Topic on a page - arousal levels/ stress management Flashcards
what is arousal
a physical and mental (physiological and psychological) state of alertness or readiness, varying from deep sleep to intense excitement or alertness
what is optimum arousal
the point at which the best or optimal performance occurs
what does the inverted U theory state
that as arousal increases so does performance up to an optimal point, after this point arousal continues to rise, but performance will drop due to becoming over anxious
what does optimal arousal depend on
the type of skill being performed - fine or gross
what level of arousal do fine skills need
lower levels of arousal
what level of arousal do gross skills need
high levels of arousal
will an elite performer or a beginner require higher arousal levels
elite performer will need higher arousal levels than a beginer
what techniques can help with stress management/ arousal levels
- mental rehearsal
- visualisation/ imagery
- deep breathing
- positive self-talk
what is mental rehearsal
a technique used by many elite performers. it involves mentally practicing a skill or movement before physically doing it
- 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 - helps clarify the skill and improve confidence
what is visualisation/ imagery
can be used in various ways
- 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
what is deep breathing
if over aroused, breathing can become shallow, deep breathing techniques can help reduce arousal. they should concentrate on taking long deep breaths
what is positive self-talk
saying encouraging things to yourself as thinking negative thoughts in a match can have a negative effect on performance and positive self-talk can prevent this
