Stress: Eustress vs. Distress

The duality of the stress response

In the competitive environment, stress is not an enemy to be eradicated, but a neutral physiological response that the body activates in the face of a perceived challenging demand. The common mistake is to categorize all stress as negative.

The sports coach works to make the athlete clearly distinguish between Distress (negative stress) and Eustress (positive stress).

Distress arises when the athlete feels that the demand exceeds his or her resources, causing anxiety and blockage.

Eustress, on the other hand, is the functional tension that sharpens the senses, mobilizes energy and prepares the organism for immediate action.

The key to high performance lies not in total relaxation, which would lead to apathy, but in finding the optimal level of activation where tension becomes fuel.

Yerkes-Dodson's Law and the inverted U

This energy management is scientifically explained through the Yerkes-Dodson Law, which establishes an inverted U-shaped relationship between nervous activation and performance.

According to this model, too low a level of activation produces poor performance due to lack of attention or interest.

As strain increases, performance improves until it reaches a maximum peak (the optimal zone).

However, if the stress continues to increase beyond that point, performance plummets due to anxiety and motor disorganization.

The coach's job is to help each athlete identify his or her personal "sweet spot" on that curve.

A weightlifter may need a very high level of anger and activation, while an archery shooter requires low pulses and almost absolute calmness.

Semantic reinterpretation of physiology.

One of the most powerful cognitive interventions is the re-signification of physical cues.

When the body prepares to compete, it releases adrenaline and glucose, which causes tachycardia, sweating, or "butterflies in the stomach."

If the athlete interprets these signals as "I'm nervous, I'm scared," he or she activates the panic circuit.

The coach trains the athlete so that, when he notices these same symptoms, his internal dialogue is: "My body is charging with energy, I am ready for battle".

This simple semantic shift from seeing activation as a threat to seeing it as a biological preparation transforms paralyzing anxiety into a state of productive alertness and physical empowerment.

Summary

Stress is a neutral physiological response to perceived challenges for the athlete. The coach helps to distinguish between negative distress and eustress, which is functional tension.

Eustress mobilizes energy and sharpens the senses for immediate action. High performance does not seek total relaxation, but finding the optimal level of activation to compete.

Using the Yerkes-Dodson Law, the performance "sweet spot" is identified. Reinterpreting physical cues as energy, rather than fear, transforms anxiety into actual physical empowerment.