Analysing experienced and inexperienced cyclists' attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies during varying intensities of fixed perceived effort cycling: A mixed method study.

Using a think aloud approach during fixed perceived effort exercise is a unique method to explore the decision-making processes that guide the self-regulation of perceived effort during endurance-based activity. In a two-part study, authors investigated the attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies associated with: Part A - perceived effort corresponding to (RPE) and above gas exchange threshold (RPE); Part B - between experienced and inexperienced cyclists during fixed perceived effort cycling tasks. Eighteen (15 male, 3 female) healthy, active individuals completed three visits (visit 1 - ramped incremental test and familiarisation, visit 2 and 3-30-min fixed perceived effort cycling). During which, power output, heart rate, lactate, think aloud, and perceptual markers were taken. Random-intercepts linear mixed-effects models assessed the condition, time, and condition × time interactions on all dependent variables. Power output, heart rate, lactate and instances of internal sensory monitoring (t=2.57,p=.011,β=0.95[0.23,1.68]) and self-regulation (t=4.14,p=.001,β=1.69[0.89,2.49]) were significantly higher in the RPE versus RPE trial. No significant differences between inexperienced and experienced cyclists for internal sensory monitoring (t=-1.78,p=.095,β=-1.73[-3.64,0.18]) or self-regulatory thoughts (t=-0.39,p=.699,β=-1.06[-6.32,4.21]) were noted but there were significant condition × time interactions for internal monitoring (t=2.02,p=.045,β=0.44[0.01,0.87]) and self-regulation (t=3.45,p=.001,β=0.85[0.37,1.33]). Seemingly, experienced athletes associatively attended to internal psychophysiological state and subsequently self-regulate their psychophysiological state at earlier stages of exercise than inexperienced athletes. This is the first study to exhibit the differences in attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies that are activated based on perceived effort intensity and experience level in cyclists.