TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Keskin, Cansu
AU  -  Van Den Berg, Ayşe Nur Tunali
T1  -  Effects of breathing and imagery exercises on postural sway and shooting performance in Olympic archers
PY  -  2025
Y1  -  2025-07-01
DO  -  10.1728/4632.46419
JO  -  Medicina dello Sport
JA  -  Med Sport
VL  -  78
IS  -  3
SP  -  182
EP  -  193
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  1827-1863
Y2  -  2026/04/03
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1728/4632.46419
N2  -  Summary. Background. Maintaining a stable stance and correct body alignment is fundamental for archery performance. Internal factors including postural control, reaction time, strength, attention, and psychological state, along with external influences, affect shooting outcomes. Breathing control and visualization are proposed as supportive strategies to enhance concentration, stability, and motor performance. This study investigated the effects of visualization and breathing exercises, combined with an 8-week archery program, on target score, postural sway, respiratory function, attention, handgrip strength, and imagery skills in young athletes. Methods. Thirty-six novice archers (aged 14-18) were randomly assigned to respiratory exercise (RG), imagery exercise (IG), or control (CG) groups. Assessments included spirometry for respiratory function, Sway Medical Balance App for postural control, Mental Training Inventory for imagery, Burdon Test for attention, Human Benchmark for reaction time, Jamar dynamometer for grip strength, and FITA-based target shooting scores. Results. Both RG and IG showed significant improvements in target scores, FVC, FEV₁, postural sway, attention, reaction time, and handgrip strength. The CG improved in attention, FEV₁, and grip strength. Between-group comparisons favored RG and IG, especially for shooting performance and respiratory outcomes. Conclusions. Structured breathing and visualization exercises enhanced both physiological and psychological outcomes in young archers, supporting their integration into training to optimize performance.
ER  -