While it might seem beneficial to use sport-specific cognitive tasks, it is not necessary for the effectiveness of BET. The primary objective of BET is to induce mental fatigue to stimulate adaptations in the brain, which can be achieved using a variety of validated cognitive tasks that challenge core mental functions.
Key considerations:
Universal Cognitive Demands: Many cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and decision-making are fundamental to all sports.
Focus on Mental Fatigue: The critical factor is the level of cognitive load and the resulting mental fatigue, not the specific content of the tasks.
Adaptations Transfer Across Activities: Improvements in cognitive resilience and executive functions benefit performance in various contexts, regardless of task specificity.
Practicality and Efficiency: Using standardized, validated tasks allows for consistent measurement and monitoring of mental fatigue levels.
Therefore, while incorporating sport-specific elements can add variety, it is more important to ensure that the tasks effectively induce mental fatigue to achieve the desired adaptations.