Performance Enhancement

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Performance Enhancement

• From a Psychological Perspective

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Psychological Skills Training

• Rehearsal or practice of a variety of
  Psychological performance enhancing Techniques
• There are 3 phases of Performance enhancement
• Education What are the current skills of the
  athlete from a mental skills perspective? How can
  techniques such as imagery improve physical
  performance?
• Acquisition How does an athlete that has
  concerns with arousal levels, acquire the skills
  to improve this area of performance?
• Practice Athletes make the acquisition and
  practice of their psychological performance
  enhancing techniques part of every physical
  performance

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Psychological Skills Training
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Goal Setting

• Goals are clear targets set down by an athlete
  that outlines priorities and expectations
  regarding overall performance. They can be short
  term running 3 times per week initially to
  running a marathon as a long term goals, the
  goals will change progressively between these
  gaols
• There are 3 types of Sporting goals
• Outcome Goals focussed on end results such as
  gold medals. These goals are difficult to achieve
  because they are linked to outside factors that
  cannot be changed, for example opponents
• Performance Goals these goals focus on a
  performance as they relate to previous
  performances, this is about achieving a personal
  best performance, no matter what the result
• Process Goals Focus on actions, or game
  strategies that will maximise performance
• All Performance Goals should be
• Specific
• Measurable
• Accepted
• Realistic
• Time Phased
• Exciting
• Recorded
• This is known as the SMARTER WAY
• Goal Setting focuses the attention of the athlete
• Encourages perseverance
• Promotes learning

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Arousal

• Arousal is the amount of readiness or activation
  a person experiences when facing a task
• The relationship between arousal and performance
  is known as the inverted U principle For
  performance to be at its optimum arousal needs to
  be moderate, if arousal is too low or to high
  performance is compromised
• Understand the signs and symptoms over or under
  arousal
• Under aroused Tired, muscles heavy, lethargic,
  poor concentration
• Over aroused Tense highly excited, anxious, poor
  co-ordination, poor movement

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Arousal Regulation

• Arousal Reduction Techniques
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Breath Control
• Bio Feedback
• Stress Inoculation Training
• Arousal Promotion Techniques
• Evaluated Breathing Rate
• Act Energetic
• Positive Talk
• Energising Imagery
• Pre Competition Workout

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Imagery, Mental Rehearsal and simulation

• Athletes attain optimum arousal and concentration
  levels by trying to imagine themselves performing
  skills before actually doing them, this is mental
  imagery( the ability to picture events via
  thoughts in the brain)
• Imagery can be Kinaesthetic, auditory and Tactile
• This method works best in a relaxed state
• Imagery improves performance by
• Improving Neural pathways between brain and
  muscles
• Provides a mental template for performance
• Enables athletes to practice and prepare for
  competition
• Compliments other enhancement techniques
• Allows athletes to experience pre competition
  goals
• Slows down complex skills into smaller components
• Identifies potential problems in performance
• Concentration
• Concentration has 3 parts
• Focusing on relevant environmental cues
  (selective attention)
• Maintaining attention focus over time (not
  allowing concentration to vary over time)
• Having awareness of the situation( take into
  account the game situation, and respond to these
  situations)

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Concentration

• Types of concentration
• Broad internal focus
• Broad external focus
• Narrow internal focus
• Narrow external focus
• Be able to define and provide and example
• Choking can cause concentration to falter, is a
  build up of pressure that causes a reduction in
  performance. Choking has an impact on physical
  performance
• Understand the Choking process Pg 324 Fig 13.7
• Improving Concentration
• Shut out irrelevant cues
• Use cue words e.g. move feet, follow through
• Establishing a routine

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Confidence Building

• Confidence is a belief individuals possess that
  they will be successful
• Self confident people exhibit positive emotions,
  they remain calm, and focussed under pressure
• Confidence levels and performance attainment
  closely reflect the inverted u shape demonstrated
  by the arousal theory