The Invisible Behind the Speed
The Role of Psychology in Sled Sports
Keywords:
luge, bobsleight, skeleton, winter olympics, sport psychology, performanceAbstract
Luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton are Olympic disciplines characterized by extreme speeds and high technical precision. Despite their spectacular nature and the critical role of both physical and mental preparation, these sports receive less scientific attention compared to other Olympic disciplines. This chapter examines the participation of sliding sports in the Winter Olympics, highlighting the scarcity of scientific research and reviewing the most recent studies. Research is categorized into biomechanics and aerodynamics, sport psychology and stress management, sleep, and recovery in bobsleigh and skeleton athletes. The aim is to provide an updated overview of scientific developments and identify future research areas to optimize training and performance in these disciplines.
References
Frentz, D. M., McHugh, T.-L. F., & Mosewich, A. D. (2020). Athletes’ experiences of shifting from self-critical to self-compassionate approaches within high-performance sport. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 32(6), 565-584. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2019.1608332
Juliff, L. E., Peiffer, J. J., & Halson, S. L. (2018). Night games and sleep: Physiological, neuroendocrine, and psychometric mechanisms. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13(7), 867-873.
Millet, G. P., Brocherie, F., & Burtscher, J. (2021). Olympic sports science—Bibliometric analysis of all summer and winter Olympic sports research. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, 772140. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.772140
Morlock, M., & Zatsiorsky, V. M. (1989). Factors influencing performance in bobsledding: I. Influences of the bobsled crew and the environment. International Journal of Sport Biomechanics, 5(2), 208-221. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsb.5.2.208
Mosewich, A. D., Crocker, P. R. E., Kowalski, K. C., & DeLongis, A. (2013). Applying self-compassion in sport: An intervention with women athletes. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 35(5), 514-524.
Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85-101.
Öngel, H. B. (1997). Sporda etik değerler açısından doping. Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 2(2), 68-79.
QinLong, L., Steward, C., Cullen, T., Kaixuan, C., & Yue, Z. (2022). Presleep heart-rate variability biofeedback improves mood and sleep quality in Chinese Winter Olympic bobsleigh athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0037
Sevindik, U., Apur, U., İnan, M., Akgül, F., & Baykan, E. (2023). Examination of the doping knowledge levels of natural sled athletes in terms of some variables. Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise, 25(3), 319-325.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). (2022). Annual report. recuperato da https://www.wada-ama.org
Yıldıran, İ. (2005). Fair play eğitiminde beden eğitiminin rolü. Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(1), 3-16.
Yıldırım, Y., & Şahin, S. (2019). Elit güreşçilerin doping ve ergojenik yardım hakkındaki bilgi ve kullanma düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Spor Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 4(2), 187-204.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Gladys Bounous

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given and the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. Authors may enter into additional non-exclusive arrangements for the distribution of the published version (e.g., deposit in institutional repositories or inclusion in books), provided the initial publication in this journal is acknowledged.
