The effect of caffeine consumed before competition on heart rate, trigger squeeze time and shooting score in air pistol athletes

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine drink consumed before competitions by air pistol athletes on their heart rate, trigger squeeze times and shooting scores In the study, caffeinated and caffeine-free measurements were applied on the same athletes. Following the evaluation, a total of 20 elite athletes, including 10 women with a mean age of 23.6 ± 4.7 and 10 men with a mean age of 25.9 ± 4.8 who had at least 2 years sports history, participated voluntarily in the study. The study was planned as a single blind. Athletes were told to quit activities 48 hours before the measurements and not to smoke, drink alcohol or caffeine. All athletes shot 10 times before both measurements. By random method, the athletes were allowed to consume Coffee with 3 mg / kg caffeine without adding milk or milk powder in 250 ml of warm water before the measurement and decaf coffee without adding milk or milk powder into 250ml warm water. After 1 week, the same athletes were given coffee which was not given in the previous measurement before the measurement. A total of 80 shots were fired at 15, 30 and 60 minutes after both measurements. Following the evaluation, heart rates, trigger squeeze times and shootinh scores of the athletes were recorded. There were no athletes who participated in the first and did not participate in the second measurement. Measurements are planned to coincide with the same day and hour at one week intervals. The data obtained were analyzed through IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 statistical program. Graphical approximations and normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov - Shapiro-Wilk test) were used for the normal distribution of data. According to the results of the "Normality Test" in the measurements, it was observed that the normal distribution assumption was impaired in most of the measurements. For this reason, nonparametric Wilcoxon test to compare the differences between the measurements at two different times on the same group and Mann-Whitney U test to examine the differences in independent groups were used. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. When the differences between the measurements of all male and female athletes were examined, it was found that there was an increase in their heart rate and trigger squeeze times 15, 30 and 60 minutes after caffeinated coffee consumption, and this difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). In the determined shooting times, there was a significant decrease in 15, 30 and 60 minute shooting times of female athletes, and 15 and 30 minute shooting times of male athletes (p <0.05). It was found that there was a decrease in the acerages of 60 minute shooting scores of male athletes, but this decrease was not statistically significant (p>0.05). As a result of the study, it was observed that the use of caffeine had a negative effect on the performance of air pistol athletes. Therefore, it can be said that people interested in air pistol discipline should not consume coffee or caffeine-containing beverages within 1-2 hours before the competition, if they consume, their heart rate will increase and their aiming during shooting will be more difficult and trigger-squeezing times will be extended.