2021, we interviewed English-speaking adults in Colorado and Washington who own firearms or reside with them, using semistructured interviews. We used a team-based mixed deductive and inductive approach to code transcripts and identify themes. Half of the 38 interviewees were men (53%) aged 35-54 years (40%); 92% identified as white. The average age that participants reported first having a firearm was 20.4 years; 16% reported never owning a firearm themselves, only living in homes with firearms. Qualitative findings fell into broad themes: (1) storage with family members/friends, (2) concerns/challenges with storing a firearm with a business/organization, (3) importance of trust (4) outreach methods for out-of-home storage programmes. Programmes for voluntary, temporary out-of-home firearm storage will not be impactful unless such storage is desired and used. Understanding views of potential storage users can help support development of acceptable and feasible programmes.