Transcript Slide 1

Lisa Trotter
Overview
The effect of stress on your ability to
meet mental demands
 Understanding stress and its debilitating
and beneficial effects
 Strategies to manage stress for best
performance and enjoyment

 Calm yourself
 Fire yourself up
Mental Demands

What are the key mental demands of the
sport of gliding? (What do you need to
be able to do mentally?)
 e.g. Decision making
○ When to join circuit for landing
○ When to stop for a thermal
○ Which path to follow
Mental Demands of Gliding
Decision making
 Concentration - focus
 Awareness – broad and narrow
 Sensory perception - proprioception

thinking – strategy
 Psychomotor skill
 Resilience or mental toughness
 Analytical

The effect of stress on ability to meet
these demands
 Interfere with or assist learning and
performance processes
 Interfere with or assist motivation and
participation

Make stress your friend
 Minimise debilitating effects of stress
 Maximise beneficial effects of stress
What is Stress?
Stress arises when there is an imbalance
between the coping skills of the individual
and the demands of the environment
Stress Reaction
physical, emotional and cognitive changes
threatened or unable to cope
 FIGHT or FLIGHT response
 tackle a stressful situation (FIGHT)
 to run away (FLIGHT)

Fight or Flight Changes

Adrenalin increases

Heart rate increases

Blood Pressure increases

Speed of breathing increases

Increased sweating

Muscle tension

Changes in thinking and level of
alertness

Heightened Emotional Feeling
Where does YOUR stress sit?
At some levels, stress can improve performance. At higher levels,
however, it can be detrimental to performance.
Positive Stress
High energy levels
 Good concentration
 Organised
 Good information flow
 Efficient decision-making
 Cheerful manner
 Appropriate sense of
humour

Enhanced achievements
 High level of motivation
 Feeling valued &
competent
 Good team spirit

Signs and
Symptoms
AL
PHYSIC
art rate
e
h
d
i
p
a
• R
ng
• Sweati
• Nausea n
tio
• Indiges reness
so
• Muscle ess
ssn
• Restle
rders
o
s
i
d
p
e
e
• Sl
VE
COGNITI
i on
• Confus
• Poor
EMOTIONAL
tion
a
r
t
n
e
c
n
o
c
• Crying
ness
e
v
i
s
i
c
e
d
• In
• Anger
emory
m
r
o
o
P
•
• Irritability
Distorted
•
• Anxiety
thinking
BEHAV
• Fears
IOURAL
•
• Feeling numb
Social w
ithdrawa
• Increa
l
• Feeling overwhelmed
sed re-a
ctivity
(reactive
ra
pro-activ ther than
e
• Increa
sed leve
l of
escapist
behavio
ur
(ie incre
ased alc
ohol
consum
ption)
• Lethar
gy
of negative
stress
Stress in the red zone
Running machine
Strategies for Managing Your
Stress – Calm yourself
Set personal goals and plan for them
 Develop routines and checklists
 Recognise what you can / can’t control
 Problem solve
 Learn to modify your perception
 Practise mental imagery
 Practise relaxation techniques

Stress in the yellow zone
Strategies for Managing Your
Stress – Fire yourself up
Set big goals
 Push past your comfort zone
 Work hard and enjoy the payoff
 Make ego investment
 Find an internal driver
 Use triggers or cues
 Stimulating discussion

Summary
Stress can have both positive and
negative effects on performance
 Key strategies to stay out of the red
zone are changing the way you think
and developing mental skills
 Key strategies to get into the yellow
zone are moving out of comfort zone,
commitment and motivation

Questions?
Relaxation Techniques
Relax Your Body
 Deep Breathing
Calm Your Mind
 Blackness
Relieve Your Worry
 Problem Solving
Improve Your Mood
 Change Your Thinking
The Role of Perception in Stress
Situation
eg: conflict, traffic jam,
crossing the road, exams,
meetings, public speaking,
difficult people
Perception
affected by: mood,
previous experiences,
expectations, beliefs,
internal dialogue,
memories
Emotion
eg: fear, hostility,
embarassment, irritability,
humour, enthusiasm, calm
The situation (event)
+ your perception of the situation (belief)
= your response (feeling & behaviour)
Behaviour/
Consequences
eg: behave rashly, lose
temper, stutter, go red,
swear, drive dangerously,
contribute ideas, get
working, handle situation
Circles of Control
NO
SOME
TOTAL