ENERGY MANAGEMENT: PSYCHING UP WITHOUT PSYCHING OUT

1. Matt Vaartstra University of Idaho Edited from Damon Burton ENERGY MANAGEMENT: PSYCHING UP WITHOUT PSYCHING OUT

2. AROUSAL DEFINED • Arousal – the general physiological and psychological activation of the body that varies on a continuum from deep sleep to intense excitement.

3. AROUSAL CONTINUUM Low High Arousal Arousal Coma Frenzy couch potato working out

4. COMPONENTS OF AROUSAL • Intensity – amount of activation of the Autonomic Nervous System. • Direction – interpretation of activation as positive and facilitating performance or negative and detrimental to performance.

5. PHYSIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS OF AROUSAL • Under stress, the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is activated. • The sympathetic component of the ANS pumps adrenaline into bloodstream to help the body prepare to handle demanding situation. • The “Fight or Flight Syndrome” is a survival mechanism built into our genetics.

6. PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING MAXIMAL AROUSAL • Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increase • Muscles develop anticipatory tension • Glucose is released from the liver to provide extra energy • Through vasodilation, blood is shunted away from the digestive system to the large muscles of arms and legs • The kidneys shut down and the bladder is emptied • Brain activity increases, enhancing alertness • Our cooling system engages to prepare for vigorous activity.

8. WHAT TRIGGERS ACTIVATION OF THE ANS? • Life-threatening situations trigger the “Fight or Flight Syndrome” • Psychological stress such as preparing for a big test, an important speech, a crucial job interview, or a major sport competition.

9. MENTAL COMPONENTS OF AROUSAL • Self-talk • Imagery • Attentional focus • Perceptions of control

10. Relationships Between Physical and Mental Components of Arousal High Physical Arousal • somatic anxiety • anger • excitement • challenge • readiness Debilitative Facilitative • boredom • fatigue • lethargy • relaxation Low Physical Arousal

11. FACILITATIVE AROUSAL • High arousal that is interpreted positively as optimal challenge, readiness, or excitement. • Leads to a constructive approach to competition in which athletes are highly-focused, thinking positively, feeling prepared and in control, and imagining successful process and outcome. • Prompts performers to rise to the occasion, attain personal excellence, and promote Flow.

12. DEBILITATIVE AROUSAL • High arousal that is interpreted negatively as threat, worry, and fear of failure. • Leads to a detrimental approach to competition in which athletes are highly-distracted, thinking negatively, feeling ill prepared and totally overwhelmed, and imagining disastrous performance and outcome. • Prompts choking and poor performance, thus blocking Flow.

13. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AROUSAL AND ANXIETY • Anxiety – a negative emotional state characterized by feelings of nervousness, worry, and apprehension associated with activation of the body. • Anxiety is a negative emotion that has a detrimental impact on performance. • Trait anxiety – is the general tendency to view situations negatively and respond with higher levels of state anxiety. • State anxiety – is a momentary anxiety experience that includes both autonomic arousal and specific cognitions of worry and apprehension.

14. Model of Competitive Emotions Facilitative • excitement • readiness • self-confidence Physical Mental • somatic anxiety • cognitive anxiety Debilitative

15. DIMENSIONS OF ANXIETY • Cognitive Anxiety– is negative expectations of success or worrying about the negative consequences of failure. • Symptoms include: self-doubts, concerns about doing well, lack of control, inability to concentrate, and images of failure or disaster. • Somatic Anxiety– is the physiological and affective component of anxiety that develops directly from autonomic arousal and is interpreted negatively. • Symptoms include: muscular tension, butterflies in the stomach, shortness of breath, sweaty palms, “cotton mouth,” frequent urination, and increased heart rate.

16. POSITIVE COMPETITIVE EMOTIONS • Self-Confidence – is positive expectations of success that should facilitate performance. • Symptoms include: feelings of control, perceptions of being highly prepared, few concerns about doing well, extreme belief in talent and ability, and images of success. • Excitement/Readiness– reflects a positive interpretation of autonomic arousal symptoms that should facilitate performance. • Symptoms include: muscular tension, butterflies in the stomach, shortness of breath, sweaty palms, “cotton mouth,” frequent urination, and increased heart rate.

17. DRIVE THEORY: AROUSAL- PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP Performance Arousal High High Low

18. INVERTED-U THEORY: AROUSAL- PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP Performance 1 2 3 • Individualized Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) Arousal

19. CATASTROPHE THEORY: WHEN AROUSAL & COGNITIVE ANXIETY ARE HIGH High Cognitive Anxiety Performance 1 2 3 Arousal See the textbook (p. 149) for information on Reversal Theory

20. Blue = Experienced Parachutists Red = Inexperienced Parachutists

21. HOW UNDERAROUSAL IMPAIRS PERFORMANCE • Arousal is insufficient to prepare body for challenging competitive demands. • Insufficient oxygen is pumped to the working muscles • The body’s cooling system is not adequately readied • Nonessential systems such as digestion and excretion are not put on standby • Glucose has not been released from the liver to fuel activity • Brain activity increases, heightening alertness during optimal arousal

22. HOW OVER AROUSAL IMPAIRS PERFORMANCE • Excessive muscular tension and coordination problems • Gripping the stick (bat, ball, etc…) to tight • Attentional problems • Attentional narrowing • Inability to shift attention • Brain specialization problems • Excessive analyzer control • Adoption of an outcome rather than a process orientation

25. Analyzer Versus Integrator • Controlled Processing (Analyzer): • Thinking through every step sequentially • Developing a mental blueprint • Automatic Processing (Integrator): • Converting all the steps into a single program • What happens when we use the wrong processing at the wrong time? • Low controlled = Wrong or bad blueprint • Low controlled = “Going through the motions • High controlled = “Paralysis by analysis”

27. OPTIMAL AROUSAL: SIMPLE VERSUS COMPLEX TASKS • Attentional demands • Decision-making requirements • Nature of the motor response

28. ATTENTIONAL DEMANDS • The number of stimuli in the environment • The number of cues you need to attend to • The duration and intensity of the stimuli • The conflicting nature of cues

29. DECISION-MAKING REQUIREMENTS • Number of decisions necessary • Number of choices per decision • Speed at which decisions have to be made • The sequence of those decisions

30. NATURE OF THE MOTOR RESPONSE • The number of muscles involved • The amount of coordination required • The precision and steadiness needed • The fine motor skills required

31. OPTIMAL AROUSAL: TASK DURATION • Long-duration events– require execution of the skill as efficiently as possible to minimize energy expenditure through good technique and correct pace. • Short-duration events– require sharply-focused, explosive arousal for a few moments when athletes perform.

32. Does the inverted-U hypothesis still effectively explain how arousal influences performance?

33. RECONCEPTUALIZING THE INVERTED-U • Facilitative arousal conditions– cognitive anxiety is low, self-confidence is high, and athletes adopt a process orientation. • Neutral arousal conditions– low-moderate cognitive anxiety, moderate to high self-confidence, and a moderate outcome orientation. • Debilitative arousal conditions– cognitive anxiety is high, self-confidence is low, and athletes adopt an outcome orientation.

34. AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP: FACILITATIVE CONDITIONS Performance Arousal High High Low

35. AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP: NEUTRAL CONDITIONS Performance 1 2 3 • Individualized ZOF Arousal

36. AROUSAL-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP: DEBILITATIVE CONDITIONS High Cognitive Anxiety Performance 1 2 3 Arousal

37. SPORT ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM • Education Phase • General Education • Personal Education through Awareness • Acquisition Phase • Develop Energy Management Skills • Adjust Your Optimal Energy Zone • Practice and Rehearsal Phases