Negative momentum detrimental to athletes

Losing the lead has a significant negative influence on the performance of athletes, according to PhD student Ruud den Hartigh . He discovered that the feeling of unity in a rowing team which is in the lead decreases strongly when their opponents are visibly drawing nearer. In addition, in such situations of ‘negative momentum’ during competition, the power behind the rowing strokes of the leading team will drop relatively rapidly.

Den Hartigh's research

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