Specifics of motivational sphere of athletes in various cycling disciplines

Фотографии: 

ˑ: 

A.A. Zalikhanova
Professor, Ph.D. M.M. Kovylin
Professor, Ph.D. V.F. Sopov
Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sport, Youth and Tourism (GTsOLIFK), Moscow

Keywords: motives of sports activity, cycling BMX-racing, track race, sense of comfort

Relevance. Today the success in the activity of elite athletes depends not only on the high level of physical, technical and tactical skills, but also on the strength of motivation. Motivation affects the nature of the processes of sports activity (response to exercise, restoration, learning of new things, strong-willed efforts). The direct effect on athletic performance is an important feature of motivation.

Motivation and its effect on different aspects of sports activity and psychic features of an athlete have always been of particular interest to domestic and foreign sports psychologists (A.Ts. Puni, V. Hennig, E.A. Kalinin, (1974), R.A. Piloyan, (1984), V.F. Sopov). However, the issue of motivation in the context of its direct relation with athlete's volitional activity in different sports is insufficiently covered.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the differences in motives of sports activity between elite cyclists specializing in BMX-racing and those specializing in track racing.

The objectives of the study:

  1. To investigate the reasons that create comfort in sport for elite cyclists specializing in BMX-racing and track racing.
  2. To detect the interrelation of the reasons that create comfort in sport and motives of sports activity.
  3. To compare the obtained results and study the specifics of motivation to sports activity of elite cyclists specializing in BMX-racing and track racing.

Research materials:

- theoretical generalization of the issue;

- motives for sports activity of E.A. Kalinin (MSA);

- questionnaire (with self-evaluation of the factors that create comfort in sport).

Cyclists specializing in track racing (1 HMS, 15 MSIG) and those specializing in BMX-racing (1 MSIG, 15 MS, 2 CMS) were involved in the study.

Research results. Athletes involved in one specific sport answered the questions for the questionnaire form in the following manner (Table 1).

Table 1. Sense of comfort in sport in cyclists specializing in BMX-racing

Adrenaline

Passion

Extreme

28%

Communication
Friendly team
Encouragement

39%

Travels

Monetary reward

33%

Only 22% of the cyclists engaged in BMX-racing responded that they felt the sense of comfort owing to achievement of the target goals, the chance to improve.

The psychological tingle of athletes' answers is clearly seen from the following examples:

- I like to be the object of attention, most people respect me, take pride in me, follow my example.F.M. (MS)

- Friendly team, great trainers, domestic and foreign trips, broadening of the mind.Sh.V. (MS)

- Having an incentive to beach-ready body. New contacts, communication is what seems attractive to me.L.A. (CMS)

- Professional work. That's my work!M.P. (MS)

- Achieving goals, get higher, grow stronger.P.A. (MS)

The analysis of the received data has revealed a certain interrelation of the reasons that create comfort and strength of motives for sports activity (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1. Interrelation of the reasons that create comfort in sport and motives for sports activity of cyclists specializing in BMX-racing

 - The need for achievement of the maximal result in sport is more markedly pronounced in cyclists preferring passion and monetary reward. This points to the fact that passion and extreme expressions, and greater monetary rewards are directly related to achievement of sports result.

- The need for competitive battle was characterized by average values and was less pronounced in the group of cyclists preferring communication and reward. Avoidance of situations of tension and confrontation with an opponent.

- The need for volitional and personality self-improvement is a strongly marked factor in the group of cyclists choosing passion and monetary reward.

- The need for communication was within the range of optimal need in all groups.

- The need for encouragement. This factor is unreasonably high in the group of cyclists preferring monetary reward. Accumulation of the items and attributes of own sports activity (medals, prizes, souvenirs, sports uniform, etc.).

A slightly different picture can be observed among cyclists specializing in track racing (Table 2).

Table 2. Sense of comfort in sport in cyclists specializing in track racing

Sense of duty

 

9%

Overcoming pain and fatigue

Character and will building, development of power qualities and endurance

 

73%

Analysis of special literature

18%

Examples of athletes' responses:

- It's nice to know own potentialities, overcome pain threshold, build own will to victory, develop the sense of freedom, I think that sport is my life at this point!Sh.N. (MSIG)

- Sense of duty in sport. Not because of money, or popularity, or appreciation by people around you. Indeed, duty in sport is duty to oneself, to the first trainer, to the sport principle of Olympism.K.A. (MSIG)

- Character and will building, development of power qualities and endurance, building and perfection of own body and beauty.

Sh.D. (MSIG) Cyclists specializing in BMX-racing feel comfortable, communication, chance to travel abroad and monetary reward, this is what they like sport for. And cyclists specializing in track racing like the chance to improve, overcoming pain, fatigue satisfaction, analysis of special literature, nutrition regime, sleep pattern and self-discipline. Consequently, cyclists specializing in track racing are more reliable, determined, and they treat their training process rationally.

Fig. 2. Interrelation of the reasons that create comfort in sport and motives for sports activity of cyclists specializing in track racing

Cyclists specializing in track racing were nominally divided into three groups who felt comfortable in sport because of:

- Sense of duty;

- Will;

- Cognition.

The need for maximal sports achievements and the need for self-improvement are the factors that are most strongly marked in the group of cyclists impelled by the sense of duty. In sports practice, combination of these motives is deemed perfect, as an athlete is powered by the motive "I’m obliged to others, so I'm doing it" (Fig. 2).

The need for achievement, self-improvement and encouragement are strongly marked in the group of cyclists feeling comfortable in sport due to their volitional qualities being displayed.

The group where cognition was chosen is characterized by such motives for sports activity as: the need for achievement and the need for competitive battle.

The difference of motivation for doing sports in cyclists specializing in BMX-racing and those engaged in track racing is shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3. Specifics of motivation for sports activity of cyclists engaged in BMX-racing and those specializing in track racing

The need for achievement, competitive battle, self-improvement is higher in cyclists engaged in track racing than in those specializing in BMX-racing, but is significantly lower than the need for encouragement, which is proved by the questionnaire results.

What could be the cause of this difference in motivation of athletes involved in these seemingly related disciplines? In our opinion, this can be caused by the following reasons:

- BMX-racing in Russia originated in Saransk in the 90s. It is a relatively pioneer discipline and one would think it is supposed to be at the stage of development, but paradoxically enough, there exists a shortage of young athletes in sports schools at the moment, elite cyclists aim to earn monetary reward, travel (which is significantly different from the indices registered in cyclists engaged in track racing). In 1996-1998, due to the general lack of funding, the attained level of development of BMX-racing in Russia started to decrease. At that point in time, there were few clubs left that not only kept struggling against difficulties in Russia (market crash of 1998), but also continued to take an active part in the official international competitions. For the most part, Russian BMX-racing was supported by parents of promising racers.

- There is only one indoor cycle track in Russia (Saransk) and neither that would comply with the requirements of the Olympic Committee ("Supercross"). Therefore, our athletes need to train abroad so that they could participate in international competitions. At the same time, the percentage of our athletes, who have ever competed at the Olympic games, is minimum. Hence, their objective is to perform in competitions so that they could get wages and be able to travel.    

Russian athletes did not participate in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 2012 Olympics in London, as they had not scored the number of points required by the Olympic qualification policy. We assume that the reason for this might be lack of tracks of international standing (supercross tracks) in Russia, as well as insufficient experience of participation in international competitions.

- For instance, it was the athletes from the Latvian National Team who dominated in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in the category "men". 

And it was the female athletes from the French National Team who established themselves as leaders at those Olympic games in the category "women". Our athletes considerably yield their position in the international rating due to the low level of speed-strength qualities and low level of implementation of the current speed-strength capabilities in competitive activity.

Conclusions.

1. The reasons that create comfort in sport:

- In cyclists specializing in BMX-racing the reasons are passion, communication, monetary reward.

- In cyclists specializing in track racing they are: sense of duty, will and cognition.

2. The interrelation of the reasons that create comfort in sport and motives for sports activity is as follows:

In cyclists specializing in BMX-racing:

- Passion correlates with the need for achievement, need for competitive battle, need for self-improvement;

- Communication correlates with the need for self-improvement, need for encouragement.

- Encouragement correlates with the need for achievement, need for self-improvement, need for communication, need for encouragement.

In cyclists specializing in track racing:

- Sense of duty correlates with the need for achievement, need for self-improvement;

- Will correlates with the need for achievement, need for self-improvement, need for encouragement;

- Cognition correlates with the need for achievement, need for competitive battle.

3. The most pronounced motives for sports activity of elite cyclists engaged in track racing are: the need for achievement, the need for competitive battle and the need for self-improvement. In cyclists specializing in BMX-racing it is the need for encouragement.

4. We assume that it is insufficient experience of participation in international competitions and training process within a narrow (constant) circle of Russian athletes that have caused an increased motivation for communication and encouragement in cyclists engaged in BMX-racing.

References

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  3. Kalinin, E.A. Vliyanie motivatsii i trevozhnosti na osobennosti predsorevnovatel'nykh sostoyaniy gimnastov (Influence of motivation and anxiety on specific pre-competition states of gymnasts) / E.A. Kalinin // Teoriya i Praktika Fizicheskoy Kul'tury. – 1974. – № 5. – P. 13–15.
  4. Piloyan, R.A. Motivatsiya sportivnoy deyatel'nosti (Sports activity motivation) / R.A. Piloyan. – Moscow: Fizkul’tura i sport, 1984. – 104 P.

Corresponding author: zalihanova_anast@mail.ru