Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. The Process of Sports Training
1.2. Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes
1.3. Need for Research
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Instrument
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- Sport context. This dimension sought to determine the age at which the interviewees started practicing sport, their memories (positive or negative), practice of other sports, considerations related to the different clubs in which they had trained, reasons why they started practicing sport or competing, aspects related to coaches, and considerations related to competition and sporting performance.
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- Social context. The aim of this dimension was to understand the perceptions of Paralympic women athletes about their close environment (family), studies and/or academic training, friends and/or teammates, and finally, the media.
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- Psychological aspects. The aim was to analyze whether the women athletes have worked with psychologists and, if so, how. In addition, the objective was to find out which psychological aspects were most important to them: emotions, motivation, self-confidence, pressure, stress, and anxiety. Emotions are understood as a complex reaction pattern, which involves experiential, behavioral, and physiological elements; motivation is defined as the impulse that gives purpose to behavior; self-confidence refers to confidence in one’s own abilities; pressure is understood as excessive or stressful demands that influence the way one thinks, feels, or acts; stress is the physiological or psychological response to internal or external distressing factors; and anxiety is characterized by the learning of emotions and behaviors and the somatic symptoms of tension that a person may manifest [22].
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- Technical–tactical aspects. The purpose was to determine the importance given to these aspects by the women athletes, whether they considered that they have worked on them to the right extent during their sports training, and at what stage they considered it necessary to further deepen their knowledge of them.
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- Physical fitness. The goal was to study how they developed their physical fitness during their sports training, who was responsible for their preparation, what physical capacities they considered most important, and how they thought they should be trained during the sports training process.
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- Facilitators and barriers. This was aimed at analyzing the opinion of women athletes on the factors which may influence the training process, as well as the aspects which should be taken into consideration in an ideal training model. Furthermore, it sought to detect the different difficulties they had encountered in their sporting careers, both because they were women and because they had a disability, as well as other barriers they may identify. This research will focus on the most important aspects of each of the dimensions. Table 1, Table 2, Table 3, Table 4, Table 5 and Table 6 show the categories, descriptions, and examples of the dimensions of the interview.
2.3. Procedure
2.4. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Sport Context Dimension
I remember the training sessions were fun. There were a lot of us in the club and I had a lot of fun with my teammates. I also remember that we played a lot of games, especially at the beginning of the season and at the end of the season(woman athlete 13, paragraph 6)
This has had a positive influence on me. It has helped me in my training as an athlete(woman athlete 3, paragraph 3)
Well, I remember a lot of club changes until I found a very good coach at a club that allowed me to qualify for my first Paralympic Games(woman athlete 10, paragraph 4)
My last two coaches have also been very important, both the one at my current club and the one at the high-performance center, with whom I have a very good relationship. They have been vital for me. Additionally, they still are, to this day(woman athlete 5, paragraph 12)
I changed coaches several times. I changed the first one because at a certain point situation was too much for him. He was an amateur coach. He did not feel he was capable of coaching me anymore(woman athlete 4, paragraph 10)
My level of motivation was the same as during training. I was doing the same as I had trained. I did not arrive too activated because of what I mentioned before, it could backfire on me. You could say that my motivation was the same in training as in competition(woman athlete 7, paragraph 30)
Additionally, the teammates, above all, because my motivation for going to compete was not the fact of competing, but meeting friends(woman athlete 1, paragraph 12)
Seeing myself with the possibility of winning medals at the international level. The following year was the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and it was an opportunity I did not want to miss(woman athlete 5, paragraph 8)
3.2. Social Context Dimension
It is crucial. To reach high performance you need to feel supported and valued by the people around you. Moreover, even though you are doing something for yourself and that you feel good doing it, at the end of the day, an athlete is always looking for recognition. It is important to notice this recognition for results, effort, dedication... It is essential that the social context supports you. Additionally, then I think that, at the Paralympic level, the social and media context is beneficial for everyone(woman athlete 13, paragraph 20)
Yes, they have played sports. My brother is a swimmer and a water polo player, so we are in the same boat. Additionally, my parents also played a sport, but as amateurs(woman athlete 17, paragraph 21)
Very much so. I was very familiar with swimming. Additionally, as I mentioned before, the fact that my sister was a swimmer means that she understands you better, that she knows what you are talking about, she supports you, helps you, and walks with you in your suffering, in your travels and in everything. It was very good for me because she knew how to help me better(woman athlete 13, paragraph 21)
They have always been above sport. There have been times when I have valued sport more, especially when I was already at university when I had a bit more freedom and it was me who was paying for my studies. I told them not to worry because I was the one who was paying for my studies and that I preferred to study at my own pace so that I could combine it with the sport. I would decide whether I wanted to take more or fewer subjects(woman athlete 11, paragraph 14)
Sport came before my studies. There was a moment when I decided that I could either get my degree or fight for a medal at the Games, that I had chance to fight for it(woman athlete 21, paragraph 14)
It’s very important to balance them because if you do not study, what do you do for a living? In fact, if you do not study, when you finish your sporting career, you will find yourself with nothing. Sport has an expiration date. It is essential to combine both things. High-level sport comes to an end and if you do not have studies, you are left with nothing; no job, no studies...(woman athlete 25, paragraph 15)
I think it is important. After so many years in the sport, I have had moments when you are worse and less motivated or you have personal and social problems, and at the end that ends up affecting your performance, training, and competition(woman athlete 21, paragraph 20)
For me, it was easy to combine because I had friends in the club and on the national team. I also had friends outside. Depending on the time of the season regarding the competition, I could socialise more or less, but I already had social relations in the same environment(woman athlete 18, paragraph 17)
It’s not easy to balance them. You can combine them by making friends who do the same thing, even if they do not do the same sport, but who have the same discipline as you, and the same lifestyle, because otherwise, it’s complicated(woman athlete 4, paragraph 17)
Let us start with the visibility of both Paralympic and women’s sports. Have you been able to watch the Paralympics on TV? I go crazy looking for the channel, and where is women’s football? I know there are economic interests, but if girls do not watch sports, how are they going to have references and how are they going to practice sport? It is neither known nor sold(woman athlete 12, paragraph 52)
You can cry over this double formula. If you are a Paralympic athlete and on top of that you are a woman, you do not exist, you do not have any visibility(woman athlete 25, paragraph 51)
3.3. Psychological Dimension
All the importance. I think you have to be very strong in your mind. In my opinion, when it comes to competing you are 70% mental and 30% physical. I know people who train very little and then compete brilliantly because of their mental strength and people who train a lot and when it comes to competing they are blocked and do not get good results in competition. I see the psychological aspects as essential(woman athlete 5, paragraph 22)
Motivation. Motivation is key(woman athlete 1, paragraph 23)
Well, I would highlight determination, perseverance, and being a mentally strong person. I am also, a disciplined and optimistic person, who always approached competitions with confidence and optimism(woman athlete 21, paragraph 23)
Many teammates work with psychologists, but it is not something that is forced on us. We can ask for it whenever we want at no cost(woman athlete 3, paragraph 24)
I do not know, I do not even remember the name. My psychological work has been more with coaches than with psychologists(woman athlete 21, paragraph 26)
Very important. The fact that I can rely on a psychologist helps me to manage situations not only on a sporting level, but also a personal level(woman athlete 5, paragraph 24)
Very bad. Insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, general discomfort...(woman athlete 4, paragraph 28)
I was much more nervous and stressed that day(woman athlete 23, paragraph 28)
Yes, these negative emotions usually come to me when I have done a test wrong or made a big mistake. I try to control it, although you do not always succeed 100% because it overwhelms you(woman athlete 3, paragraph 31)
I did not use to or do not usually control my emotions and that is why I was going through what I was going through(woman athlete 5, paragraph 31)
During the championships, my motivation level is even higher than during training because it is the culmination of everything you have worked on. Do you really want or train for those moments(woman athlete 3, paragraph 30)
Quite high. In general, I was self-confident, except for when I had the injury, which I did find more difficult. However, as you go on competing, you convince yourself that you are fine(woman athlete 11, paragraph 32)
Yes, I felt pressure coming from the coaches. I felt pressured, but for me, it is not a bad thing(woman athlete 4, paragraph 19)
I put pressure on myself. It’s complicated. For example, if I get a gold medal, they give me a scholarship and in every competition you have to get a gold medal otherwise they take it away. That money helps with expenses(woman athlete 9, paragraph 19)
3.4. Technical–Tactical Dimension
It is essential. I learned the technique wrong and after 5 years as a judoka I had to redo my entire technical background. It was a very complicated process, but I was able to overcome it with flying colors before I reached my first Games(woman athlete 7, paragraph 36)
Just like the technique. It is very important, and we prepared the matches depending on the opponent we were playing against. Certainly, it is as important as the technique(woman athlete 14, paragraph 39)
The idea is in the initial stages because that is when you can best absorb the learning. There are things that I did not get to learn well because I already had vices and I’ve been doing them badly all my life. The idea is to start in the early stages, although you can always improve(woman athlete 13, paragraph 37)
3.5. Physical Fitness Dimension
It is fundamental, it is the basis of everything. If you do not have good physical preparation, you have nothing to do(woman athlete 25, paragraph 43)
We had a physical trainer in addition to the coach(woman athlete 19, paragraph 43)
The coaches I have had at any given time. We did not have a specific physical trainer(woman athlete 11, paragraph 43)
We did specific sessions to train physical fitness. We worked on endurance with continuous running. Additionally, then we worked on strength in the gym with the routines we received(woman athlete 20, paragraph 47)
3.6. Facilitators and Barriers
The training, the discipline, the physical and emotional effort, the unconditional support of the people around you and the friendships in the team. That is why I have stayed for so many years(woman athlete 1, paragraph 49)
The trust placed in me by the coaches and then my determination, perseverance and dedication(woman athlete 6, paragraph 49)
Well, I’ve thought about it a thousand times. Psychologically I would try to enjoy it more, I would try not to be so competitive. It would have been different to have had 10 years in high-level performance that was more relaxed and more enjoyable and not focused on the result and the objective of winning, with all the tension that entails. I think the medal does not make up for it(woman athlete 14, paragraph 53)
I think it was more because of my disability than because I am a woman, but there are certainly barriers for women in sports. In fact, I think there are many differences between men’s and women’s sports, especially on a commercial level, in terms of sponsorship and prizes. The remuneration is not the same either. In the end, men’s sport moves more money. Additionally, if you move more money, you get paid more. If women’s sport was promoted, could it move more money? Sure(woman athlete 16, paragraph 51)
You never get over them because they are always there. You have to settle, in inverted commas, and if you want to get to the top, you have to train as best you can and make a living. You cannot get down because of that, you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps(woman athlete 2, paragraph 51)
On an economic level, there are many differences between Paralympic and Olympic sports, we do not have the same social recognition, nor the same recognition in the media(woman athlete 11, paragraph 51)
We also do not receive the same scholarships and recognition as other non-disabled athletes(woman athlete 9, paragraph 51)
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Age | This is the age at the beginning of the practice | At 5 years |
Memories | Comments on memories (positive or negative) | Emotionally, I remember it as very positive. Very cozy. I had good feelings |
Other Sports Practiced | Everything related to the practice of sports other than the sport you practice | At school. Outside school, dancing and skating |
Clubs and Sports schools | Comments on anything related to different clubs or schools of which you have been a member | The first club I was at started growing in water polo and losing in swimming. There were few spaces, times, and coaches for swimming, so I changed clubs |
Reasons | These are the different reasons why you started playing sports or competing | Medical reasons mainly |
Coach | Everything related to coaches and teachers that you have had throughout your sporting life | At some point, I felt pressured by the coaches to achieve results |
Competition | Related aspects or comments about the competition or high competition | I was dedicated to high competition for 12 years |
Performance | Comments related to sports performance | Just a few months before the Paralympic Games in Atlanta, my mother talked about the possibility of participating in the Games. It is the moment I open my mind and see that I can do more things at the sporting level |
Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Family | Comments where you allude to your close environment (family) | My parents, because they have allowed me to practice it and have encouraged me always |
Studies and Training | Everything relating to studies and/or academic training | Yes, I have early childhood education and psychopedagogy |
Friends and colleagues | Everything about friends and/or teammates | My closest friends if they are related to sport |
Other Persons | Comments about other people who are not family, friends, or teammates | Know how to manage what others tell you to |
Means of Communication | Allusions to the media | I think they could watch more sports. The media should help and give us more impact. For example, swimming is seen very little in Olympic sport |
Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Importance Aspects Psychological | The degree of importance the athlete gives to the psychological aspects | I think the psychological aspects have been very important |
Aspects Highlights | Psychological aspects that have allowed they to reach the elite level | It helped me a lot to learn how to filter comments. Listening to some things and not listening to other advice that came from people that I thought were very important to me |
Psychological Support | Comments on the importance of psychological support | Within my training as an athlete if I work with psychologists |
Emotions | Comments on the emotions and feelings experienced by the athlete during her sporting life | With controllable nerves. Although in my good times, they have been one way and in the not so good they have been another |
Motivation | Comments cited on the motivation that drives you to start or continue to practice sport | Very high. That is the high point. You have been trained for that |
Self-confidence | Comments on the confidence you have in yourself to accomplish or achieve something | It has a lot of influence. When we went to the international championships beforehand, we did concentrations, and they gave me a lot of confidence in the training I had done. That is why in the championships that I participated in during the season, I was more unsure whether I was well prepared or not, but in the internationals, I went with a lot of certainties that I was well prepared |
Pressure/stress/ Anxiety | Everything related to the pressure/stress you have suffered, or not, throughout your sporting life | Yes, it has happened to me many times. Additionally, goals that I have not set for myself, but have been imposed on me |
Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Technical importance | Importance of technical aspects during the training process | The technical aspects are very important. They are the foundation of everything |
Tactical importance | Importance of tactical aspects during the training process | They were also important. You have to know your strengths, if it is the exit, if it is the flip, if it is the swim, and you have to know where you have to make the most effort and where you have to reserve the energy. It is very important and at first, when you start, you are not able to handle it |
Own characteristics | Opinion on your technique and tactics | My success as an athlete has depended on technique rather than tactics |
Methodology | Comments and opinions on the different ways to train both technique and tactics | I think I have worked them properly, otherwise I would not have had those results |
Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Importance of physical fitness | The degree of importance that physical fitness is considered to have during the training process | During my training, physical preparation has been very important. It is a physical sport |
Work and recommendation on physical fitness | Opinion on whether you have worked well or not in physical fitness throughout your sporting life and different recommendations for working on it | I think a mix. Some sessions independently and when you already have a base, in an integrated way. We trained to a greater extent in an integrated way |
Important Physical Qualities | Opinion on the most important physical qualities to reach the elite level | Endurance is the most important physical ability to reach the elite |
Own Physical Qualities | Opinion you have about your physical qualities | The qualities that prevailed with respect to the other athletes were stamina and technique |
Categories | Description | Examples |
---|---|---|
Success | Comments or opinions on what have been the causes of sporting success | It is not something concrete, but a combination of circumstances and sometimes also coincidences because it was by chance that my parents introduced me to swimming and then also the work that I have been doing with coaches who have supported me |
Failure | Comments or opinions on what are the reasons that cause failure in some athletes | They aim high very soon. Self-confidence is important, but we have to be realistic. You have to go setting achievable goals |
Facilitators | Comments or views on how the barriers they face could be removed, reduced or facilitated | I was the only one with physically disabled people in the village where he trained. I was very close to where I lived and, in addition, in the training, I did not have to adapt myself to people with physical disabilities, but I had my training |
Proposal Formation Model | Opinion on what is the ideal training model for Paralympic athletes and on the changes it would make to their training process | Growth as a person, integral development, not just sports growth, must be taken into account |
Barriers by gender | Comments on the different difficulties that the athlete has encountered because she is a woman | As a woman, I do not think I had any barriers, but I do because of my disability |
Barriers by disability | Comments on the different difficulties that the athlete has encountered because of having a disability | For example, we have not had the same financial support as non-disabled sportsmen |
Other barriers | Other challenges | I put them together until a moment came when I had reached the highest point in the world of sports. I have lived it before, and I did not want to live downhill. Studies were above sports. If it were like footballers who make money, you might think so, but it was not the case. |
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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Rodríguez Macías, M.; Giménez Fuentes-Guerra, F.J.; Abad Robles, M.T. Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes. Sports 2023, 11, 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030057
Rodríguez Macías M, Giménez Fuentes-Guerra FJ, Abad Robles MT. Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes. Sports. 2023; 11(3):57. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030057
Chicago/Turabian StyleRodríguez Macías, Manuel, Francisco Javier Giménez Fuentes-Guerra, and Manuel Tomás Abad Robles. 2023. "Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes" Sports 11, no. 3: 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030057