Optimal Arousal Levels in Sport (AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE))

Optimal Arousal Levels in Sport

• Optimal arousal levels will be different for different activities or skills being performed. For example:

  • Sports requiring fine skill and accurate movement and precision, such as aiming for the target in archery, will require low arousal and so will have a lower optimal arousal

  • Where gross skills with high power and energy are required, such as when lifting weights, high levels of arousal will be needed so the optimal arousal level will be higher

Diagram of inverted-U theory graph

The optimal levels of arousal are different for different activities