Brain Endurance Training Improves and Maintains Chest Press and Squat Jump Performance When Fatigue

Abstract

Mental fatigue can impair resistance exercise performance. Brain endurance training (BET)-the addition of demanding cognitive tasks to standard exercise training-improves endurance exercise performance more than standard training. Although BET has yet to be evaluated with resistance exercise, it is expected to improve performance, particularly when the performer feels mentally fatigued. The study employed a pretest (week 0), midtest (week 3), posttest (week 6), and follow-up (week 9) design, with subjects randomized to BET ( n = 46) or control (exercise training) ( n = 45) groups. In testing sessions, subjects performed chest press and squat jump exercises to failure before (feeling fresh) and after (feeling tired) a 30-minute cognitively demanding Stroop task. Training comprised 5 BET or control training sessions per week for 6 weeks. In each training session, subjects completed 4 sets of each exercise to failure, with each exercise set preceded by a 3-minute cognitive task (BET) or rest (control). Exercise performance (number of repetitions to failure) and mental fatigue markers were assessed. In pretesting, exercise performance did not differ between the groups. In midtesting and posttesting, BET performed more chest press and squat jump repetitions when fatigued by the 30-minute Stroop than control. The mental fatigue elicited by the Stroop task gradually declined with training in BET compared with control. In conclusion, BET enhanced resistance exercise performance compared with standard training when tested subsequent to a mentally fatiguing cognitive task. These benefits were maintained weeks after training ended. Brain endurance training is an effective method to mitigate the deleterious effects of mental fatigue on resistance exercise performance.