Judo Ron 57 Biofeedback

7/31/2019 Judo Ron 57 Biofeedback

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Zuihitsu - Random Notes about Judo by Ronald Dsormeaux

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JUDO RON 57- Listen to inner voices- Biofeedback as an additional judo training tool

In preparation for Judo Shiai, we have made many strides forward since hearing the

phrase You must train harder. Every coach and sensei have introduced a new motto

that guides us: Work intelligently and produce better output. This line of conduct

takes into account the mental and physical harmony that must prevail in our training

regimes.

In 2008, I wrote a document called Shin Gi Taii in which I addressed in part the need to

complement our technical skills with appropriate physical and mental training.

Recently, I heard past Olympians or World champions mentioned the need for our

Canadian representatives going to the London Olympics of 2012 to stay focus and

remain in control of the judo match if they aspire to the podium.

As judo contests are conducted between two individuals having the same opposite goal,

that objective being: to win over the other, or to impose their superiority. For those who

contemplate undergoing serious judo competitions in the future and for those who

simply want to train more diligently, it is essential to understand the meaning of these

two elements and develop a training program around them.

Judo technical skills, physical stamina and mental power are essential attributes that

both contestants have to offer. Tactics and strategies may differ with each encounter.

The long months or even years of preparation and physical training are quickly exposed

within the allotted five minutes of every match. The well-practiced choreography can so

easily be sidetracked by a minor fault, a loss of opportunity or by a lack of attention to

the task at hand.

We cannot launch ourselves directly into the competition circle without due preparation

and intelligence. In order to improve, we must know several determinants: what is our

departure point (our fitness and preparation level), what we want to achieve (goals

setting) and how to get there? (Periodic training schedules). The overall process is called

the development of an action. For such a plan to be successful, we need a preliminaryevaluation to assess our strength and weaknesses, steps to measures our

accomplishments and measures to build upon the progress made at different periods.


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Listening to bodily signals

In 1974, Daniele Bolelli wroteii

: Having a perfect body is not nearly as important as

learning how to listen to its voices. Our body, when well governed by our mind is the

survival vehicle that we must cherish the most. It is a living image of our life. Too often,

we forget it needs periodic tuning or re-alignment.

Being attentive to bodily signals comes naturally. When one feels the cold or the heat,

the skin reacts and the internal system sets up responses to compensate. When the light

is too bright or the object too far, the eyes contract and the focus is adjusted. When the

sound we hear is too loud or too soft, we move closer or away from the source. When

running too fast or undertaking strenuous exercises, the heart and the lungs

compensate with extra pulsations and augmented rhythm. We can cite thousands ofoccurrences where the body respond to automated signals. Those responses are

important for our survival, yet, when we try to improve our fitness levels or seek to

improve our performance, we need more accurate data that will determine our route

from the starting point to the final goals without inflicting injuries to our system.

In judo as in life, it is not sufficient to develop the muscular strength, the agility and the

physical power, we needs to be able to think clearly and be able to dispense the

necessary and speedy instructions to all its parts in order to correct the deficiencies and

perform better. As an example: one does not need a measurement instrument to

identify a weakness by being unable to perform techniques easily both from the right or

the left. Your speed, balance and orientation will confirm your inability. To compensate,

you must work to shorten the gap of your right-left displacements by working on your

Kumi Kata and entering into position via your weakest side. It is then recommended to

make a specific work out making use of your weakest side since your strength between

left-right has to be balanced.

Seeking competition results or just trying to improve ourselves, one of our primary tasks

will be to identify our strengths and weaknesses. With this knowledge readily available,

we can then gain the sufficient confidence to make greater use of our potentials. Theexploration of our potentials is initiated by the signals we received from our five senses

in contact with our environment and from our nervous system that receive and dispatch

the necessary reaction signals. Our natural abilities to discover our immediate

environment and determine appropriate responses have been complemented in the

past years with the arrivals and use of biofeedback instruments that helps us capture

our state of accuracy.


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Biofeedback

In past years, in the dojo or in the gymnasium, apart from feeling good about our

performance, we were accustomed to receiving oral feedback and counselling from

peers and coaches. Some of us had annual medical examinations performed as

preventive measure before the Judo season or before a major event. As a general

indication of our fitness readiness, we performed preliminary exercises and counted the

numbers of repetitions against set times. Periodically, throughout the year, similar tests

were performed and data compared. Now, with the advances made in sports sciences

and psychology, we are witnessing the arrival of more sophisticated instruments that

capture personal data which can be used as part of our training routine. Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a word that describes two distinct sports science concepts: themethodology used to obtain data concerning various aspects of our bodily functions

before and after a performance of sort. It is also the process of using such data as a

mean to alter or influence the training cycles and the coaching method. Coaches and

trainers of high performing athletes are now making use of sophisticated and highly

accurate tools to capture critical data which can be used to guide the judokas

performance.

Complex biofeedback.

As a methodology at the high end, biofeedback data is obtained through different kinds

of equipments used to obtain information about bodily functions and monitor different

outputs generally controlled by the nervous system.

The gathered data is principally concerned with heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen

uptake, respiration cycle, perspiration rate, brain waves, and other quantifiable features

of our human performance. Potential for and peak performance levels attainable are

thus extrapolated and relayed to the athletes in order to best adjust their output

delivery.

The use of these sophisticated instruments by the universities, special training centers

and high end sports performance research units is to identify and establish the degree

of harmony that should exist between the mental directions and the bodily responses

needed to achieve peak performance.


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Seeking excellence

More and more judoka make use of biofeedback data in their preparation before a

major event. Since the ability to unwind in stressful circumstances is an important

component of the overall emotional control required during competition, specialized

units have provided necessary data to monitor and or recommend ways to achieve a

better relaxation state.

After the collection of the data and when required, the development of response

strategies is undertaken in concert with the coaches, technicians and the athletes.

Comparative analysis is made between projected data for optimal performance and

current state of data produced by anterior and repetitive testing. The technologist or

coach conducting the testing will then evaluate the results in conjunction with theathletes who will be asked to give their subjective input regarding the various fragments

of their last performance. Here, the judoka must determine how he felt, what was his

state of mind, how stressful was the activity at particular moments of the competition?

How do his subjective moods concerning his outputs compare with the measured heart

rate, perspiration rate and other data? By comparing objective biofeedback data with

subjective feelings, the judoka can then develop the necessary strategies to overcome

areas of stress or nervousness and adjust his behaviour.

Data obtained from accurate equipment is also profitable to assess and minimize the

moments of nervousness or apprehension. With the data in hand, the judoka can then

try a number of relaxation techniques to be employed, including deep breathing

techniques and the use of positive mental images. Breathing exercises are intended to

relax the judoka before entering the combat zone as it is well known that quick and

irregular breathing patterns are evidence of elevated levels of adrenaline, stress and the

corresponding solicitation by the body's "flight or fight" response mechanism.

Imaging tools

Other instruments in vogue consist of imaging tools. The complementary use of positiveimagery techniques can assist the judokas concentration and focus by enticing him to

enter into his bubble, rendering him more conscientious of his potentials and increase

his self-confidence. Calm yet fully alert the judoka can regain his sense of control and

maintain his focus on the tasks at hand.


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Biofeedback data can also be used to assist in the planning of future training sessions.

By identifying the judokas maximum heart rate it is possible to establish a target against

which individual workout frequency and intensity can be planned. At moderate traininglevels, the desired heart rate might be 65% of the athlete's maximum rate; in more

intense workouts, the athlete might seek to achieve a higher heart rate level.

Other forms of data collection

There are now over 100 diverse instruments that can capture special data of interest to

the judo trainer. In warm weather environments, data obtained from urine and

perspiration samples can be tested to determine whether the athlete's diet has

sufficient sodium or other electrolytes commonly lost through the body's fluid

elimination. This biofeedback data can then be used to develop an appropriatehydration strategy, and nutrition programme thus ensuring that the judoka's fluid and

electrolyte intake remains sufficient before, during, and after the competitive sessions.

Positive imaging or visualization

Visualization is yet another technique that is intended to assist in the reduction of

stress, enhance relaxation, and to sustain focus by suggesting and directing the

attention of the judoka to a specific section or technique of his performance.

Biofeedback data can also assist in developing mental cues that will help eliminatedistractions caused by crowd noise. Technicians have and can develop certain kinds of

auditory clues (computer simulations and sounds) that can trigger a hearing response

mechanism that will prompt the judokas mind to maintain a desired level of comfort.

Since not everyone reacts to the same sound, various clues have been adapted to

different persons and tailored to particular judoka.

Dependency and reliability

In the domain of biofeedback, we can be thankful in part to Dr Thomas H. Budzynski, an

American psychologist and inventor of one of the first electro-myographic biofeedbacktraining systems in the mid-1960s. His discovery led to subsequent technical innovations

and the development of other accurate measuring devices which are currently

employed in sports medicine and training centers throughout the world.


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We must be reminded that the successful use of biofeedback methodology is dependent

upon both the quality of the physiological testing instruments, the data gathering and

the motivation and response levels of the competitor to make readily use of the dataobtained. The gathering of data alone will not provide a remedy to deficiencies in any

athletic performance or sports. Judo is no exception.

Although electro-myogram (EMG) and alpha biofeedback have been used extensively

both in medical and sports circles, their effects on performance improvement are still

dependent upon the ways the data is interpreted and by the athletes commitment to

make use of it. Historical information has revealed that that the use of Biofeedback has

shown performance-enhancing effects in the areas of heart rate (HR) and respiratory

performance but problems have been raised with its usage when attempting to evaluate

the effect of biofeedback on sports performance: Where do the data fit in with the

overall intervention package? What was the base data used? How accurate was the

origin? At what frequency is the new data collected and how is it used? These are grey

areas still demanding extra research.

To be use with care

It must be remembered that biofeedback instruments or devices are only informing the

participant of his physical state and nothing else. It is only the interpretation and the

subsequent program designed around the data that will permit the needed

modifications in behaviour, state of relaxation, re-education of key patterns of activities

or employed as a therapeutic technique.

The information captured from the body scan can easily be obtained by various

sophisticated or simple instruments. They normally express: the muscular resistance,

the physical temperature, the brain waves, the heart rhythm or the cutaneous

conductance and several other functions of interest to the specialized sport enthusiast.

Let us keep in mind that without some kind of instrument it is difficult to measure the

stress level and intensity emanating under different circumstances. The feedback of thecardiac coherence captured from an instrument of kind can provide precise reading of

its real level of stress.

As such, all biofeedback data will activate an awareness of the current state of our

internal wellbeing. Positive or negative images will be aligned from which reactions are

to be anticipated.


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Basic data compendium or images are normally furnished in a raw state. There are some

instruments equipped with accompanying programs that can compare the results with

complementary charts, colour and sounds to indicate the relevance of the status withcomparative optimal conditions. Other biofeedback programs on the market today can

propose various charts, diagrams, games, visual or acoustic animations to signal the

progress made towards certain goals. These software programs or applications can cost

between $250 to $2000.The biofeedback instrument is a tool to observe and monitor

the physiological state at a given time. There are also other psycho-physiological tools

on the market which play on auditory signals and noise levels geared to facilitate

relaxation or additional awareness.

Thanks to the increasing progress made in the fields of technology and science, it is

possible to have access to some good measurement material formerly reserved for

medical applications. Nowadays, personal kits or packages are advertised on the

Internet which include health snapshot, VO2 fitness tests, target heart rate, calories

burning count, respiratory fit kit, BMI calculator, biological age status, overall fitness

level charts, stress monitor, pulse wave sensors etc..

Mental power

We all know that to perform at the highest levels, one must be in excellent physical

condition, possess good technical abilities and have the mental attitude of a champion:

to be there to win the fight; to go beyond the current state and to achieve what no

others have been able to do.

Besides benefitting from a good entourage of coaches and important physical resources,

the judoka needs to resort to the intelligence he possesses about the opponents

characteristics. Most important, he must be reassured that the knowledge of his

internal energy sources and potentials are accurate and that these resources can carry

him through the difficult moments he is about to encounter. Good Biofeedback data will

provide him with that additional security.


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Conclusion

We are bombarded from many corners about the need to stay fit and seek ways to

improve our performance. Artificial tools have surfaced in the past years that are

designed to help us to better identify our strengths and weaknesses. They should be

used with caution as they are very useful but they are not the panacea of our training

arsenals. Natural awareness to our environment is a renewable resource that will not

fail us in case of need. We must remain alert and remain flexible.

Proper training attitude and past practices have presented the opportunities to be

honest with ourselves, to intelligently employ our mental and physical energies at the

right moment and for the right purpose. New ventures are on the horizon. Our future

actions are not to be wasted. Always remember that our success or failure can be usedas platforms for future improvements.

Ronald Dsormeaux,

Judo Teacher, Hart House Dojo,

University of Toronto,

June 2012

iRonald Dsormeaux, Shin Gi Tai, The Discovery of Judos Arsenal. Limited Edition, August 2008

iiBolelli Daniele, On the Warriors Path, Frog Edition, Berkeley, California, USA, 1974

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Judo Ron 57 Biofeedback