Abstract
Preparatory arousal is a strategy in which an individual purposefully engages in an activity to get themselves emotionally “pumped up” or “charged up” to increase the body’s level of arousal [1]. Preparatory arousal is a common mental preparation strategy used among competitive athletes [2]. It is suggested that preparatory arousal can increase performance of simple tasks requiring maximal strength and muscular endurance and power [3]. However, the majority of preparatory arousal research has only examined non sport specific skills and thus the findings may not be transferable to actual sports that require more complex and dynamic movement patterns. With the current lack of literature on preparatory arousal and its effect on more complex dynamic movement patterns, and the scarcity of knowledge of the possible mechanisms behind its potential ergogenic effect, this study aims to investigate the potential mechanisms behind preparatory arousal and the effects that it has on hand grip strength and swimming performance. It is hypothesised that a structured preparatory arousal strategy will enhance hand grip strength and 50 m freestyle swim performance while increasing arousal in trained competitive swimmers.
Recommended Citation
Parker, Lewan; Sealey, Rebecca M.; and Swinbourne, Anne
(2011)
"The Effect of Preparatory Arousal on Hand Grip Strength and 50 Metre Freestyle Swim Performance.,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 5:
Iss.
2, Article 10.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol5/iss2/10