Sport psychology theories and mental training strategies to enhance focus, confidence, composure, mental preparation, and team cohesion have proven to increase performance in sports, business and life. Important elements of sport psychology aim to: 1. Improve focus and deal with distractions by helping athlete to stay focused on the present moment and let go of results. 2. Enhance confidence in athletes who have doubts. If players maintain doubts prior to or during their performance, this indicates low self-confidence. 3. Develop coping skills to deal with mistakes and errors. Players with high or strict expectations have trouble remaining confident and […]
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12
Apr
2012
Achieving Peak Performance
11
Feb
2012
Letting Go of Errors and Mistakes
Mistakes or errors occur every day in baseball, but many players don’t have the mental game that allows them to let go of errors and this hurts their chances for success. Errors such as missing a throw, botching a simple ground ball, striking out at the plate, or dropping a pop up occur all the time in baseball. Nobody is perfect, therefore errors are just another part of the game. However, these errors often become a huge mental barrier for athletes who cannot cope with mistakes, and as a result it affects their performance. In many cases, especially with […]
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02
Jul
2011
Sport Psychology Coaching
Mental training is about improving one’s attitude and mental skills to help them perform their best by identifying limiting beliefs and embracing a healthier philosophy about their sport. Many athletes and coaches resist mental training because they do not understand how it can help them. In order for athletes to get the most out of their sport, it is critical for them to understand the value of improving their mental game. Athletes are more likely to embrace mental training when they understand it and its benefits. Our mental training programs aim to help players and coaches discover the benefits […]
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30
Jun
2011
What is Mental Training?
The sports community now recognizes that mental factors such as confidence, composure, focus, and motivation are highly significant to athletic performance. As a result, over the year’s performance enhancement has become an emerging career track within the field sport psychology. Sport psychology (or sports psychology) is the study of the psychological factors that affect participation and performance in sports. Sport psychology professionals who focus on performance enhancement aim to increase athletic performance by minimizing the psychological effects of poor performance and instilling the mental skill needed to attain peak performance. In order for the field of sport psychology to […]
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16
Jun
2011
Developing a Healthy Sports Philosophy
Sport psychology is about improving one’s attitude and mental skills to help them perform their best by identifying limiting beliefs and embracing a healthier philosophy about their sport. In order to instill a healthy belief system one must first identify irrational thoughts that limit their performance. Beliefs and attitudes such as high expectations, comfort zones and negative self-labels often limit athletic performance. These core unhealthy beliefs must be identified and replaced with a new way of thinking. One sport psychology intervention to help athlete identify negative beliefs and adapt a healthier approach is to: 1. Identify and eradicate expectations […]
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15
Apr
2011
Composure in Sports
In order for athletes to excel in competition and tap into “the zone” they must be in control of their emotions, and remain in control after mistakes or setback. Composed athletes have the ability to remain calm, persistent, and in control under pressure situations or after mistakes. These athletes are “gamers” who thrive under competitive pressure and are able to raise their level of performance during competition. They have the ability to quickly let go of errors and control their emotions after setback or committing a mistake such as Kobe Bryant, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, and Roy Halladay. Of […]
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14
Apr
2011
Keep Big Games in Perspective
Athletes experience more pressure and anxiety before big games because there is higher significance attached to their performance. It is important that athletes maintain a balanced level of anxiety when preparing for and during an important event. Too much anxiety will limit athletes’ ability to reach peak performance and no anxiety can lower athletes’ motivation to prepare efficiently. It is natural for athletes to experience some anxiety, nerves, or butterflies before a big event. This is a sign of intensity that can be used to enhance athletic performance. I refer to this as a sign of intensity because it […]
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11
Apr
2011
Sport Psychology Lesson by The Phillies
One of the most powerful and simple mental game techniques I teach to help athletes and teams improve their performance is focusing on the process of preparing for and executing each play. When athletes and teams face high expectations, focusing on end results can cause undue pressure. Pressure can cause you to tighten up, have doubts, and over-analyze your performance. The Philadelphia Phillies have been to three consecutive National League Championship Series, and with the off-season addition of Cliff Lee expectations are as high as they’ve ever been for the whole team. Rather than get distracted by all the […]
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07
Apr
2011
Maintaining Focus in Sports
The ability to concentrate in the present and to focus on the task is very important in achieving peak performance in sports. During a 2-3 hour competition, an athlete will switch his or her concentration on and off repeatedly with the ebb and flow of competition. Turning concentration on and off makes it more difficult to get into a rhythm. Total concentration occurs when an athlete becomes totally involved in the task, feels that time is suspended, and loses the sense of being separate from his or her surroundings. Thus, keen focus during competition has the following five basic […]
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07
Apr
2011
Five Tips for Mental Preparation
Most of what athletes and teams do prior to competition (practice, workouts, analyzing the competition or course) prepares them to compete. Mental preparation helps athletes achieve a focused, confident and trusting mindset to help them compete at their highest level. Below are five major objectives you‘ll want to accomplish to help you mentally prepare for competition. Have confidence in your skills. Confidence is the number one objective of your mental preparation. Confidence can be built in many ways, including from practice, preparation, game plans and the mindsets you maintain. To build confidence prior to competition visualize yourself performing successfully, […]
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