Stress Management

Question 1

Define stress and Stressors

Answer 1

stress is an individuals response to a threat
Stressors are what cause stress

Question 2

What does stress cause?

Answer 2

Somatic (physiological) response- An increase in HR breathing blood pressure, sweating, adrenaline production and muscle tension
Cognitive (Psychological) response- Anxiety/negative thoughts/reduced concentration/poor decision making attentional narrowing.

Question 3

What are examples of stressors?

Answer 3

Injury, playing in an important match, playing against good opponents, playing to get an important reward such as prize money, fear of failure caused by pressure from being watched by significant others pressure from the coach or pressure from your own expectations.

Question 4

What are the two types of reactions to stress?

Answer 4

Distress
Eustress

Question 5

What is distress?

Answer 5

Negative response, the performer cannot cope with the stress, Performance is inhibited.

Question 6

What is eustress ?

Answer 6

Positive response, the performer can cope with the stressor, the performer is confident and believes they can overcome the task at hand, performance is facilitated.

Question 7

What are the four types of somatic management strategies?

Answer 7

1. Biofeedback
2. Progressie muscular tension
3. Breathing control
4. Centering

Question 9

What is progressive muscular relaxation?

Answer 9

A performer concentrates on individual muscle groups. By tensing and relaxing them the performer can relax and reduce stress

Question 10

What is Breathing control?

Answer 10

By concentrating and controlling breathing the performer can become less distracted and focus on the task

Question 11

What is centering?

Answer 11

Used alongside breathing techniques the performer should breath in focus on their core and then breath out, whilst breathing out the performer should chant a phrase which should describe how they want to perform. Negative thoughts are disregarded. This is useful during breaks in performance

Question 12

What are the 6 types of cognitive management strategies?

Answer 12

1. psychological skills training
2. Mental rehearsal
3. Visualisation
4. Imagery
5. Positive self-talk
6. Negative thought stopping

Question 13

What is negative thought stopping?

Answer 13

When negative or irrational thoughts occur the performer uses a learnt action or trigger to remove them. This can be physical action that is linked to the negative thought to redirect attention to the task in hand

Question 14

What is mental rehearsal?

Answer 14

Going through the performance in your mind before doing it

Question 15

What is visualisation?

Answer 15

When you perform a skill successfully in training you lock in the positive mental image of it this can be re-lived in the competitive situation

Question 16

What is imagery?

Answer 16

The performer recalls a successful performance and tries to relive it fully in their mind using all the sense to recreate the feeling of success

Question 17

What is positive self talk?

Answer 17

The performer will either talk themselves through the routine to they will chant positive things

Question 18

What is psychological skills training?

Answer 18

The performer basically practices