The effects of change in the safety rope protocol, hold size, and rest period on psychophysiological responses in sport rock climbers

Purpose The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a decrease in hold size, change in the safety rope protocol, and rest period shortening on heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), pre-climb anxiety, and perceived workload in sport rock climbers under laboratory settings. Methods A total of 12 intermediate sport rock climbers were recruited. The participants completed 2 routes of different climbing difficulty. They repeated the difficult route with a short 5-minute rest period 3 times and repeated the same route with a change to lead climb. HR, HRV, anxiety level (Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised), and climbing workload (NASAclimbing questionnaire) were measured. Results and conclusions It was lead climb that elicited the most noticeable psychophysical response in the intermediate climbers. Prior to the climb, the performers exhibited marked sympathetic activation and higher cognitive anxiety. Climbing HRpeak was correlated with physical workload, psychological demand, and increasing fatigue; hence, it can be considered a variable that reflects the accumulative psychophysiological stress. NASAclimbing score effectively reflected differences in physical load (physical demand – strength and endurance) and psychological load (higher mental demand, temporal demand, and satisfaction level) during climbing.