Author(s): BIAN, C., RUSSELL, S.1, TANG, J.2, CAO, C.2, LUI, S.2, BOGATAJ, Š.3, ROELANDS, B.1, Institution: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL, Country: BELGIUM, Abstract-ID: 558

INTRODUCTION:
Fencing demands high mental resources and perceptual-cognitive skills. Consequently, mental fatigue has been observed to elevate early and accumulate across fencing competition days. Traditional fencing warm-up, including one-on-one combat (TC), lacks scientific assessments of the effect on performance against the risk of pre-competition mental fatigue inducement, and requires a physically present, competitive sparring partner. Virtual reality combat (VR) can engage athletes in an immersive sports environment with specific motor-cognitive stimuli to enhance physical and mental preparation, which may facilitate a quality warm-up. This study compared the effects of VR with those of TC embedded in the specialized warm-up section, on fencers' specific psychomotor performance and perceived fatigue.
METHODS:
The study employed a within-subjects, counterbalanced crossover design. After sample size calculation, 20 well-trained Epee fencers were recruited, matched in pairs, and familiarized. Each pair was randomized to start the experimental (10min scheduled technical drills and 10min VR) or control (10min technical drills and 10min TC) condition first. Pre/Post-warm-up assessment, including subjective mental (MF) and physical fatigue (PF) on visual analog scales (VAS), and reaction time (RT) and performance score (Acc) in a 3-min psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and a 3-min fencing-specific test (FST) were obtained. Average heart rate (HR) during 10-min VR/TC and VAS for readiness to perform (VAS-Re) and enjoyment (VAS-En) after VR/TC were collected. The FST consisted of 10 trials: following each 9-s shuttle, the fencer was triggered by one of eight random flash-impact sensors (0.07m diameter) on a dummy (2m away) to deliver a lunge attack. Linear mixed-effects models were used for the time, condition, and their interaction effect. Other between-condition comparisons were analyzed by paired samples t-tests.
RESULTS:
In total, 17 fencers (6 women: 11 men; 3 men dropouts) were analyzed. Models revealed no time, condition, or interaction effects (all p>0.05) for MF and performance indicators (RT and Acc in PVT and FST). Significant time (p=0.01) and interaction (p=0.04) effects were shown for PF with a greater increase in TC (Pre vs. Post mean+SD: 27.8±10.5 vs. 46.1±17.2AU) than in VR (28.8±17.4 vs. 31.1±17.5AU). For VR compared to TC, t-tests revealed lower average HR (105.3±11.7 vs. 113.2±8.5 bpm, t=-3.4, p=0.004), similar VAS-Re (59.0±13.3 vs. 62.1±10.5AU, t=-2.0, p=0.06), and higher VAS-En (67.5±18.1 vs. 49.2±19.5AU, t=4.6, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION:
VR can be considered an enjoyable on-field alternative to include in pre-competition warm-ups. The VR assisted fencers maintained reaction time and specific attack performance with a similar readiness state, yet with a lower physical demand than TC. Current study outcomes indicate that technological advancements can optimize real-world warm-up routines, providing a novel and practical solution for combat sports practitioners.