122 Kinesiology Final - Mental Performance Training

Peak performance in sport

A consequence of physical, technical, tactical, and mental factors.

Kent’s Philosophy for sport

Improved potential - where we started to where we are now

Improved consistency - the total of our growth

With the goal of improving, over time, our experienced less then peak performance will be better then our peak performance when we were inexperienced.

3 phases of mental performance training

• education - athletes recognize the importance of mental skills and how they affect performance.

• acquisition - athletes acquire mental skills and learn how to most effectively employ them.

• practice - athletes implement mental skills in practice and competition, the goal is to automate the skills through over learning.

Mental skills

Elites and successful athletes consistently report using mental skills such as:

• goal setting

• relaxation

• imagery

• self talk

• focus planning

• etc.

Goal

A target or objective that people strive to obtain.

Goal setting

The practice of establishing desirable objectives for one’s actions.

The most commonly used performance enhancement strategy in sport psychology.

Goals must be set appropriately and systematically, and there needs to be follow up and evaluation procedures.

Why does goal setting work

• directs attention

• mobilizes effort

• promotes development of new learning strategies

• influences psychological states

3 types of goals

• outcome goals

• performance goals

• process goals

Outcome goals

Represent standards of performance that focus on the results of a contest between opponents or teams.

Performance goals

Focus on improvements relative to one’s own past performance. Self-reflective.

Process goals

Specify the procedures in which the athlete must engage in during performance.

Grit

Passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

Positively impacts goal-attainment and long-term success.

Grit goal hierarchy

Top level

Mid level

Low level

As we move up the hierarchy, the goals become more abstract, general, and important to us.

SMART goals

• specific

• measurable

• attainable

• realistic/relavant

• timely/time bound

Stated positively, rather than negatively.

Set moderately difficult, but realistic.

Set goals for practice and competition.

Make goals public.

Review goals regularly.

Relaxation

Excessive muscular tension interferes with the execution of skill, preventing the proper coordination of movement.

Learning to relax is essential to regulate worry and anxiety about performance, and to avoid detrimental effects on performance.

Both categories of relaxation aim to disrupt the stimulus-response pattern of nerves leading to/away from the brain with the goal of learning what zero-activation feels like.

2 categories of relaxation skills and strategies

• muscle to mind focuses on releasing physical tension.

Ex. breathing exercises.

Breathing properly increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, which carries more energy to the muscles. Diaphragmatic breathing vs shallow breathing.

Ex. progressive relaxation.

Trains the muscles to become sensitive to any level of tension and to release the tension. Systematically tensing and relaxing muscles in a predetermined order. Contraction phase teaches awareness of muscular tension. Relaxing phase teaches awareness of absence of tension.

• mind to muscle focuses on efferent nerve control to release cognitive anxiety.

Ex. meditation.

Uncritical focus of attention, discipline the mind.

Ex. autogenic training.

Similar to hypnosis, designed to produce warmth and heaviness.

Imagery

Using one’s senses to re-create an experience in the mind.

A polysensory experience, involves all relevant senses. (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, kinesthetics) The more polysensory the image, the more effective it is.

Imagery in sport

When engaged in vivid imagery, the brain interprets the image as identical to the actual stimulus. Imagery allows athletes to practice sport skills and strategies without physically being in a training or competitive environment.

2 imagery perspectives

• external - you see the image from outside your body, as if you’re watching a videotape.

• internal - experience images from behind your own eyes in your own body.

Both can enhance performance.

2 keys to using imagery effectively

• controllability - imaging exactly what was intended, the ability to manipulate aspects of the images if desired.

• vividness - how clearly the image is seen and how detailed the image appears, the ability to incorporate all senses.

Self-talk

Verbalizations or statements that are addressed to the self.

Multidimensional and dynamic.

2 functions self-talk serves

• instructional - used for skill development, skill execution, strategy development, general performance improvement.

• motivational - for readiness, arousal, and effort.

When an athlete can use self-talk

• skill acquisition

• preparing for performance

• changing bad habits

• attention control

• creating mood

• changing mood

• controlling effort

• building confidence

Developing a focus plan

• identify what you are trying to achieve.

• identify situations that present a loss of focus or challenge (fatigue, lack of motivation, poor weather, failing a task, someone says something inappropriate).

• identify solutions when they are faced with these types of situations.

“If”, “Then”