baylor athletic performance - stress the missing link

The Missing Link Stress and Its Effects on Performance

Presented to you by:Baylor Athletic Performance

“What’s the big deal?”

Stress

Why Stress Matters

Impacts Everything!Short Term Performance

Long Term Health

Why Stress Matters

It is our job to systematically apply stress to our athletes.

“No one can live without experiencing some degree of stress all the time. You may think that only serious disease or intensive physical or mental injury can

cause stress. This is false. Crossing a busy intersection, exposure to a draft, or even sheer joy

are enough to activate the body’s stress mechanism to some extent. Stress is not even necessarily bad for you; it is also the spice of life, for any emotion,

any activity causes stress. But, of course, your system must be prepared to take it. The same stress

that makes one person sick can be an invigorating experience for another.”

–Hans Selye

Why Stress Matters

• The physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension which leads to a specific response by the body, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological balance of an organism.– This is more than simply being “stressed

out” – The stress response is being carried out in some way, shape or form almost all the time.

– Key Point: We identify stress not by the event, but by the body’s response

A Definition of Stress

Stressful Events

What Makes Us Define An Event As Stressful

Stressful Events?

Stress Response

• General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye)

3 Stages: Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

• General Adaptation Syndrome Alarm

• What is the alarm?

Stress Response

Stress Response

Stress Response


• What is the alarm?• What happens when it goes off?

– Fight or Flight

Stress Response

Stress Response


• Pain is a specific response to a specific stressor

• The associated release of adrenaline is part of the general response to all alarms

Stress Response


– The strength of the response will correlate to the perceived strength of the alarm

Example:» House on Fire» Forest Fire» Catastrophic Event

Stress Response

• General Adaptation Syndrome Alarm Resistance

– The body has the ability to build resistance to stress (same stressor creates a smaller response)

Stress Response

• General Adaptation Syndrome Alarm Resistance Exhaustion

– Overtraining & Injury

Great in theory, but what can I do with this on a daily basis?• Look at the Autonomic Nervous System

balance– We use the OmegaWave– Many other methods/tests can do the same thing– Even if you do not dictate daily training on these

findings, the trends in the information can be incredibly valuable

Stress Response

Sympathetic = Fight or Flight (Gas Pedal)Parasympathetic = Accumulation &

Preservation (Brake)

Stress response is a sympathetic response that is classically characterized by hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal

activation and hormone release

Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic

• Sympathetic Response (What the body does when the alarm goes off):

– Increase release of epinephrine / nor-epinephrine from adrenals

– Divert blood flow away from internal organs to muscles– Mobilize energy stores for use at the muscle– Inhibit digestive and waste formation processes– Energy diverted from immune functions– All long term functioning and preservation is put on hold to

overcome the immediate threat• When this is activated the body is breaking down in order

to provide resources for overcoming the challenge


Most animals only turn it on when they physically need it – Humans consistently turn it on over minor situations, and it can have an enormous effect.


• Parasympathetic Response– Basically the opposite of previously

listed. This is where the body repairs• Greater blood flow to the digestive system &

surrounding organs• Replenish and build energy stores• Restore immune function• This branch needs to take over as soon as the

obstacle is overcome



• Parasympathetic Response– When this system does not come

back on in a timely manner the athlete:• Becomes more susceptible to injury• Breaks down muscle and stores more fat• Loses lean muscle mass (bad if you want to gain

weight!)• Etc.


The Autonomic Nervous System Balancing Act

– Need to be able to activate and deactivate when necessary

– Going too far in either direction can be detrimental for health and performance


*Remember: When we talk stress – we are talking about the generic sympathetic response.

We are interested in the cumulative affect that these “stressors” have on Autonomic Balance.

What Pushes You to Sympathetic or

Parasympathetic Imbalance?

Sympathetic Imbalance

• Heavy loads, high speeds (too much anaerobic work)

• Emotional stressors• Lack of sleep• Poor diet• Unfamiliar stimuli

Parasympathetic Imbalance

• Endurance events (too much aerobic work)

• Monotonous actions

Effects of Stress on the Body-

Long Term Health


• Depression• Chronic Fatigue

Syndrome• Environmental and Food

Sensitivities and Allergies

• Increased Storage of Fat and Nutrients


• Heart Disease• Weakened Immune

System• Infertility• Increased

Inflammation: Arthritis, etc.


• Quick to fatigue• Greater irritability• Slowed recovery

between reps• Decreased

coordination & fine motor control


• Decreased gross motor control (big movements)

• Appearance of being apathetic

• Maximal intensities are inhibited

Effects of Stress on the Body- Performance Implications

Stress & Performance

Arousal/Performance Curve

Stress & Performance

A Different View…

1. Attempt to recognize patterns that lead to over activity in either direction

2. Use specific measurements to prove or disprove our generalizations

3. Use specific measurements to identify autonomic imbalance in individuals as needed

4. Make adjustments as necessary

What We Do At Baylor

• When are we sympathetically overreached?– Incoming athletes– During Mid-terms in Winter program– During Finals

Patterns We See

• Where are we parasympathetically overreached?– Camp

Patterns We See

• OmegaWave• Other Testing Methods

– Autonomic Nervous System• Heart Rate• Blood Pressure

– Central Nervous System• Vertical Jump Test• Reaction Time Test (Ruler Drop)• Finger Tap Test

Measurements We Use to Examine Trends

Adjustments From OMW Results – Sympathetically

ImbalancedWhen: Start of Year, Mid-Terms during

Winter training, Final Exams• Training Adjustments

1. Reduce sport specific training loads2. Increase low intensity components (cardio, calisthenics, rhythmic

activities)3. Add low intensity recreational activities4. Decrease high intensity and speed components

• Nutritional Adjustments1. Consume foods rich in alkali (Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy Products,

Mineral Water)2. Increase consumption of Vitamins A, B and C3. Eliminate stimulants (coffee, tea, caffeine)

• Recovery Modalities1. Warm bath at night with Epsom salt2. Swedish massage3. Possible low temperature sauna4. Sleep

When: Start of Year, Mid-Terms during Winter training, Final Exams

• Coaching strategies– Speak calmly– Give athlete the information they need and move on

• Environmental strategies– Turn down music– Turn off lights

• Scheduling strategies– Smaller/more training groups– Choice lifting times– Rotate coaches

Non-Training Adjustments When Sympathetically

Imbalanced

When: Pre-Season Camp

Parasympathetically overreached/over trained

• Training Adjustments1. Reduce training volume2. Increase intensive elements (heavy loads, high speeds)3. Avoid monotony and introduce variety4. Be slow to return to highest training loads and activity levels

• Nutritional Adjustments1. Consume acidic foods (Cheese, Meat, Eggs, Carbs)2. Increase consumption of Vitamins B and C3. Permit stimulant usage (coffee, tea, caffeine)

• Recovery Modalities1. Contrast hot/cold showers2. Vigorous Deep-Tissue massage3. Contrast sauna/cold shower

Adjustments From OMW Results –

Parasympathetically Imbalanced

Non-Training Adjustments When Parasympathetically

ImbalancedWhen: Pre-Season Camp

• Coaching strategies– Excited, high-energy coaching

• Environmental strategies– Preferred music choice– New/modified exercises

• Scheduling strategies– Team lifts or big groups– “Get in, Get out” type of lift

Arousal Curve

Arousal/Performance Curve

Stress & the Coach

1. Ways to eliminate things that cause emotional stressors

2. Ways to counteract the physiological response

Stress & the Coach

Possible Coach Stressors:-lack of available funding to provide best

possible service to athletes-inadequate space/equipment for roster size-size of staff-pleasing sport coach-constant need to provide protection and safety-external factors that affect the athlete

Eliminating Emotional Stress for the Coach

• Plan, manage and remedy the situation– Emphasize fun, utilize assistants, Plan B

• Focus on problems you can control instead of ones you cannot

• Educate your athletes• Schedule groups in a manner that allows you

to be an effective coach

Eliminating Emotional Stressors for the Coach

• Alter structure of strength staff– Delegate “departments” to assistant

coaches• Olympic Sports• Quality Control• Nutrition• Finance• IT/Technology• Education• Facility

Eliminating Emotional Stressors for the Coach

• Take care of spouse and family so they can take care of you

• Encourage staff to get away and develop interests outside of coaching

• Maintain your conditioning• Allow time for adequate nutrition

Counteracting the Physiological Response to

Stressors

• Baylor Athletic Performance Staff Members-Kaz Kazadi -Caleb Berg-Chris Ruf -Ryder Weischedel-Andy Althoff -Keith Belton-Jeremy Weeks

• Science of Sports Training - Thomas Kurz

• Landon Evans• Bryan Mann

Special Thanks

baylor athletic performance - stress the missing link

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