The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes

Amelie  Heinrich; Dan Witzner Hansen; Rouwen  Cañal-Bruland; Oliver Stoll

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010

The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes

Amelie Heinrich
, Dan Witzner Hansen
, Rouwen Cañal-Bruland
, Oliver Stoll

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Objectives
Biathlon is a discipline that combines cross country skiing with rifle shooting. It demands high shooting accuracy and fast shooting times under increasing levels of physiological fatigue. Building on Vickers and Williams (2007), the current study aimed at scrutinizing the impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes.

Design
Ten members of the German national senior team (elite) and 13 members of the German national junior team (sub-elite) participated in a performance test. They conducted a roller skiing test on a treadmill including four increasing intensity levels followed by shooting blocks of five shots in both prone and standing position.

Methods
Physiological measurements consisted of heart rate and blood lactate, shooting performance data included shooting accuracy and time. Eye movements were assessed, i.e. the duration of the final fixation, using a gun-mounted eye tracking system.

Results
Physiological fatigue systematically increased across intensity levels. There were no differences between elite and sub-elite biathletes in percentage shooting accuracy. However, elites needed shorter shooting times than sub-elites. Both groups showed increased range times with increased workload levels in prone and standing positions. Yet, there was no effect on shooting accuracy. Finally, analyses of a subset of data did not show any effect of final fixation duration on shooting accuracy.

Conclusions
Physiological fatigue seems to have no impact on shooting accuracy, but rather affects shooting times in expert biathletes. Furthermore, the duration of the final fixation does not seem to moderate shooting accuracy in elite biathletes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Number of pages	8
Volume	23
Publisher	Elsevier
Publication date	Sept 2020
Edition	9
Pages	883-890
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010
Publication status	Published - Sept 2020

Keywords

Biathlon shooting
Physiology
Attention
Vision
Expertise
Athletes

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10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010

Aiming for the quiet eye in biathlon
Hansen, D. W., Heinrich, A. & Cañal-Bruland, R., 2019, ETRA '19: Proceedings of the 11th ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications. European Conference on Eye Movements: Association for Computing Machinery, p. 1-8 8 p. 10
Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

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title = "The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes",

abstract = "Objectives Biathlon is a discipline that combines cross country skiing with rifle shooting. It demands high shooting accuracy and fast shooting times under increasing levels of physiological fatigue. Building on Vickers and Williams (2007), the current study aimed at scrutinizing the impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes. Design Ten members of the German national senior team (elite) and 13 members of the German national junior team (sub-elite) participated in a performance test. They conducted a roller skiing test on a treadmill including four increasing intensity levels followed by shooting blocks of five shots in both prone and standing position. Methods Physiological measurements consisted of heart rate and blood lactate, shooting performance data included shooting accuracy and time. Eye movements were assessed, i.e. the duration of the final fixation, using a gun-mounted eye tracking system. Results Physiological fatigue systematically increased across intensity levels. There were no differences between elite and sub-elite biathletes in percentage shooting accuracy. However, elites needed shorter shooting times than sub-elites. Both groups showed increased range times with increased workload levels in prone and standing positions. Yet, there was no effect on shooting accuracy. Finally, analyses of a subset of data did not show any effect of final fixation duration on shooting accuracy. Conclusions Physiological fatigue seems to have no impact on shooting accuracy, but rather affects shooting times in expert biathletes. Furthermore, the duration of the final fixation does not seem to moderate shooting accuracy in elite biathletes.",

keywords = "Biathlon shooting, Physiology, Attention, Vision, Expertise, Athletes, Biathlon shooting, Physiology, Attention, Vision, Expertise, Athletes",

author = "Amelie Heinrich and Hansen, \{Dan Witzner\} and Rouwen Ca{\~n}al-Bruland and Oliver Stoll",

note = " FEPSAC conference https://www.fepsac2019.eu",

year = "2020",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

pages = "883--890",

booktitle = "Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes. / Heinrich, Amelie ; Hansen, Dan Witzner; Cañal-Bruland, Rouwen et al.
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. Vol. 23 9. ed. Elsevier, 2020. p. 883-890.

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes

AU - Heinrich, Amelie

AU - Hansen, Dan Witzner

AU - Cañal-Bruland, Rouwen

AU - Stoll, Oliver

N1 - FEPSAC conference https://www.fepsac2019.eu

PY - 2020/9

Y1 - 2020/9

N2 - Objectives Biathlon is a discipline that combines cross country skiing with rifle shooting. It demands high shooting accuracy and fast shooting times under increasing levels of physiological fatigue. Building on Vickers and Williams (2007), the current study aimed at scrutinizing the impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes. Design Ten members of the German national senior team (elite) and 13 members of the German national junior team (sub-elite) participated in a performance test. They conducted a roller skiing test on a treadmill including four increasing intensity levels followed by shooting blocks of five shots in both prone and standing position. Methods Physiological measurements consisted of heart rate and blood lactate, shooting performance data included shooting accuracy and time. Eye movements were assessed, i.e. the duration of the final fixation, using a gun-mounted eye tracking system. Results Physiological fatigue systematically increased across intensity levels. There were no differences between elite and sub-elite biathletes in percentage shooting accuracy. However, elites needed shorter shooting times than sub-elites. Both groups showed increased range times with increased workload levels in prone and standing positions. Yet, there was no effect on shooting accuracy. Finally, analyses of a subset of data did not show any effect of final fixation duration on shooting accuracy. Conclusions Physiological fatigue seems to have no impact on shooting accuracy, but rather affects shooting times in expert biathletes. Furthermore, the duration of the final fixation does not seem to moderate shooting accuracy in elite biathletes.

AB - Objectives Biathlon is a discipline that combines cross country skiing with rifle shooting. It demands high shooting accuracy and fast shooting times under increasing levels of physiological fatigue. Building on Vickers and Williams (2007), the current study aimed at scrutinizing the impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes. Design Ten members of the German national senior team (elite) and 13 members of the German national junior team (sub-elite) participated in a performance test. They conducted a roller skiing test on a treadmill including four increasing intensity levels followed by shooting blocks of five shots in both prone and standing position. Methods Physiological measurements consisted of heart rate and blood lactate, shooting performance data included shooting accuracy and time. Eye movements were assessed, i.e. the duration of the final fixation, using a gun-mounted eye tracking system. Results Physiological fatigue systematically increased across intensity levels. There were no differences between elite and sub-elite biathletes in percentage shooting accuracy. However, elites needed shorter shooting times than sub-elites. Both groups showed increased range times with increased workload levels in prone and standing positions. Yet, there was no effect on shooting accuracy. Finally, analyses of a subset of data did not show any effect of final fixation duration on shooting accuracy. Conclusions Physiological fatigue seems to have no impact on shooting accuracy, but rather affects shooting times in expert biathletes. Furthermore, the duration of the final fixation does not seem to moderate shooting accuracy in elite biathletes.

KW - Biathlon shooting

KW - Physiology

KW - Attention

KW - Vision

KW - Expertise

KW - Athletes

KW - Biathlon shooting

KW - Physiology

KW - Attention

KW - Vision

KW - Expertise

KW - Athletes

U2 - 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010

DO - 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.010

M3 - Article in proceedings

VL - 23

SP - 883

EP - 890

BT - Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport

PB - Elsevier

ER -

The Impact of physiological fatigue and gaze behavior on shooting performance in elite and sub-elite biathletes

Abstract

Keywords

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Research output

Aiming for the quiet eye in biathlon

Cite this