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. 2021 Mar 31;16(3):e0247353. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247353

Table 1. Summary of the included articles (N = 14) with an overview of the quality scores, sample characteristics, experimental protocols, examined parameters and major results.

Study reference, discipline, quality and focus Subjects Experimental protocol Parameters examined Major results
Ball et al. (2003)
Air-rifle
68%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 6
Sex: 4 men + 2 women
Age: 22,2 ± 2,6 yrs
Skill: Elite
Experience:
-Shot score: 10.1 ± 0.3
Test: 10m, 20 shots, standing
Conditions: AMTI force plates; SCATT system
Shot score
Rifle stability
Aiming accuracy
COP length and range in ML- and AP-direction [mm] 5-0s, 3-0s, 1-0s before shot release
Relationship between body sway and shot score on an intra-individual level but not on an inter-individual level
Relationship between body sway and rifle stability on an intra-individual level but not on inter-individual level
Era et al. (1996)
Small-bore
36%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 24
Sex: 21 men + 3 women
Age: 30.1 ± 5.7 yrs
Skill: Elite (9) + Nat (8) + + Novices (7)
Experience: Elite (10–16 yrs), Nat (12 yrs)
Shot score: -
Test: 18m, 100–200 shots dry-firing, standing
Conditions: Kistler force plates; Noptel system
Shot score
COF velocity, maximum amplitude, moment of velocity in AP- and ML-direction in 1.5s windows, starting 7.5-5s before shot release
Body sway differentiated between skill levels
No relationship between body sway and shot score in elite- and national-level shooters
Body sway correlated with shot score in novices
Ihalainen et al. (2016)
Air-rifle
56%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 40
Sex: 18 men + 22 women
Age: -
Skill: Elite (19)+ Nat (21)
Experience: -
Shot scores: -
Test: 10m, 40/60 shots, standing
319 analyzed tests with 13797 shots over a period of five years
Conditions: Good balance force plates, Noptel system
Shot score
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering, aiming time,
timing of triggering
COP location in ML- and AP-direction 7-2s, 2-0s, 1-0s before shot release
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering and body sway (ML) 7-2s and 1-0s before shot release differentiated between skill levels
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering and aiming time correlated with the mean shot score in elite- and national-level athletes
Timing of triggering did not correlate with shot score
Body sway (AP) correlated with the mean shot score 1-0s before shot release in elite-level athletes
Body sway (AP) correlated with horizontal rifle stability 2-0s, 1-0s; Body sway (ML) correlated with vertical rifle stability in all time intervals; Body sway (AP) correlated with horizontal rifle stability 1-0s
Regression analysis: Holding stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering and timing of triggering explained 81% of variance of the shooting score–holding stability explained 54% of variance
Ihalainen et al. (2016b)
Air-rifle
66%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 17
Sex: 8 men + 9 women
Age: 25 ± 6 yrs
Skill: Elite
Experience: 14 ± 5 yrs
Shot score: 10.25 ± 0.14; 10.30 ± 0.08; 10.30 ± 0.07 (season 1–3)
Tests: 10m, 40/60 shots, standing in sim. comp.
15 ± 7 competitions in three years and 11433 analyzed shots
Conditions: Good balance force plates, Noptel system
Shot score
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering, aiming time,
timing of triggering
COP location in ML- and AP-direction 7-2s, 2-0s, 1-0s before shot release
Horizontal rifle stability, aiming accuracy and cleanness of triggering correlated with the mean and maximum competition shot score; timing of triggering did not
Body sway (ML) correlated with mean and maximum competition shot score during all time intervals before shot release
Body sway (AP) correlated with the mean and maximum shot score 1-0s before shot release
Body sway (ML+AP) correlated with horizontal rifle stability during all time intervals before shot release
Body sway (ML+AP) correlated with cleanness of triggering during all time intervals; except for 7-2s in AP
Ihalainen et al. (2017)
Air-rifle
67%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 13
Sex: 5 men + 8 women
Age: -
Skill: Nat (10) + Junior (3)
Experience: -
Shot score: 10.31 ± 0.13 vs. 10.14 ± 0.17 (training vs. competition)
Tests: 10m, 40 shots, standing
Conditions: Good balance force plates, Noptel system
Shot score
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering, timing of triggering
COP location in ML- and AP-direction 7-2s, 2-0s, 1-0s before shot release
Horizontal rifle stability correlated with shot score in training but not in competition
Aiming accuracy was related to shot score in training and competition
Vertical rifle stability, cleanness of triggering, timing of triggering and postural balance (AP + ML) in all time intervals were not correlated with the mean training and competition shot score
Mean shot score, horizontal and vertical rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering, body sway (ML) in all time intervals and body sway (AP) 1-0s performance differ between training and competition
Absolute change in horizontal rifle stability, aiming accuracy and cleanness of triggering correlated with the absolute change of the mean shot score from training to competition
Konttinen & Lyttinen (1992)
Small-bore
30%
Physiology
Sample: 6
Sex: 5 men + 1 woman
Age: 23–44 yrs (nat); 24–41 yrs (novices)
Skill: Nat + Novices (3+3)
Experience: -
Shot score: -
Tests: 18m, 2x300 shots, standing
Conditions: ECG
Shot score
Heart rate
Breathing pattern
Heart rate and breathing pattern did not correlate with shot score
Heart rate and breathing pattern did not differentiate between skill levels
Konttinen et al. (1998)
Small-bore
57%
Technic-coordination,
Physiology
Sample: 12
Sex: 12 men
Age: Elite: 32.3 yrs (26–44), Nat: 30.2 yrs (21–34)
Skill: Elite + Nat (6+6)
Experience: 15.8 (Elite), 13.3 (Nat)
Shot score: -
Tests: 10m, 200 shots (100 dry-firing), standing, 18m
Conditions: Noptel system, ECG, EMG
Shot score
Rifle stability
Location of triggering
Muscle activity of the trapezius deltoid, brachioradialis and palmaris longus muscles
Heart rate and rifle stability differentiated between skill levels
Heart rate patterns were not related to shot score
Heart did not correlate with shot score
Upper body muscle activity and heart rate correlated with rifle stability
Konttinen et al. (2003)
Air-rifle
60%
Technic-coordination,
Physiology
Sample: 20
Sex: 20 men
Age: 26.8 ± 2.5 yrs
Skill: Novices
Experience: -
Shot score: -
Tests: 10m, 200 shots (100 dry-firing), standing
Conditions: Noptel system, ECG
Shot score
Location of triggering
Shooters prefer triggering in the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle
Location of triggering was related to shooting score
Kuitunen et al. (2013)
Air-rifle
50%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 15
Sex: 5 men + 10 women
Age: -
Skill: Elite (4) + Nat (11)
Experience: -
Shot score: -
Tests: 10m, 40/60 shots, standing, elite: 30 tests, national: 28 tests
Conditions: Noptel system, force plate (Metitur)
Shot score
Rifle stability, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering,
SD of COP in ML- and AP-direction 7-2s, 2-0s, 0.5-0s before shot release
Horizontal and vertical rifle stability, aiming accuracy, aiming time, cleanness of triggering and body sway (ML) 7-2s, 0.5-0s before shot release differentiated between skill levels
Horizontal and vertical rifle stability, aiming accuracy, aiming time and cleanness of triggering correlated with the mean shot score in national-level but not in elite-level athletes
Body sway (ML+AP) correlated with the mean shot score in all time intervals in national-level but not in elite-level shooters
Landers et al. (1985)
Small-bore
61%
Psychology
Sample: 20
Sex: -
Age: 18–25 yrs
Skill: Nat (10) + Novices (10)
Experience: -
Shot score: -
Tests: 50m, 25 shots, sitting
Conditions: ECG
Shot score
Heart rate
Stress level (heart rate) was correlated with shot score
Mets et al. (2007)
Air-rifle
57%
Technic-coordination,
Physiology
Sample: 20
Sex: 15 men + 5 women
Age:16.1 ± 2.1 yrs
Skill: Junior
Experience: 5.9 ± 2.0 yrs
Shot score: -
Tests: 10m, 200 shots dry-firing, standing
Retention: 4-weeks
Conditions: Noptel system, ECG
Shot score
RR-interval length
Location of triggering
Shooters prefer triggering in the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle
Location of triggering and heart rate did not correlate with shot score
Location of triggering did not correlate with heart rate
Mon et al. (2019)
Air rifle
67%
Anthropometry
Sample: 14
Sex: men + women
Age: -
Skill: Junior
Experience: 46,75±20,92 months (male), 52,00±24,79 months (females)
Shot score: 9.05 ± 0.62 (men); 9.47 ± 0.16 (women)
Tests: 10m, 40/60 shots, standing, competition
Conditions: Kistler force plate
Shot score
COP (displacement, velocity) in ML- and AP-direction
Body (ML + AP) sway did not correlate with mean shot score
Sade et al. (1990)
Air-rifle
73%
Psychology
Sample: 55
Sex: 37 men + 18 women
Age: 28.7 ± 7.2
Skill: Elite (28), Nat (27)
Experience: -
Shot score: rounded over 7 competitions: Elite: 545.01 ± 15.41; Nat: 341.76 ± 16,78
Tests: 10m, 60 shots, standing, across 7 competitions
Conditions: anxiety and self-control questionnaire
Shot score
Anxiety and self-control score
Trait anxiety and self-control did not differentiate between skill level, but state anxiety did
Trait anxiety and self-control correlated weakly with shot score
State anxiety correlated with shot score
Selva & Jopseh (2017)
Air-rifle
39%
Technic-coordination
Sample: 6
Sex: 4 men+ 2 women
Age: -
Skill: Nat
Experience: -
Shot score: -
Tests: 10m, 40/60 shots, standing
Conditions: pressure insoles
Shot score
Body sway in ML- and AP-direction (SD of displacement velocity)
Body weight distribution of left and right foot
Body weight distribution and body sway in ML- and AP-direction did not correlate with shot score

Yrs = years, COP = center of pressure, ML = medio-lateral, AP = anterior-posterior, Nat = National, COF = center of force, ECG = electrocardiogram, EMG = electromyogram, SD = standard deviation, RR = R wave to R wave.