A three-week mindfulness intervention on mental skills, internal-load regulation, and performance in youth swimmers: a randomized controlled trial
Mohamed Ali Sifi, Hamza Marzouki, Okba Selmi, Bilel Sdira, Bilel Cherni, John Elvis Hagan, Dan Iulian Alexe, Alexandru Ioan Băltean, Vlad Adrian Geantă, Wafa Douzi, Anissa Bouassida
Scientific Reports April 14, 2026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-48457-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Trained youth swimmers (20 males, 10 females; aged 19.7 ± 1.7 years) |
| Intervention | body awareness |
| Duration | 3-week intervention (12 sessions) |
| Measures | 400 m freestyle time, mean velocity, mental skills (basic, psychosomatic, cognitive), peak heart rate (HRpeak), rate of perceived exertion (RPE) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | A three-week pre-swim mindfulness program improved swimmers' basic, psychosomatic, and cognitive mental skills (all p < 0.01; Cohen's d = 2.02–2.83) and produced lower intra-subject and inter-session variability in internal load compared with standard training. No significant effects were found for 400 m freestyle time or mean velocity. The authors suggest mindfulness enhances self-regulation and training consistency rather than immediate performance. |
Abstract
This study examined whether a three-week mindfulness program integrated into swim training could enhance mental skills, stabilize internal-load responses, and affect short-term endurance performance in youth swimmers. Thirty trained swimmers (20 males, 10 females; aged 19.7 ± 1.7 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG, n = 15) or a control group (CG, n = 15). The EG completed 12 pre-swim mindfulness sessions, each lasting 30–45 min and incorporating breathing regulation, body awareness, and attentional-focus exercises, while the CG followed standard training only. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included 400 m freestyle time, mean velocity, and mental skills (basic, psychosomatic and cognitive). Peak heart rate (HRpeak), expressed as a percentage of theoretical maximum HR, was recorded throughout each training session, and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was assessed at the end of each session. The EG exhibited greater improvements in mental skills across basic, psychosomatic, and cognitive domains (all p < 0.01; cohen’s d = 2.02–2.83) compared with the CG. Despite higher HRpeak and RPE values (p < 0.001), the EG showed significantly lower intra-subject and inter-session variability, indicating a more stable internal-load profile. No significant interactions were observed for 400-m performance variables (p > 0.05). Mindfulness appears to improve athletes’ self-regulation and training consistency rather than producing immediate performance gains. Longer interventions are warranted to evaluate the long-term transfer of these benefits to competition settings.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- A meta-analysis of the intervention effect of mindfulness training on athletes’ performance Frontiers in Psychology May 31, 2024
- The relationship between mindfulness and athletes' mental skills may be explained by emotion regulation and self-regulation. BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation March 19, 2024
- Effects of mindful physical activity on perceived exercise exertion and other physiological and psychological responses: results from a within-subjects, counter-balanced study. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
and 1 more in the library