An observational study: Correlation between self-perceived readiness and physical performance in healthy individuals

Introduction: In complex environments, individuals need to anticipate and react to stimuli by integrating complex systems and skills. Identifying the perceptual-cognitive, physical, and health characteristics that afford effective performance is necessary for developing training and readiness strategies. Measuring readiness by establishing a relationship between the Acute Readiness Monitoring Scale (ARMS) and performance during perceptual-cognitive tasks is essential. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between self-perceived readiness, physical performance, and perceptual-cognitive performance in healthy young adults. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional design with healthy and physically active young adults (n = 35). Participants completed a measure of self-perceived readiness (the ARMS), physical performance (i.e., Vertical Jump (VJ) and Ballistic Push-Up), and perceptual-cognitive exercises (i.e., Single Leg Memory Hop (SLMH), Reactive VJ, Reactive Ballistic Push-Up, Reactive Agility Run Decide, and Upper and Lower Extremity Reaction Tests). Data was analyzed using Pearson's r (r) correlation to identify associations. Results: Statistically significant moderate correlations were detected between ARMS Total and VJ (Peak Power Normalized and Flight Time) (r = 0.434, p = 0.010) and (r = 0.420, p = 0.013), and SLMH Distance Normalized (r = 0.409, p = 0.016). Moderate negative correlations between the ARMS Total and Reactive VJ Reaction Time (r = −0.473, p = 0.005). Conclusion: The ARMS can be an effective tool for measuring acute self-perceived readiness. This suggests that individuals who work in dynamic environments may benefit from training that targets perceptual-cognitive skills. Although moderate, self-perceived readiness was associated with better resilience, health, and performance exercises. Results highlight the importance of protocols targeting populations who work in complex environments for increased performance.