Level of Arousal

Level of Arousal

Arousal is defined as being in an energised mental state of alertness and preparedness for an activity.

Level of Arousal is Impacted by21You have two minutes on the clock to come up with as many reasons for your level of arousal not being at its optimum.Level of Arousal

The key is to get in the zone and create a performance bubble

Think of the catastrophic effect of over arousalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B5ioy3VNiw - Tim Henman, cartoon.

Elite Athletes can get it wrong and lack of mental fitness can impact performancehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkmrEqJiSEE - Stephan Feck Dive

And Againhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scKTiWshGcI - Usain Bolt False Start

And Againhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXWbkbwDUr4 Chelsea v Man Utd Penalties

Optimum Arousal

EmotionalPhysicalMental At their PeakSufficient adrenalin to create excitementComposure MaintainedCognitive processes at their most productiveUnder Aroused PerformerNot Hyped up enoughOver Confident

Red AlertsErrors due to nervesLack of drive to succeedBlame culture rather than reflect on selfDwell on the past rather than the futureAnger (focus on mistakes)Impossible set goalsAnxiety dominates playConcentration deterioratesFatigue (negative thoughts)Psychological barriers

Impact Positively in badminton Lin Dan In badminton being able to control your level of arousal and get it to the right level gets you prepared to do your best. The performer can shut out distractions and make the right decisions throughout the match on shot selection and movement. They have confidence in their performance and are less likely to choke under pressure. They can control the match and react to the cues of the opposition to prepare early and counter attack. They use their experience to shake off any issues in their performance to regroup very quickly. For example if a player serves twice out of the court they quickly focus on past experiences and maintain concentration and correct the issue immediately and never dwell on faults.

He is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time world champion, and five-time All England champion. Widely considered to be the greatest badminton player of all time,

Final ThoughtsPerformers often need to build or rebuild their arousal level to the optimum state. Here are a few examples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vlVvxypZJ4 Bolt 200m World Recordhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebZVMc0NKZs NZ Rugby Haka