Psychological Strategies (Unit 4 AOS 2) Flashcards
Psychological Strategies
- sleep
- confidence
- motivation
- optimal arousal
- mental imagery (focus)
- concentration
- sleep
why is it important and what happens when an ahtlete doesnt get enough sleep
(Psychological Strategies)
importance of sleep and rest:
- Tissue growth and repair
Immune function
- allowing the brain to rest and recharge
What is the impact on performance if the athlete does not get enough sleep?
Reduction in:
1. Visual processing ability
2. Concentration
3. reaction time
4. stamina
5. weight control
6. accuracy
7. motivation
8. decision making
- sleep
What are psychological benefits of sleep? What are physiological benefits of sleep?
physiological:
1. improved motivation
2. decreased stress hormones
3. increased immune function
psychological:
increased perception of fatigue
- Sleep Hygiene Practices
- Quiet environment
- room temperature ~18 degrees
- appropriate bedding and clothing
- consistent sleep routine
avoid caffeine - avoid TV, tablet, phone etc
- No afternoon napping
- at least 7 hours sleep
- Dark room
- Confidence
what is self confidence, what do confident platers fo, what do self confident people exhibit and what do they do, what is linked to confidence
Self-confidence is an individual’s belief they will be successful
Confident players believe in themselves and their abilities to reach their potential
Self confident people exhibit positive emotions
Self-confident people remain calm under pressure and stay focused and on task
Confidence and arousal are very closely associated / linked
- Confidence
self confidence will lead to…
a lack of self confidence will lead to…
Self confidence will lead to:
1. perseverance
- enthusiasm and motivation
- positive approach to failure
- remain calm under pressure
- greater ability to understand and follow game plans
Lack of confidence will lead to:
1. negative self talk
- poor judgement
- inability to attend to relevant cues
- Rushing skills
- decreased coordination
- Choking
Choking
Confidence can be lost when athletes start focusing on things that are outside their control, such as other competitors’ performances, or become overly critical of their own individual performance.
In sporting terms, this is often referred to as choking.
As well as attentional changes such as loss of confidence or focus, choking can also include physical changes including increased heart rate, breathing rate and muscle tension
How to improve confidence?
- Knowing what to do
- Knowing how to do it
- Knowing when to do it
- Having resources available to learn this
Work hard at training - log successes
Motivation
extrinsic and instrinsic motivating factors
Extrinsic motivating factors:
- external to the athlete
eg: prize money, trophies, progress charts, certificates..
Intrinsic motivating factors: - come from within the individual
eg: enjoyment from participation, self-satisfaction with performances…..
Motivation
positivr motivation anf negative motivation
Positive motivation:
- should be applied more regularly, especially with beginners, than negative motivation.
eg: acknowledge good play ‘well done’.
Negative motivation:
- should be used if performance is inadequate or incorrect.
eg:
- push up after incorrect move during training.
The Australian Coaching Council recommends coaches use 10 times more positive reinforcers than negative ones.
Goal Setting
SMARTER
Goal setting can increase motivation of an athlete.
Athlete uses the SMARTER acronym to set goals.
Specific:
- Clear goals to focus on
Measurable:
Need to be assessed against previous performances
Accepted:
- Acceptance by \all parties involved
Realistic:
- Goals need to be within the athlete’s capacity
Time Phased:
- Specific date for completion needs to be set
Exciting:
Challenged, inspired and rewarding goals
Recorded:
Goals should be written down and kept
Goal Setting Categories
- Outcome goals
- Focus on end results, times, finishing places or medals
Eg. finishing 1st - Performance goals
- Focus on comparing present performance levels with those obtained previously
- Independent to other competitors
eg: Improving 1st serve percentage
Process goals:
- Focus on physical movements and game strategies
Eg. Executing set defensive play
Arousal
Inverted U hypothesis/theory:
As arousal increases performance improves, but only up to a certain point (top of the inverted U).
If the athlete’s arousal is increased beyond this point then performance diminishes
A moderate degree of arousal is seen as being optimal to performance.
Arousal levels
optimal arousal is .
can take dif 2
why people exp low or high arousal
The optimal zone is individualised
Can take different size and width
Why may people experience low/high arousal?
because it depends on the arousal level needed for that sport (sports that recruit fewer muscle groups generally have lower optimal arousal areas than sports that recruit more muscle groups)
Arousal
what, low arousal, high arousal, what might cause low or high arousal and optimal arousal
Arousal is the amount of “readiness” a person experiences when faced with a task
Low arousal:
1. lack of motivation
2. boredom
3. tired
is linked to poor performance
High arousal:
1. anxiety
2. over excited
3. tense
is also linked with poor performance and this might be caused by:
1. Team conflict
2. Inadequate preparation & training
3. Criticism by others (players, media, etc.)
Optimal arousal occurs in a “zone” and arousal must constantly be regulated to accommodate this
low arousal
Occurs when:
People are bored & People are tired or not directly involved in a team game
Then leads to:
1. Muscles feeling heavy and lethargic
2. A drop in concentration
3. Decreased enthusiasm
4. Increased apathy (you don’t care)
high arousal
Occurs when
- People are tense, highly excited and /or anxious
Then leads to:
1. Muscles becoming tense
2. Movements becoming jerky
3. A drop in coordination
4. Increased mistakes/errors
5. Decreased success rate
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
(Arousal reduction techniques)
Alternates between tension and relaxation in various body parts
PMR needs to be practiced 20-30 mins per day
Usually involves tensing and relaxing muscles (5-10 secs) from head to toe
Controlled slow breathing should be used in conjunction with PMR
Meditation
(Arousal reduction techniques)
Important in allowing temporary shut down of cognitive processes
lack of Sleep
(Arousal reduction techniques)
Lack of sleep (sleep debt) increases stress hormones; perceived exertion; feelings of tiredness; moodiness & decreases brain function; HGH activity essential for repair; glucose metabolism.
Breathing Control
(Arousal reduction techniques)
Out for 5 in for 5
Aware of breathing
Biofeedback
(Arousal reduction techniques)
Controls automated body functions and after extensive training allows performers to become more “in-tune” with their bodies and actions. Eg) HR, RR, BP or mental cues such as attention or motivation
Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)
(Arousal reduction techniques)
By training with small and increasing amounts of stress, players build up an “immunity” to it – they develop coping strategies such as positive self talk & imagery.
Elevated breathing
(Arousal Promotion Techniques)
Taking short, sharp breath activates the central nervous system and increases state of awareness
Rapid breathing and focussing on next actions usually occur together
Acting energetically
(Arousal Promotion Techniques)
A basic way of “pumping” players up
Eg: boxers
Positive self-talk & Sounds
(Arousal Promotion Techniques)
Using “powerful” words such as tough, aggressive, strong, forceful, etc..raise arousal
Listening to up-beat music can also raise arousal levels
Energising mental imagery
(Arousal Promotion Techniques)
Involves visualising an uplifting image
Pre-competition workouts
(Arousal Promotion Techniques)
Allows players to become accustomed to playing conditions, set plays and pre-game conditioning
Very important about optimal arousal
Optimal Arousal Varies Depending on Athlete and sport
Mental Imagery (Focus)
eg:
gymnastics and diving
Athletes perform skills in their minds before actually doing them
Imagery leads to better neural pathways between the brain and muscles
Imagery should involve as many senses as possible (kinesthetic (body meovments) , auditory, visual, tactile)
Mental Imagery Improves Performance By…
Reinforcing mental templates
Taking players through scenarios they’re likely to encounter in competition
Breaking down complex skills into their components and allowing movements to be “seen” and “felt”
Allowing goals to be experienced mentally
Working in conjunction with other psychological skills
Include yourself, the spectators, the setting etc.
What does mental imagery do
increases motivation
builds self condifence
improves concentration
Mental Imagery and Simulation
Simulation and Mental Imagery should be used together for maximum impact.
Simulation is by training in an environment that is similar as possible to the game demands.
eg:
training at the same venue or incorporating match play that will mimic that competition
Simulation allows athlete to concentrate effectively in competition if they have training in similar situations.
Concentration (attention)
what, ability to, common distractions
Concentration (attention) is the mental ability to focus on the task at hand while ignoring distractions
Concentration is the ability to:
1. Attend to relevant cues (selective attention)
- Maintain attentional focus over time
- Be aware of the sporting situation
- Shift attentional focus when appropriate
- Avoid/ ignore distractions
Common distractions appear to be:
1. anxiety
2. skill errors
3. mistakes
4.fatigue
5. weather
6. opposition players
7. ‘sledging’ and negative thoughts
Strategies to Improve Concentration
- Simulation Training
- Overlearning skills
- Controlled breathing
- Mental imagery and rehearsal
- Positive self talk and cue words
eg: “Follow-through”
“knees together” - Pre-competition routines
eg: - Superstitions
- set up AFL players use
before they kick a goal
Summary of Concentration
4 types, what they are and an example
Broad-internal:
- Focus on thoughts and feelings
- used to analyse and plan
eg: a golfer considering shot selection prior to adressing th ball
Broad-external:
- Focus outwards on an opponents actions
- used to rapidly assess a situation
eg: a quaterback scanning the defene prior to the beginning of play
Narrow-internal:
- Mentally rehearse movements
- used to mentally rehearse an upcoming performance
eg:
a basketball player reviewing his self-talk prior to taking free throw
Narrow-external:
- Focus on very few external cues
- used to focus on on or two external cues
eg: a temmis player focusing on her toss as she begins to serve
Attention needs to shift before, during and after performance
arousal reduction techniques
- Progressive Muscle
Relaxation - Meditation
- Sleep
- Breathing Control
- Biofeedback
- Stress Inoculation
Training (SIT)
Arousal Promotion Techniques
- Elevated breathing
- Acting energetically
- Positive self-talk & Sounds
- Energising mental imagery
- Pre-competition workouts
