cq2; psychological strategies

Question 1

What are psychological strategies?

Answer 1

Different strategies used by athletes to enhance motivation and manage anxiety, therefore helping reach optimal levels.

Question 2

What are the psychological strategies?

Answer 2

• Concentration and attention skills (focusing)
• Mental rehearsal/visualisation/imagery
• Relaxation techniques
• Goal setting

Question 3

What is the aim of concentration and attention skills?

Answer 3

To make players focus their attention on the task at hand.

Question 4

How does an athlete implement concentration and attention in sport?

Answer 4

Must shut out distractions, concentrating on things that matter and focusing on the moment when performing.
- Focusing on the process rather than the outcome.

Question 5

What are the types of distractions?

Answer 5

• External
• Internal

Question 6

What are the types of concentration?

Answer 6

• Intense concentration
• Intervals of high concentration
• Sustained concentration

Question 7

What are ways to improve concentration and attention skills?

Answer 7

• Avoiding negative thoughts
• Blocking out external distractions
• Using breathing techniques
• Using positive self talk
• Establishing routines

Question 8

What is mental rehearsal and visualisation?

Answer 8

The athlete imagining and going through their performance in their head.

Question 9

What is the benefit of mental rehearsal?

Answer 9

Helps an athlete become more familiar with their performance and allows for increased concentration.
It is important that an athlete is not distracted during mental rehearsal

• Helps manage anxiety
• Helps reach optimal arousal
• Good when an athlete can’t train

Question 10

What are the types of imagery?

Answer 10

• Internal
• External

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of mental rehearsal?

Answer 11

• Coaches can not control the thoughts of their athletes
• Past negative experiences may get in the way of thoughts
• Some players may day dream and embrace their performance images in an unproductive manner

Question 12

What are the guidelines for mental rehearsal?

Answer 12

• Visualise in real time
• Have vivid detail
• Visualise setting
• Realistic expectations
• Visualise success
• Imagine the feeling in muscles

Question 13

What are relaxation techniques?

Answer 13

Techniques used to decrease anxiety and thus obtaining optimal levels of arousal.

Question 14

What are the types of relaxation techniques?

Answer 14

• Breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Progressive muscular relaxation

Question 15

What are breathing exercises?

Answer 15

Involves controlling breathing to release tension before a performance

Question 16

What is meditation?

Answer 16

involves narrowing one’s thoughts using simple repetitive images and sounds.

Question 17

What is progressive muscular relaxation?

Answer 17

Involves tightening and holding a specific muscle for five seconds before relaxing.
- Works up/down from feet/head

Question 18

What are the benefits of goal setting?

Answer 18

Goal setting for performance can provide;
- motivation
- commitment
- direction.

Question 19

What are the guidelines of goal setting?

Answer 19

SMARTER
Specific; goals must be specific
Measurable; targets should be measurable
Accountability; what are you accounted for
Realistic
Time; targets should be time based
Evaluation; constant evaluation of goals
Recorded; goals should be recorded

Question 20

What is the case study athlete for psychological strategies?

Answer 20

Michael Phelps

Question 21

How does Michael Phelps use motivation?

Answer 21

• A combination of intrinsic, extrinsic and positive motivation.
• Phelps uses the pressure and criticism, or trash talk as ammunition to motivate him to perform at his best. Wants to prove others wrong.
• Strong desire to win all the time, especially at the Olympics (goal-setting)

Question 22

How does Michael Phelps use psychological strategies?

Answer 22

• Visualisation; Phelps uses visualisation well, planning for various scenarios, both good and bad so that he knows how to respond to them. (e.g. goggles broke, sees the perfect race from both the stands and in the water.)
• Concentration; Concentrates on his performance only; pays no attention to his opponents next to him even when he’s out in front by a small margin.