Sports Psychology

What can sports psychology do for your game? 


GOAL SETTING   Have 3 measurable key performance indicators each time out and seasonal GOAL. (things to achieve)  for example, a first-time person could have these goals for day one: 1) Complete 4 hours of ski/ride. 2:) Complete first lesson. 3:) Practice 1 hour afterward.

Seasonal Goal: Attend 3 times, attend 3 classes, Ski / ride a blue trail, be at lesson skill level 3.

Now a person can measure progress against the GOALS.

Analyze what is going wrong:

  1. Use video to capture body mechanics, results of training and results of races
  2. Fear, Muscle aches, Boots not fitting  ( Normal things happen and can be corrected)
  3. Develop a training (Drills)  program to excel at your weak points

Goal Setting Flowchart 

AROUSAL REGULATION – Body internals

  1.  make a list of best and worst runs and record from high to low

           A. record Muscle Tension, Heart Rate, Breathing and Anxiety

           B. Look for trends in the results

  2. Use Centering, Breathing and Relaxation tools

Arousal Flowchart

FOCUS

  1. Develop CUE WORDS: Hands Up, Rock and roll, etc

  2. Develop RE Focus cues. Blink one eye, breath hard,  etc.

 Focus Flowchart

IMAGERY  VISUALIZATION

 1.  See Success in your mind

 2.  Manage energy level

 3. Re-Focus

 4. Rehearse responses

 5. Smoothness, smooth is fast!

Image Flowchart

 SELF CONCEPT

 1. Self Confidence

           A. Build Success into Training

           B. Set measurable, challenging, yet achievable goals

  2. Self -Talk

           A. Positive Thoughts

           B. Practice Thought stopping

Planning Flowchart

Take care of yourself Flowchart

Know the SIGNS of BURNOUT      Training has to be limited to 3 hours or less each session.


         This information is from many sources which are listed.

USSA “Take your Brain to the Mountain” : Mental Skills in Alpine Ski Racing (c) 1999

A Guide Book for Athletes and Coaches in the Psychosocial Domain

A list of References and Material many can be found on google books. Or Open Library.

ISSF – Competitive  Psychology

MENTAL TRAINING: Creative Visualization Part I – An Overview

MENTAL TRAINING: Creative Visualization Part II – The Process

MENTAL TRAINING: Creative Visualization Part  III – How it Works