Optimization of Swimming Performance Emotion- & Action-Centered Approaches

Optimization of Swimming Performance Emotion- & Action-Centered Approaches Juri Hanin & Muza Hanina (juri.hanin@kihu.fi)Research Institute for Olympic Sports, Jyväskylä, Finland Swimming Coaches’ Seminar 28.12.2011 Riga, Lavia

Исследования и консультирование Спортсмены, тренеры, команды: • 1967- 1990 - в России - 4 Oлимпиады • 1991- 2011 - в Финляндии - 8 Oлимпиад Основныевидыспорта: • командные: хоккей, футбол, волейбол, гребля • индивидуальные: л/атлетика, плавание.прыжки в воду, cтрельба, bowling, гольф, sailing, лыжи, фиг-катание, гимнастика,oриентирование, теннис, etc.

Спортивная психология - тенденции в прошлом 1. Акцентнапроблемах: • стресс-реакции • тревога • мертваяточка • коррекциянедостатков 2. Групповыесравнения: • акцентнасредних, успешных и неуспешных, • игнорирование внутриинд. динамики

Спортивнаяпсихологиясейчас 1. Акцентнапозитивном: • выявлениеинд. ресурсов (strengths) • использованиестресса • оптимизациядеятельности 2. Главныйакцентнаиндивиде: • индивидуальнолучшийуровень • стабильность и внутри-инд. динамика * Hanin, 2000, 2003

Психологическаяподготовка - систематическоеиспользованиепсихологическихпроцессовчтобывлиятьнамысли, эмоции, мотивацию, поведение, действия, и общениеспортсмена (иликоманды) в специфическомконтексте. * Hanin, 1997

Психологическаяподготовка • Специальная • готовность • ситуативныйуспех • выполнениезадачи • Стабильность • Общая • умения и навыки • качества • черты • Успех в спорте/жизни

OptimalPerformance: • Is based on ownstrengths • Usespersonalresourceseffectively • Adjustableunderdifferent & difficultconditions • Providestools for personalcontrol • Helps to avoidtryingtoomuch • Involves a skill to dealwith the unexpected • Helps to re-focuswhendistracted • Consistentperformance (PB, SB, top 5) 7

Non-optimal performance in elite sport • High performance variability in practices • Good performance in practice, not in competition • Good performance in a warm-up, not in competition • Best results usually in minor competitions • Stress-induced instability of technique • “Lost move syndrome” (LMS) (a ”break-down”) • Habitual (learned) performance errors • Post-injury impact on skill execution • Physical shape (over-development of qualities) • Over-loaded by too many changes * Hanin & Hanina, 1999-2010

Optimization in Sport Emotion - centered Personalmeaning Optimalgoalsetting Rightfocus Optimalenergylevel Avoidingdysfunction Action - centered Identify ind. optimalskill Buildup a skillchain Enhanceawareness Standardizeskill in practice Developcompetitionmodel Optimal state Optimal skill 9

Psychology in elite sport 4. Consistent excellence 3. Peak performance (winning) 2. Competing effectively (stress-free) 1. High quality practices (hard & smart) Hanin, 1994, 2002

Consistent Excellence Environment Emotions Coping skills Personality *Hanin, 2006

Myths about emotion in elite sport • “Negative emotions are always bad” • “Positive emotions are always good” • “Thus: more positive + less negative” Positive emotions Well-being Negative emotions Ill-being P & N emotions Performance * Hanin, 1995

Emotion-centered Coping • To prevent overreaction to competitve stress • To reinforcesituationalsuccess • To dealwithunexpecteddistractions • To get ”psychedup” & mobilized • To calmdownafterunexpectedsuccess • To calmdownaftersituationalfailure • To dealwithpotentialproblems

Emotion Control ”I want” Task Execution Outcomes Emotional State ”I can” Resources-based appraisals ”I must” Action Control 14

Emotion content Pleasure P+ P- • Pleasant • helpful • optimal • facilitating • Unpleasant • helpful • optimal • facilitating • Pleasant • harmful • dysfunctional • debilitating • Unpleasant • harmful • dysfunctional • debilitating Success Failure N+ N- Displeasure * Hanin, 1992

Idiosyncratic emotion labels P o o r S u c c e s s P o o r N- N+ P+ P- • Scared • Panicky • Discouraged • Sluggish • Aggressive • Concerned • Anxious • Intense • Comfortable • Calm • Happy • Satisfied • Motivated • Confident • Energetic • Excited Athlete # 1 Athlete # 2 • Anxious • Tired • Depressed • Sad • Angry • Worried • Irritated • Tense • Nice • Calm • Pleased • Content • Willing • Relaxed • Sure • Focused * Hanin, 1997, 2003; Hanin & Syrjä, 1995

Helpful (P+) Energetic Confident Charged Certain Motivated Purposeful Willing Cheerful Enthusiastic Alert Harmful (P-) Easy-going Tranquil Satisfied Overjoyed Excited Pleasant Comfortable Calm Exalted Nice Emotions in hockey (N=97) Negative Positive • Harmful: (N-) • Tired • Sluggish • Unwilling • Uncertain • Downhearted • Depressed • Distressed • Sorrowful • Afraid • Strained Helpful (N+) • Tense • Dissatisfied • Vehement • Attacking • Intense • Angry • Irritated • Nervous • Provoked • Restless * Hanin & Lukkarila, 1999

N - Dejection Zone Unpleasant and dysfunctional emotions ______ _________________________________________________ Tired; Sluggish; Reluctant; Doubtful; Sad; Unhappy; Upset; Distressed; Fearful; Worried ________________________________________________________ “I can’t do it” > “I don’t want to do it” > “Do I have to do it?”

N+ “Emergency zone” Unpleasant but functionally optimal emotions _________________________________________ Tense; Dissatisfied; Furious; Attacking; Intense; Angry; Irritated; Nervous; Annoyed; Restless _________________________________________ “I have to do it” > “I want to do it” > I “can do it”

P+ Challenge zone Pleasant and functionally optimal emotions __________________________________________ Energetic; Confident; Charged; Willing; Motivated; Purposeful; Certain; Cheerful; Enthusiastic; Alert. __________________________________________ “I want to do it” > “I can do it” > “I have to do it”

P- “Comfort, complacency” zone Pleasant and dysfunctional emotions _______________________________________ Easy-going; Tranquil; Satisfied; Joyful; Happy; Pleased; Comfortable; Calm; Content; Relaxed ________________________________________ “I have done it already” > “I was so good” > “I enjoyed doing it”

Emotions & performance Good performance patterns Underperformance patterns ESP-20 ESP-20 N- > N+ > P+ > P- N- > N+ < P+ > P- ESP-20 ESP-20 N- < N+ > P+ > P- N- < N+ < P+ < P- Performance emotions

overconfidence • switched off • satisfaction • complacency • ready • excited • confident • in control • complacency • overconfidence • trying too much • trying too little PRESENT PAST FUTURE • regret • disappointment • depressed • dejected • nervous • tense • uncertain • self-doubts • action-oriented • emergency • fighting spirit • angry

Basic mental / psychological skills • Relaxation • On-task attention focus, re-focus • Visualization, imagery, mental rehearsal • Becoming & staying energised • Thought-stopping • Self-talk, Staying positive • Realistic goal-setting • Emotion control • Optimization of communication • Problem solving • Pre- & post-event de-briefing

The Need for Action-centered Coping • Underperformance in major competitions • Unexpectedskillbreakdown • ”Lostmove” syndrome • Physical shape (toomuch, toolittle) • Habitualperformanceerrorsunderstress • Change-inducedproblemswithtechnique • ”New ideas” from outside

Athletes’ typical comments: • I don’t know why it happened… • I was in my best ever shape… • Something happened to my technique… • My technique just ”vanished” • Whatever I tried, it did not help… • I tried too much… • My focus was not clear… • I was distracted by unimportnat details… • I was over-arouzed…

Typical emotional response to problems in technique • Disappointment, frustration, • Self-doubts, lowself-confidence • Drop in motivation, helplessness • Fears, panick • Questioningselectedprogram • Relationshipsproblems (coach, team)

The Identfication-Control-Correction (ICC)-program • Motor task as a movement sequence/”chain” • Key components in the ”chain” • Functional links between these components • Subjective perception of ”chain” components • Enhancing awareness of ”chain” components • Using key components to enhance self-control * Hanina & Hanin, 2002-08

Action-centered profiling * Hanin & Hanina, 2009

Striving for excellence in shooting N=15 elite Italian shooters (2f & 3m carbine & 5f & 5m pistol) Age 20-47 (M=27.9, SD=8.1) preparing for London 2012 Olympics Method: The ICC-based 4-step procedure to identifyfullshootingsequence & testingchaincomponents in practice & duringsimulatedcompetition. #1 Describeusualoptimalsequence (chain of actions) of a single shotfrom start to follow-through. #2 Identify 3-4 mostimportant ( & sensitive ) components (breathingcontrol, gun alignment and sight, and triggerpull. #3 Self-assessments of accuracy & ”supervision” of corecomponentswith minimumconsciouscontrolunderoptimalconditions in practices. #4 Assessment of corecomponentsunderstress & fatigue to be ”mindully accepted”. Attention is focused on individual’scorecomponents. * Bortoli, Bertollo, Hanin & Robazza (Submitted)

Shootingsequence in elitepistolshooter* Core componenets • Hand • Visualisation • Breath • Grip • Descent • Zoom • Follow through • Outcome Breath Grip Zoom Outcome .63 .61 .70 * Adapted from Robazza,(2011)

The overall results of the intervention 1. Before the intervention most shooters were not fully aware of the core components of their action (H-1) 2. Accurately identified core components were related to shooting outcomes (H-2) 3. Accurate execution of the individual core components of the shooting action contrasts the dysfunctional effects of distress (H-3) 4. These beneficial effects were not observed in shooters who did not undergo the intevention (H-4) * Bortoli, Bertollo, Hanin & Robazza (Submitted).

Breast-strokechain (JH) • Ote kiinni (захват) • Kiihtyvä sisääntuonti (гребок с ускорением) • Suoraan palautukseen (возврат вперёд) • Vartalo jousi (верх тела стрелой) • Sähäkkä potku (энергичный толчёк) • Jalat vartalon takana (ноги сзади) • Teho (интенсивность) • Toistuvuus (стабильность цикла)

”Turn” chain (JH) • osuminen seinään (касание стенки) • nopea pyöräminen (быстрый поворот) • vahva ponnistus (сильный толчок) • purevat potkut (энергичная рабта ног) • hyvä pintautuminen (выход на поверхность) • kokonaisuus (целостность)

Components of OptimalSwimming • Vartalo (тело) • Käsiveto (гребок) • Siisteys ja kokonaisuus (точность и целостность) • Taktiikka (тактика) * Hengitys kuulu kiinteänä osana jokaiseen viikkoon Работа по оптимизации дыхания включена постоянно, не зависимо от главной темы

Success => OptimalShape + Skill Best results Maximum Shape Optimal - Effort - Focus Skill Poor results * Hanin & Hanina, 2009

Performance Errors • a mistake, or inaccuracy, or incorrectness (in action, activity) • the condition of deviating from accuracy, correctness, or some standard of a task execution • (Collins English Dictionary. 3rd Ed., 1991, p. 528)

Two strategies in learning motor tasks Error & trial strategy * errors are ignored * errors are not discouraged, * errors are not punished, * errors are encouraged * new learning opportunities * new experiences (+ -) Error-free strategy * errors are immediately noticed * errors are discouraged * errors are punished * errors are minimized * errors are avoided * errors are prevented Expected outcomes: + Learning to adjust, + Benefit in future situations (transfer) + Learning based on natural strengths - Errors can become consistent Expected outcomes: - Getting it right the 1st time? - No need for adjustment ? - Learning the right way? - Less problem with correction?

Conventional skill correction 1. Explain what & why the athlete is doing wrong 2. Improve the athlete’s awareness of doing wrong 3. Show the right way & explain why this way is better 4. Ask the athlete to copy it 5. Provide corrective feedback and reinforcement 6. Get the athlete to practice, practice, and practice Maschette (1985): Re-teaching pattern

Wrong ”Old” Correct ”New” Conventional error correction

Retention and forgetting Proactive inhibition (PI) is a negative effect of a learned task on retention of a new task PI 2 New 1 Old RI Retroactive inhibition (RI) is a condition when a recently learned task impairs the retention of an older learned tasks

Wrong Correct Old way / New way in error correction

Learning Trial in Practice • 1. Error analysis (coach + athlete) • Consistent vs. random, • Major - unimportant, • Single-multiple

Learning Trial in Practice • 2. Learning Trial Session • Developing awareness of own old way • Developing awareness of the new way • The practice of differences • The practice of the new way

Learning Trial in Practice • 3. Summary + home work • Explaining mechanisms • Expected results • Handling spontaneous recovery

Extended intervention procedure: • Error identification from best-worst performances • Old Way as an erroneous movement pattern • Causes & effects of the Old Way are identified • New Way as an individually optimal movement pattern • Learning Trial (LT) for a rapid & permanent change • Post-LT standardization & stabilization of a New Way

The ICC applications (2002-11): • Running (100m, 400m) • Jumping (high, long, pole-vault) • Throwing (javelin, hammer, shot-put) • Swimming (starts, breast-stroke) • Diving (1m & 3m springboard) • Volley-ball (ballreception) • Soccer (freekick) • Pistol & rifleshooting • Car-racing (F-1; DBT; FPA) • Sailing • Bowling • Free-style skiing

Ведущая проблематика • Психологическая подготовка • Стресс и тревога • Решение проблемных ситуаций • Оптимизация эмоциональных состояний • Прогнозирование деятельности • Анализ выступлений • Оптимизация деятельности • Коррекция ошибок • Межличное общение игроков и тренеров • Тренер как руководитель и лидер • Карьера игроков и тренеров • Клуб и сборная

Optimization of Swimming Performance Emotion- & Action-Centered Approaches