C PTSD – A Way Out A place to check in daily

Gustave Courbet

The feeling of loss can be minimized or eliminated with a change in our perception and actions.  The concept of possessing or owning is something we can explore and maybe influence.  

Gustave Courbet

From Sharpening the Warriors Edge: The Psychology of Training;

The performance curve referred to by Schmidt is a method of measuring the performance of a skill in relation to relative levels of stress.

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For fine motor skills, or motor skills which have a high degree of cognitive decision-making, the research indicates that optimal performance will occur during low levels of stress.

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Motor skills that are moderate in motor control and cognitive complexity will produce best results during moderate levels of stress.

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Motor skills that use large muscle mass (gross motor skills) and are cognitively simple (require very little decision-making), produce optimal performance during high levels of stress.

From a physiological perspective, this principle is quite reasonable.  We know that when the human body perceives stress, the body increases the production of adrenal hormones.

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The adrenal hormones increase blood supply to the extremities, thus increasing an individual’s strength potential.

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This explains why gross motor skills, such as power-lifting, can be performed optimally under high levels of stress.

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However, an increase in adrenal hormones will also interfere with fine motor skills and accuracy during event performance.