Jean Williams

1. Chapter 13 Relaxation and Energizing Techniques for Regulation of Arousal Jean Williams “ He didn’t stay relaxed like I told him. If he did, He’d have run in the 9.7’s.” Trevor Graham, coach of Justin Gatlin, given after Gatlin won the gold medal in 100 meters at 2004 Olympics

2. Why Regulate Arousal? • Athletes who control arousal levels perform more consistently and at higher levels • Poorer performance comes from both under arousal and over arousal • Issue is not arousal and anxiety, but athletes’ skill at coping with it

3. What Athletes Say? “ I felt physically very relaxed, but really energizing and pumped up. I experienced virtually no anxiety or fear…” “Even though I was really hustling, it was all very effortless.” (Garfield and Bennett, 1984)

4. What Coaches Say? “It’s not a case of getting rid of the butterflies, it’s a question of getting them to fly in formation.” (Jack Donahue, basketball coach)

5. Research Evidence • Individuals can control their autonomic functioning (arousal) • Heart rate -Muscle tension • Breathing -Body temperature • Blood pressure -Brain waves • Meta-analysis of 25 relaxation studies indicated that the techniques enhanced sport performance • Little known about relative effectiveness of different relaxation techniques nor individual differences that influence success at relaxing

6. Keys to Arousal Regulation • Know optimal level of arousal for the task (see Ch. 12) • Monitor current state to see if it deviates from optimal • Know your typical pattern of under or over activation • See Ch. 10 for how to increase self-awareness • Learn techniques to regulate activation level • (athletes often know tense, but clueless as to how to relax) • Use appropriate relaxation or energizing technique • Often good to integrate physical and cognitive techniques • E.g., decreasing self-doubt and worry lowers arousal (see Ch. 15)

7. Bracing • Muscles arranged in pairs – when one tightens due to stress its opposite sets up a counter tension to hold the segment of the body in place • Resulting double pull (bracing) can build formidable heights of tension, yet remain unidentified by most people • Interferes with performance by preventing appropriate movement coordination • Leads to being ‘scared stiff’, shooting air balls, blowing a short putt, etc.

8. Differential Relaxation • Proper form in any movement involves using just the right amount of tension at any given time in the relevant muscles • Called Differential relaxation: • The correct level of tension in appropriate muscles to accomplish the movement objective

9. Relaxation • Athletes need to learn how to recognize unwanted tension and to relax or release that tension • Relaxation (the absence of tension) comes from no more than stopping unwanted muscle contraction, thereby eliminating the tension sensation • Turns off overcharging of nerve pathways to the muscles

10. Complete Relaxation • Results in total relaxation (zero-activation level) • Practicing helps athletes recognize and release even small levels of muscle tension • Other benefits of practicing complete relaxation •  onset of sleep and  other insomnia problems •  headaches and muscle aches • Facilitate recovery from fatigue •  tension headaches and muscle aches • Helps learn momentary relaxation skills • Never do before practice or competition

11. Momentary Relaxation • Goal is releasing just unwanted tension -- not total relaxation • More uptight the athlete, the longer the session of momentary relaxation • When practice: • Before and during warm-up • During brief lapses when performing • Part of pre-performance routines • Anytime during day when too stressed

12. Relaxation Training • Relaxation skills must be practiced on a regular basis just like any sport skill • Athletes should become skilled at both complete (total) and momentary relaxation • Athletes should practice a variety of techniques for each type of relaxation • Effectiveness of techniques varies between individuals and within the individual • If possible, match the intervention to the precise mode of the anxiety response

13. Two Categories of Relaxation Techniques • Muscle-to-mind (afferent) • Breathing exercises • Progressive muscle relaxation (PR) • Massage • Mind-to-muscle (efferent) • Mediation • Visualization • Autogenic training • Autogenic training with visualization

14. Two Categories of Relaxation Techniques (Cont.) • Either approach is effective • Point is to disrupt the stimulus-response pattern of either the efferent nerves leading to the brain or afferent away from the brain. • Reducing the firing in either half of the circuit interrupts the stimulation necessary to produce unwanted muscular tension

15. Breathing • Breathing properly is relaxing, and facilitates performance by increasing oxygen in the blood • Breathing is usually affected in one of two ways when in high-stress situation and too uptight: • Breathe rapidly and shallowly from the upper chest • Hold breath

16. Breathing Exercises • Complete breath • Sighing with exhalation • Rhythmic breathing • 1:2 ratio • 5-to-1 count • Concentration breathing

17. Complete Breath • Proper breathing comes from the diaphragm • During long, slow, deep inhalation, the diaphragm pulls down causing belly to expand and lungs to fill from bottom up due to vacuum created in lungs • Long, slow, complete exhalation -- feels as if air drains out of bottom of the lungs by first emptying the top, then the rib-case, and finally the lower part • Exhalation results in all tension leaving the body -- quietest or calmest time after end of exhalation • Emphasize this calmness and recreate whenever need to relax

18. Sighing with Exhalation • Exhale completely through mouth, making an audible sigh • Close mouth and inhale quietly through nose to a count of 4 • Hold breath for count of 7, feeling tension building • Exhale audibly through mouth to count of 8 as you let go of tension

19. Rhythmic Breathing • Inhale to a count of 4 • Hold for a count of 4 • Exhale to a count of 4 Can alter the rhythm of breathing by changing the count

20. 1:2 Ratio Breathing • Inhale to 4-count, exhale to 8-count • Emphasis is on long and total exhalation • When ready, change the ratio to 5:10 or 6:12 for deepened relaxation • Powerful relaxer if done properly

21. 5-to-1 Count Breathing • Mentally count and visualize the number 5 as take a deep, full, slow breath • Exhale completely -- being completely still after it • Mentally count and visualize the number 4 on the next inhalation. • As you exhale, say “I am more relaxed now than I was at number 5.” • Repeat for 3, 2, 1, etc.

22. Concentration Breathing • Passively focus total attention on the breathing rhythm • With each exhalation think of becoming more relaxed • Good exercise to practice when having problems with distracting thoughts

23. Muscle Relaxation Exercises • Active PR • Differential PR • Abbreviated active PR • Passive PR • Quick body scan • Neck and shoulder check • Sport muscle check

24. Active Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PR) • Jacobson (1930) developed the technique • Consists of a series of exercises that involve contracting a specific muscle group, holding the contraction 5-7 seconds, then relaxing 25-30 seconds • Exercise progresses from one muscle group to another • Contraction phase teaches awareness and sensitivity to what tension feels like

25. Active PR (cont.) • Letting go, or relaxation phase, teaches awareness of what absence of tension feels like and that it can be induced voluntarily by passively releasing the tension (contraction) in a muscle • PR helps individuals become aware of where they hold tension in their body • Goal is to spot and release tension before it causes performance problems, fatigue, headaches, etc.

26. Posture for PR Practice • Sit upright. • Hips against the backrest. • Arms and legs uncrossed. • Feet flat on the floor. • Hands rest comfortable on the thighs (palms down). • May remove or loosen constrictive clothing (belts, shoes).

27. Differential PR • Consists of studying and releasing tension of ever-decreasing intensity • First, all-out contraction followed by relaxation, second, half tension and relax, and finally just enough tension to identify and let it go • Performed with same sequence of muscle groups as active PR • Exercise builds skill at detecting and releasing even small amounts of tension • Also enhances differential relaxation, which is typically required in sport

28. Abbreviated Active PR • When skilled, can use a shorter procedure to achieve deep muscle relaxation by combining some of the muscle groups • Tense each muscle group for 5 to 10 seconds and then relax for 30-40 seconds

29. Passive PR • With some skill at active PR, can relax the muscles without first tensing • Many find this passive form of relaxation more effective than active PR • Participants merely focus on the muscle(s) and let go of whatever tension is there • Progress through same muscle sequence as active or abbreviated PR

30. Quick Body Scan • Momentary relaxation technique that is an abbreviated version of passive PR • Quickly scan the body from head to toe • Stop only at the muscle groups where the tension level is too high • Release the tension and continue the scan down the body • Do when too tense, including when performing: • E.g., before serving, shooting free throws, batting, while running

31. Neck and Shoulder Check • Often carry excessive tension in the neck and shoulders when worried or anxious • Once skilled in spotting and releasing tension, scan neck and shoulders periodically for signs of tension • Releasing excessive tension in these two areas typically spreads relaxation to whole body • May also quiet the mind

32. Sport Muscle Check • Identical to neck/shoulder check, but substitute appropriate muscle group for the sport skill • Can supplement by initially contracting, e.g., • Batter squeezes bat before relaxing • Golfer squeezes club

33. Mind-to-Muscle Relaxation Techniques Focus is on efferent nerve control, or the stimulation from the brain to the muscles • Meditation • Visualization • Autogenic training • Autogenic training with visualization

34. Meditation (Relaxation Response) • Helps achieve a state of deep relaxation by calming and controlling the mind • Recommend using the relaxation response developed by Herbert Benson, MD • Based on transcendental meditation, but removed any religious/cult connotations • Four basic components: • Quiet environment • Comfortable position • Mental device (mantra) • Passive attitude

35. Visualizing a Relaxing Scene Royalty-Free/CORBIS

36. Visualizing a Relaxing Scene • Image being in a place conducive to relaxation • Lying on a beach feeling the warm sun and sand on your body while listening to the breaking waves and sea gulls and smelling the salt air • A beautiful mountain scene by a gentle, gurgling stream • Use whatever image provides a sense of relaxation and calm (no movement)

37. Autogenic Training • Takes longer to master, used more in Europe than North America • Training consists of a series of exercises designed to produce two physical sensations: warmth and heaviness. • Based on self-hypnosis • Focus attention (passively) on the sensations one is trying to produce through autosuggestion

38. Autogenic Training Stages Stage 1 – Heaviness Stage 2 – Warmth Stage 3 – Heartbeat Stage 4 – Breathing Stage 5 – Warmth in the solar plexus Stage 6 – Coolness of the forehead

39. Autogenic Training With Visualization • Progress through the autogenic stages and then, when very relaxed, visualize the desired performance, thoughts, and feelings

40. Why Relaxation Training Fails • Insufficient rapport with athletes or athletes “coerced” (e.g., coach required) • Insufficient practice of relaxation techniques (very common) • Failure to frequently self-monitor arousal level and relax when needed • Fear of losing control when start to attain deep relaxation • Need to identify the underlying reason for this reaction

41. Why Relaxation Training Fails (cont.) • Can relax, but not in high-pressure situation. How treat: practice relaxation in increasingly stressful situations • Ironic processing- the effort of trying to relax can produce the ironic effect of intensifying anxiety and tension. How treat: • Provide detailed relaxation instructions vs. general comment “relax” • Provide less motivational instructions, downplay the importance • If still fail, emphasize the fun and excitement (vs. threat) of competition

42. When Need to Increase Activation and Energy • Poor performance also comes from under arousal • Must learn to recognize signs and symptoms of low energy and activation • Use activation techniques during practice and competition when fatigued, need burst of energy, or not psyched-up • Techniques develop skills to speed up the physiological systems so ready for action

43. Breathing Using energizing imagery Formulating energizing verbal cues Combining energizing cues, images, and breathing Transferring energy Storing excess energy for later use Using the environment Listening to music Improving pacing Using distraction Skills and Strategies for Increasing Activation and Energy

44. Energizing Breathing • Breathing control works as effectively in producing energy as in reducing tension • First focus on a regular, relaxed breathing rhythm • Next, consciously increase your breathing rate and imagine with each inhalation that you are generating more energy and activation • Think “energy in” (inhalation), “fatigue out” (exhalation)

45. Energizing Imagery • Imagine you are a machine capable of generating energy at will (e.g., train). • Animal images • Machine images • Forces of nature • Establish a plan for using these images ahead of time and practice and prepare to use them on a regular basis • Lapses in action are good times to use them as well as when fatigued or low motivation

46. Energizing Verbal Cues • Use when not enough time to prepare imagery techniques to generate energy • Think of word cues that quickly associate energy buildup, e.g.: • Explode, charge, psych-up, go, etc. • Select cues appropriate to you and tasks that you perform during competition • May want to combine with energizing images

47. Combining Energizing Cues, Images, and Breathing • Combines a verbal phrase with imagery and a certain breathing pattern • The breathing pattern is one of exhaling on the first part of the phrase and inhaling on the italicized part depicting  energy • “I am vigorous and alert.” • During pauses between phrases visualize some image that depicts the energy statement

48. Transferring Energy • Convert energy from other sources into a positive and useful force for athletic performance • For example, aggression, anger, frustration or some other emotion that tends to interfere with performance can be converted into energy to accomplish performance goals

49. Storing Excess Energy for Later Use • “Storing” excess energy that is frequently generated just prior to competition accomplishes two things: • It provides a means to transfer that energy somewhere else • It provides a well of energy from which to draw upon at some later point (fatigued or discouraged)

50. Using the Environment • Draw energy from the spectators • Can provide the home team with an advantage • Can even draw energy from your opponent, particularly when it appears that the opponent has momentum going for them