Application of a Reactive Agility Training Program Using Light-Based Stimuli to Enhance the Physical and Cognitive Performance of Car Racing Drivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Dávid Horváth; János Négyesi; Tamás Győri; Botond Szűcs; Péter János Tóth; Zsolt Matics; Csaba Ökrös; Sándor Sáfár; Nikolett Szabó; Beáta Takács; Róbert Kathy; Klára Tóth; David P Ferguson; Ryoichi Nagatomi; Levente Rácz

doi:10.1186/s40798-022-00509-9

Application of a Reactive Agility Training Program Using Light-Based Stimuli to Enhance the Physical and Cognitive Performance of Car Racing Drivers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Sports Med Open. 2022 Sep 5;8(1):113. doi: 10.1186/s40798-022-00509-9.

Authors

Dávid Horváth^{1

2}, János Négyesi³, Tamás Győri^{4

5}, Botond Szűcs^{4

6}, Péter János Tóth^{4

7}, Zsolt Matics⁴, Csaba Ökrös⁷, Sándor Sáfár⁸, Nikolett Szabó⁹, Beáta Takács⁴, Róbert Kathy⁴, Klára Tóth⁴, David P Ferguson¹⁰, Ryoichi Nagatomi^{3

11}, Levente Rácz¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary. david.horvath@fit4race.com.
² Fit4Race Kft., Budapest, Hungary. david.horvath@fit4race.com.
³ Division of Biomedical Engineering for Health and Welfare, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁴ Fit4Race Kft., Budapest, Hungary.
⁵ Department of Psychology and Sport Psychology, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary.
⁶ PharmaFlight Research and Training Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
⁷ Deparment of Sport Games, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary.
⁸ Training Theory and Methodology Research Center, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary.
⁹ National Academy of Handball, Balatonboglár, Hungary.
¹⁰ Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
¹¹ Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
¹² Department of Kinesiology, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary.

Abstract

Background: There is a need to develop strategies that could contribute to the physical and mental preparation of motorsport athletes. A common method used by experienced motorsport athlete physical trainers is flashing light devices to train or assess reactive agility, despite limited evidence. Therefore, in the present study, we determined the effects of a 6-week reactive agility training program using light-based stimuli on the physiological and cognitive abilities of car racing drivers.

Materials and methods: The CONSORT guidelines for randomized controlled trial were used. In a single-blinded randomized controlled trial, 24 car racing drivers (EXP, n = 12; CON, n = 12) performed a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests marketed specifically at motorsport athletes from Vienna test system (VTS) at rest or during moderate intensity exercise on a bicycle. Physiological abilities were determined via a maximal incremental cardio-respiratory treadmill test. Baseline and post-intervention tests were performed on three consecutive days. Participants in EXP underwent a 6-week intervention consisting of 60-min training sessions twice a week using the Witty SEM light stimulus.

Results: Participants in EXP but not in CON performed some of the VTS cognitive tasks with higher accuracy and/or shorter reaction time after the intervention at rest and during exercise. Car racing drivers performed the STROOP word-reading condition more accurately when the task was performed during the exercise vs. rest, regardless of group. In addition, the intervention induced beneficial changes in peak heart rate (HR), HR at gas exchange threshold, ventilation, and relative maximal oxygen consumption (rVO₂ max). In contrast, body mass and fat mass increased, while peak HR and rVO₂ max decreased in CON. Finally, participants in EXP improved their reactive agility performance and reaction time throughout the training program.

Conclusion: Overall, the reactive agility training program using light-based stimuli appeared to be efficient to induce beneficial effects on some physiological and cognitive performance measures; therefore, it may have the potential to contribute to car racing drivers' physical and mental performance.

Keywords: Automobile racing; Cognitive performance; Driver science; Heart rate recovery; Maximal oxygen consumption; Motorsport; Vienna test system.