1. Unit 4 AOS 2

2. Is the sports science that seeks to understand
psychological and mental factors that affect
performance in sports, physical activity and
exercise, and apply theseto enhance
individual and team performance.

3.  The work of sports psychologists tends to
focuson techniques that athletes can use in
competitive and training situations to
maintain control, concentration, confidence
and commitment (the four C’s) :-

4.  control (the ability to maintain emotional
control regardless of distraction)
 concentration (the ability to maintain focus)
 confidence (the belief in one’s own abilities)
 commitment (the motivation to continue
working towards agreed goals).

5.  Strategies used to help enhance performance
control:
 Sports Performance AnxietyTest
 Understanding and controlling arousal (inverted U
theory, drive theory, optimum arousal theory)
 Progressive muscle relaxation, centered
breathing, meditation, pre-comp psych-up)

6.  Involves reducing the
number of cues and
noises to the brain,
therefore relaxing the
CNS.
 It can lower blood
pressure and HR
 Slow breathing relaxes
muscles

7.  Instructions is needed
so the athlete can get
the techniques correct
 Helps with the
inhalation and
exhalation of air with
obvious benifits

8.  Relaxing the body and imagining/creating
life-like situations
 EG: Imagining yourself performing a certain
activity or an activity you just performed
 Powerful relaxation, reflective, training,
confidence building tool

9.  Time:
 Sleep:
 RecoveryAids: Skins

10.  Monitoring techniques include:
 Keeping a training log
 Coach obervation and communication with the
athlete
 Development of the athlete individual physical
and mental monitoring techniques

11.  Direct communication
 Athlete says:
▪ I have heavy legs; I don’t feel well; I am tired
 Body Language
 Facial expressions, look in their eyes, bending
over to recovery from an effort, bad technique
 Physiological
▪ Increase in resting HR; loss of body weight; loss appetite
 Psychological
 Low motivation; low concentration; agressiveness

12.  Sudden increase in morning heart rate (20%
above normal)
 Non-responsive to relaxation techniques
 Sleep disturbances
 Low quality of sleep for more than two days
 Feeling constantly tired

13.  Also known as burnout
 Characterised by a number of emotional,
behavioral, psychological and physical
symptoms
 You are probably suffering from overtraining:
 If you find your performance is starting to
plateau or decrease and your training levels are
the same.
 If the athlete has prolonged fatigue

14.  Can result in
 Excessive fatigue
 Illness
 Injury

15.  Poor program design
 An imbalance between training and recovery
 Excessive overload + inadequate rest
 Training monotony
 Inadequate monitoring techniques in place
 Long term fatigue occurs gradually and is hard to
monitor
 Inadequate nutrition, sleep
 Anxiety about other factory in life (job, money,
relationships)
 Failure to achieve goals
 Mental conflict
 Lifestyle

16.  Well-designed training program with a high
priority on rest and recovery
 Balance between work and rest
 Allow at least 24-48 hours recovery after a hard
session
 Careful monitoring of physiological and
psychological conditions of the athlete
 Monitoring of any overtraining symptoms
 Good diet
 Overtraining signs shouldn’t be ignored

17.  Moodiness
 Irritation and angry
 Loss of competitive drive
 Loss of motivation and enthusiasm
 Reduced concentration
 Lack on energy
 Inability to relax
 Altered sleep patterns
 Boredom
 Reduced confidence
 And more (p. 297)

18.  Soreness
 Heaviness
 Weakness in the muscles
 Body aches
 Increase evidence of injury
 Prolonged fatigue
 Delayed recovery from training
 Elevated resting HR
 Dehydration
 Increase susceptibility to illness
 Weight loss
 Nausea
 Gastrointestinal disturbances