2024, Volume 20

Effect of green exercise on stress level, mental toughness, and performance of taekwondo athletes

Behnam Boobani¹, Juris Grants¹, Tatjana Glaskova-Kuzmina², Janis Zidens¹, Artur Litwiniuk<sup>3

1</sup>Latvian Academy of Sport Education, Riga, Latvia
²University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
³Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Biala Podlaska, Poland


Author for correspondence: Behnam Boobani; Latvian Academy of Sport Education, Riga, Latvia; email: behnam.boobani@lspa.lv

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Green exercise, while in direct contact with the actual natural environment, delivers synergetic health benefits for the individuals, and active engagement with nature initiating the stress recovery process. The cognitive aims of this cuse study is knowledge about the effect of green exercise on stress level and mental toughness and its effect on the performance of junior taekwondo athletes in the competition period.
Material and Methods: Three Latvian national taekwondo athletes (n = 2 females and n = 1 male) aged 17 were selected. All participants had at least ten years of experience in taekwondo. The Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), the Vienna Determination Test, and the mental toughness questionnaire were used, and the performance assessment was based on their best results in the International Sweden Taekwondo Competition. The intervention involved twelve 40-minute nature walks, done thrice weekly for four weeks before the competitions.
Results: Group analysis showed significant stress reduction in the Vienna Determination Test (p = 0.01) but not in the DASS (p = 0.17) or mental toughness metrics (confidence p = 0.38, constancy p = 0.74, control p = 0.67). Athletes A, B, and C had varied stress reductions (22.6% to 75%) and inconsistent changes in mental toughness, with determination improving for all.
Conclusions: Green exercise significantly improved stress levels based on the Determination Test but not on the DASS questionnaire or mental toughness metrics. Individual results showed varied stress reductions, suggesting the potential benefits of nature-based physical activity in competitive settings. Further research is necessary on representative groups of people with different experience of physical activity and also using other tests in order to select a tool with the highest predictive value.

Key words: Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale, mental resilience; nature environment, recovery, Vienna Determination Test