Preparatory heart rate patterns in competitive rifle shooting.

In this study, we examined the relationship between preparatory heart rate patterns and competitive shooting performance. Cardiac activity was recorded from six elite and six non-elite male rifle shooters during the 6 s before the trigger pull. The assessment of shooting performance was based on three variables: shooting score, rifle stability and electromyographic (EMG) activity in the upper body. Each shooter showed a decrease in the pre-trigger heart rate that did not covary with the shooting scores. The magnitude of this change was greater for the non-elite shooters compared to the elite shooters, suggesting that the heart rate patterns reflected skill-related aspects of preparatory performance. The analyses of rifle-hold performance (rifle stability and EMG) suggested that the observed heart rate changes were associated with a shooter's attempts to achieve a rigid rifle position, but depend on his skill level. Interpretation of preparatory heart rate patterns in competitive rifle shooting should not be based solely on the attentional focusing aspect, but should also take into account the effects of a shooter's psychomotor regulation.