Arousal and stress management

Question 1

what is arousal?

Answer 1

a physical and mental state of alertness or readiness, varying from a deep sleep to intense excitement or alertness

Question 2

what is optimum arousal?

Answer 2

the point at which the best or optimum performance occurs

Question 3

what does the inverted U theory state?

Answer 3

that as arousal increases so does performance up to an optimum point, after this point as arousal continues to rise, performance will drop due to being over anxious

Question 4

do fine or gross movements need higher levels of arousal and why?

Answer 4

gross- due to large movements occuring

Question 5

do elite or beginners have higher arousal?

Answer 5

elite

Question 6

what are the 4 methods of managing arousal/stress?

Answer 6

mental rehearsal, visualisation/imagery, deep breathing, positive self-talk

Question 7

what is mental rehearsal?

Answer 7

a technique used by many elite performers. It involves mentally practising a skill or movement before physically doing it.

Question 8

when is mental rehearsal used?

Answer 8

-during the warm up you may prepare mentally and physically for the activity
-during an event the performer goes through a sequence or skill they are about to perform in their mind, to help clarify it and improve confidence

Question 9

when is visualisation/imagery used?

Answer 9

-you can visualise yourself playing with a successful outcome
-you can visualise yourself in a stress-free environment to reduce anxiety so optimal performance can be achieved

Question 10

when is deep breathing used?

Answer 10

-if a performer becomes over-aroused breathing can become shallow, deep breathing techniques can help reduce arousal. they should concentrate on taking long deep breaths

Question 11

when should positive self-talk be used?

Answer 11

-as performers often think negatively of themselves during a game and has a negative effect on their performance
-one way of preventing this is by saying encouraging things to Yourself