Arousal and Techniques for Regulation

Dr Victor Pendleton

Arousal

•Different meanings

–Refers to intensity level of behaviour

–And to generalized, non-directive activation

•Physical sensations like rpms in a car, neither good nor bad

•Interact with self-efficacy and outcome expectations

–Some reciprocal determination

Arousal

•Extremely high arousal levels may lead to unpleasant emotional reactions

–Stress, distress (vs eustress), state anxiety

•In sport, negative emotional responses may not occur if athlete can maintain control over aspects of performance

–Response related to perceived ability to handle the situation

Arousal

•“Too much confidence may lead to under-arousal”

•“the athlete’s initial appraisal of the situation is the starting point of a chain reaction leading to an over-aroused state”

The Way is in Training

•Confidence in ability to handle the situation

–Belief in your training system

–Previous similar experiences

–Confidence that required effort was made in preparation

The Way is in Training

•Stressful arousal produces a narrowing of perception and a regression to dominant responses

•Through realistic training correct responses become internalized: they become the dominant response and will be automatic under stress

•“The way is in training”

–Miyamoto Musashi

•“tough, realistic training spells the difference between success and failure”

–Gen. G.S. Patton

•“boxing requires a clean life”

–Battling Battalino

Effects of Over-Arousal

•Increased HR, BP, respiration

•Release of hormones and catecholamines

–Cortisol, adenaline, noradrenaline

•Perspiration

•Butterflies (stomach motility)

•Muscular tension

•Attenuation of attentional focus

•Regression to dominant response (habit or nature)

Task Factors in Arousal

Individual Factors in Arousal

•Personality

–Trait anxiety and extroversion/introversion

•Skill level

•Conditioning

–Physical and mental

•Competitive experience

–Positive

–Comparable situations

Measuring Arousal

•Physiological

–HR, BP, perspiration, butterflies, ..

–Individual differences in response patterns

•Heart responders vs stomach responders

•Biochemical markers

–Invasive; temporal issues

•Questionnaires

–All associated limitations: behavioual artifacts: halo effect, social response bias, etc.

Arousal and Performance

•Drive Theory

–Performance = Habit X Drive

–Habit = dominant response

–Drive = level of arousal

•Inverted ‘U’

–Performance as a curvilinear function of arousal

–Optimum arousal: not too hi or low

•Reversal Theory

–Distinguishes between +/- arousal

Cognitive Transition in Athletic Development

•Most people don’t start off good, they develop over time

•At times, a challenge will be at the limits of athlete’s self-appraised ability

•Athlete may have the talent and preparation to get the job done but self-doubt or other unsupportive thoughts may interfere

Arousal Management

•Body to mind techniques

•Mind to body techniques

Muscle to Mind Techniques

•Breathing exercises

•Progressive relaxation exercises

Breathing Exercises

•Complete breath

•Sighing on exhalation

•Rhythmic breathing

•Concentration breathing

Complete Breath

•3 stages

•Inhale bottom to top

•Slow exhale top to bottom to focusing on all tension leaving the body

Sighing on Exhalation

•Hold breath 10 secs

•Sigh on exhale

•“calmest” time is between exhale & inhale

–Equals relaxation

Rhythmic Breathing

•4X4X4 (inhale, exhale, pause)

•1:2 Ratio (inhale, exhale)

•5:1 countdown

–Breath deeply

–On exhale think “I am more relaxed now than I was at 5”

Concentration Breathing

•Focus on breathing

•As you become aware that you thinking of something else, gently let it go and come back to your breathing

•Effective in dealing with intrusive thoughts

Progressive Relaxation Exercises

•Progressive Relaxation (PR)

•Active PR

•Differential PR

•Abbreviated PR

•Passive PR

•Quick Body Scan

•Neck and Shoulder Scan

Mind to Muscle Techniques

•Meditation

•Autogenic training

•Imagery

Meditation

•Similar to concentration breathing

•Can use other non-stimulating, non-arousing mental devices

•Passive/accepting, “let it happen” attitude

Autogenic Training

•Exercises to produce two physical sensations: warmth & heaviness

•Six stages of training:

–Heaviness in appendages

–Warmth in appendages

–Heartbeat regulation

–Respiration regulation

–Warmth in solar plexus

–Coolness in forehead

Autogenic Training w/Visualization

•While in the relaxed state imagine a flow, peak, or winning experience where everything went just right

•Imagine doing the activity skillfully

•More receptive in relaxed state?

Arousal Reduction

Energization and Activation

•Breathing

•Imagery

•Self-talk and verbal cues

•Energy transfer

•Energy storage for later retrieval

•Energy absorption from the environment

•Pace

•Distraction

Energizing Breathing

•Gradually increase rhythm

•With each inhalation imagine that you are generating more energy and activation

•With each exhalation you are getting rid of waste products, fatigue, and other things that impede performance

•“Energy-in, Waste-out”

Energizing Imagery

•Imagine yourself as an energy-generating machine: locomotive

•Have these images worked out ahead of time and readily available for use

Verbal Cues

•“You are the bully in here!”

•“You got to want it!”

•“Athletes need to know themselves well enough to know what types of thoughts, images, and words serve to activate and energize them.”

Energy Transfer

•Re-channeling (sublimate) unsupportive affect:

Anger => performance

Energy Storage for Later Retrieval

•“Put it away” and use it later

Energy Absorption from the Environment

•Crowd

Pace

•Controlling emotion

•“Racing your race”

•“Fighting your fight”

Distraction

•Thinking other thoughts during intense physical training

•Pain more intense when attended to