One question I repeatedly get these days is around the magic of the power bracelet, and whether or not they really “work.” Actually, before we even delve into the bracelets, it’s important to note what different people mean by the word “work.” For one athlete, adding a few pounds to his bench press might be the evidence he needs for improved physical strength and mental toughness to say the bracelets “work,” while another athlete might need longer and more sustaining evidence before claiming the bracelets “work” (like having the best season of his career). As you can see, there is a great challenge and subjective differences in simply defining what the word “works” means — even before we talk about the bracelets! (Advanced Human Performance Systems)
Assuming for a moment that we all came to a unanimous agreement about the word “works” (which would need to be operationally defined as the dependent variable in a sport psychology research study), only then could we begin to test the efficacy of the bracelet. To determine if power bracelets “work” by helping athletes reach their full potential, it’s important to take a wide-lens view of all the variables that may be in play. For example, lets say an athlete begins wearing one of these bracelets and then has a couple really good games — the bracelet could be the cause of this change, but so could many other things. First, luck may be at play – sometimes things just fall into place naturally. It could also be possible that belief in the bracelet caused the change, and not the bracelet. In science we call this the “placebo effect,” and it occurs when a person improves simply because of belief.
More than likely, the hologram bracelets “work” (when they seemingly do) because of belief, and not the proclaimed medicinal properties of the bracelet. Simple controlled studies have already shown that in double-blind experiments (where neither the subjects nor experimenters know if they are wearing the real bracelet or a substitute) there have been no differences in human performance.
Having said all that, if you like wearing one of these bracelets and you feel it helps you, by all means keep wearing it. On the other hand, if you have a lucky penny taped inside your shoe, or wear the same lucky t-shirt under your uniform, you will probably see the same mental toughness and athletic improvement results as any power bracelet could ever provide!
For real sport-performance products that “work,” check out our growing product line at Advanced Human Performance Systems, as well as our world famous Sport Performance Assessment apps offered at the Apple apps store!
www.drstankovich.com
