Mental Training- Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Application

Mark Stanbrough, Ph.D.Emporia State University

Emporia High School

Great Coaches Have a passion for athletes they work

with Love their athletes Have a passion for the sport they coach Have a vision Develop training plans Teach skills Develop each athlete’s mental skills

and confidence

Sports Psychology

Not something to fear or avoid Not mystical or magical Simple and logical Most coaches possess the basis for

it IT’S ABOUT THINKING RIGHT

Fixing Problems?

Challenging athletes I have a problem can you fix it? Lack of: confidence, motivation,

concentration, self-discipline, respect, overarousal, poor communication

Thought of as REACTIVE The horse is out of the barn at that

time-it’s already broken!

BE PROACTIVE The job of the coach is to develop the

athlete’s core confidence! Provide an experience for athletes to:

prepare betterperform betterbe happiermore fulfilled

Also prepares them for life

Trees Grow Slowly

Be positive Build athletes up Communication-Golden Rule Monitor and build each athlete’s

confidence

How much of athletics is mental?

How much time do you spend on the mental?

Do we believe it’s important? Do athletes either have it or don’t

have psychological skills? Do coaches have the background? Do we have the time?

Research

1973- Dr. Leroy Walker, Olympic Coach Importance of a “psychological winning

edge” USATF Sports Psychology- started in

1982 1988 Olympic trials- 85% used mental

training- Ungerleider & Golding

Canadian Olympic team- 99%- Williams

Theories of Mental Training

Symbolic Learning Theory- Blueprint deep in mind

- Psychoneuromuscular Theory- Produces small muscular contractions- EMG of skiers- Chevreul’s pendulum

Mind-Body

Fight or flight system Mugger Lemon Walking the board The world’s greatest computer is in

your mind!

Stages of a Mental Training Program

Relaxation Affirmations Mental Recall Mental Rehearsal Goals

Relaxation

Achieve an optimal arousal level Inverted U-theory

Relaxation

Prepares one for imagery Conscious (rational) mind

Views things as they currently are Likes status quo Comfortable with way things are

Subconscious Mind

Accepts new ideas and images

The POWER TO MOVE THE WORLD IS IN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND… William James

Imagination Rules Your World

To have what you have not, you must do what you have not done!

A narrow comfort zone makes dream achieving impossible.

The comfort zone junkie is satisfied and fears making mistakes.

Dream it. See it. Believe it. Achieve it.

Relaxation Techniques

Progressive relaxation Breathing rhythms

Inhalation phase Exhalation phase

Inhale without any conscious thought

Focus on the exhalation phase Eliminate points of tension

Affirmations

Powerful statements that repeated over and over will lead to changed beliefs.

I am the greatest!I am strong!I am fast!I run relaxed!I explode!

5 P’s of Affirmations Positive

Positive talk filters down to subconscious Present Tense

“I am” “I can” or “I will” or try is an early quit.

Personal These are your words

Powerful Action words such as power, strong, explode

Point Short and to the point

Cue Words

Power word in your affirmation. When your mind draws up the

image your body responds The more often affirmations are

repeated the more noticeable the desired effect.

Power Picture

Attack

Strong

Quick

Mental Recall

Recall one of your best performance In the flow Everything worked perfectly

Puts you in a positive frame of mind

Mental Rehearsal

Preview the upcoming performance Use positive frame of mind You guide the mind- you’re in

control Visualize different situations Visualize performance with

neuromuscular blueprint

Mental Rehearsal- Meet Situations

800 meters Pace Surges Start Maintain Contact Push through comfort zone Kick

Goal Setting

Research shows it improves performance by 16%

Athletes need info on how to set goals

Once goals are set, work with them

Goal Guidelines Challenging but realistic- art of coaching Inch by inch, it’s a cinch Be specific and measurable Performance goals versus outcome goals

You have control only over yourself Short term, intermediate, long term Identify steps to reach your goals Practice goals Write down your goals Athletes have major input, coaches advise Follow up with goals Limit to 2-3 major goals

Practice To starting line

Am if good enough to win? Has my preparation given me the best chance

to perform to my potential? Talent and genetics are outside your

control Can’t choose to be taller or have more fast

twitch fibers Can choose to practice consistently with a

high degree of quality

Practice makes Pe________

When athletes compete, their bodies respond in the same way they were trained to perform.

Learned responses occur automatically in times of high stress

Incorporate mental training into practice

Negative versus Positive Self-Talk

Third throw- Poor first throw, 2nd-sector foul

I've got to get a good throw. What if I foul?

Anxiety, pressure Overarousal

Third throw- Poor first throw, 2nd-sector foul

Composed, focus on process of throw, easy out of back, good position, explode

Focused, confident Optimal arousal

Example Cues Hurdles: Drive to erect, fast, attack Sprints: Sound releases, quick hands, Go! 800: Control, hot track, quick hands High Jump: Push, grab the ground, pop Long Jump: Push, rock rolling downhill, grab

the board Shot: Compress, push, fire hips Javelin: Run away from hand, push off and

extend, left arm, right leg

Meet Jitters The goal is to get the butterflies flying

in formation. Achieve optimal level of arousal

Different for different people Pre-meet routine

Relaxation, say affirmations Stay positive Be confident of yourself

The feeling of fear before a contest is called EXCITEMENT!

Evaluations

Mental Toughness Questionaire Mental Training Skills Meet Practice Mid-season End of season

Motivational Strategies

Bulletin Board Team Goals, Individual Goals for

meet Motivational sayings- daily, team

developed Team motto- ROHO

Two teams, one dream Reach out and touch someone

Motivational Strategies

Power songs Power videos Get rid of stinking thinking Draw goals Training diaries Mental training logs

Develop strong beliefs In yourself In your coach or leaders In your philosophy of life Mental toughness is learned. You are not

born with it….. Joe Vigil A solid mental training program shifts the

rewards form extrinsic to intrinsic. Today I gave the best I had. For what

I’ve kept I’ve lost forever.

Ordinary People With Extraordinary Desire

What type of athlete do you like to coach?

Come early Stay late What can I do to be great? They know there is room for

improvement.

Resources The Mental Athlete, Kay Porter The Mindset for Winning, Jack Curtis In Pursuit of Excellence, Terry Orlick The Psychology of High-Performance

Track and Field- Ralph Vernacchia and Traci Statler

Sports Coach Psychology: http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/psych.htm

Sport Psychology: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bing/oversite/sportpsych.html

Contact

For relaxation, affirmations, mental recall, and mental rehearsal scripts, evaulations, goals, please e-mail.

Mark Stanbrough, Box 4013, Emporia State University, Emporia, KS 66801

stanbrom@emporia.edu 620-341-5399