Mindset: Mental Strategies to perform at your best

Elite athletes have an exceptional ability to rise to the occasion when called upon to perform. Whether it is making that big shot to win the game or making a dazzling pass that scores the winning goal, most coaches want their best player to have the ball when the game is on the line. But how do they build the confidence, concentration and instincts among their top athletes to pull off such feats time after time?

Champion athletes become the best at what they do because they work hard physically and mentally. They enjoy challenges and are driven to improve not just by winning, but also by thriving under pressure. They have a mindset where nothing is impossible. They have also built mental strategies that over the years have helped them to be able to pull off spectacular sports feats. 

Staying positive 

When LeBron James gets the ball to make the winning basket, he has no doubt that the ball is going in. Being positive eliminates doubt and gives you confidence you can accomplish your goals. Having a positive outlook also enables you to better cope with stress and anxiety associated with big competitions. As an athlete you want to put everything in your favor and it starts with thinking positively.

Be in the moment

While in competition you need to be in the present moment and concentrate on the task at hand. Focus on the here and the now not on what has happened in the past or will happen in the future. Being present in the moment eliminates over-analyzing, negative thoughts or dwelling on what your competitors are doing.

Intensity

Your performance can be affected if your intensity is too high or too low. You want to be able to find the appropriate intensity that will best produce and motivate you to do your best. Some athletes prefer to listen to music while others would rather calmly sit while analyzing their game plan – learn what works for you.

Learn from failure

Elite athletes understand that failure is part of learning and a process of development. They take what they do well and implement it within their repertoire while learning from their mistakes. They do not dwell on mistakes but learn from them and move on.

Great athletes are also great students of their sports. To be able to rise to the occasion and perform in clutch moments, they first have to learn the mental strategies to execute for such situations. They are positive, focused on the moment, have the right intensity and know what works well for the pressure-filled settings. Lastly, they enjoy and cherish the big stage, since this is what ultimately elevates good athletes to become championship athletes.

References Available from the SIRC Collection:

1. Heishman M, Bunker L. Use of Mental Preparation Strategies by International Elite Female Lacrosse Players From Five Countries. Sport Psychologist. March 1989;3(1):14-22. 

2. Kahrović I, Radenković O, Mavrić F, Murić B. EFFECTS OF THE SELF-TALK STRATEGY IN THE MENTAL TRAINING OF ATHLETES. / EFEKTI SELF-TALK STRATEGIJE U MENTALNOM TRENINGU SPORTISTA. Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport. March 2014;12(1):51-58.

3. Mattie P, Munroe-Chandler K. Examining the Relationship Between Mental Toughness and Imagery Use. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology. April 2012;24(2):144-156.

4. Miller A, Donohue B. The Development and Controlled Evaluation of Athletic Mental Preparation Strategies in High School Distance Runners. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology. December 2003;15(4):321-334.

5. Taylor J. A Conceptual Model for Integrating Athletes' Needs and Sport Demands in the Development of Competitive Mental Preparation Strategies. Sport Psychologist. September 1995;9(3):339-357.

6. Weinberg R, Butt J, Culp B. Coaches' views of mental toughness and how it is built. International Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology. June 2011;9(2):156-172.

État d’esprit : Des stratégies mentales pour une performance optimale

Les athlètes élites ont une capacité exceptionnelle de se montrer à la hauteur au bon moment. Qu’il s’agisse de marquer le point décisif pour remporter la partie ou d’exécuter une passe incroyable qui contribue au but gagnant, la plupart des entraîneurs veulent que leur meilleur joueur soit sur le terrain lorsque la victoire est en jeu. Mais comment font-ils pour renforcer la confiance, la concentration et l’instinct de leurs athlètes pour que ces derniers réussissent des exploits continuellement?

Les athlètes champions sont les meilleurs de leur discipline, car ils travaillent avec acharnement sur le plan physique et mental. Ils aiment les défis et veulent s’améliorer à tout prix, non seulement en gagnant des parties, mais aussi en excellant sous pression. Rien n’est impossible dans leur état d’esprit. Ces athlètes élaborent également des stratégies mentales au fil des ans qui les aident à faire des prouesses spectaculaires.

Avoir une attitude positive*

Lorsque LeBron James reçoit le ballon pour marquer le panier gagnant, il sait sans aucun doute où le ballon terminera sa course. Une attitude positive élimine les doutes et donne la confiance nécessaire pour atteindre les objectifs. Elle permet aussi aux athlètes de mieux gérer le stress et l’anxiété liés aux compétitions importantes. Les athlètes doivent mettre toutes les chances de leur côté, et la première étape du processus est d’être positif.

Vivre le moment* présent

Lors d’une compétition, vous devez vivre le moment présent et vous concentrer sur la tâche que vous devez effectuer. Mettez l’accent sur votre jeu présent et non sur le passé ni l’avenir. Vivre le moment présent vous permet de ne pas analyser les jeux outre mesure, d’éviter les pensées négatives et de ne pas vous attarder sur le jeu de vos adversaires.

Jouer avec intensité*

Vous pouvez nuire à votre performance si votre intensité est trop élevée ou trop faible. Vous devez trouver la bonne intensité qui vous permettra d’obtenir de bons résultants et de vous motiver afin de livrer le meilleur de vous-même. Certains athlètes aiment écouter de la musique en jouant, tandis que d’autres préfèrent rester calmes et analyser leur stratégie. Essayez ce qui vous convient le mieux. 

Apprendre de ses erreurs*

Les athlètes élites savent que les échecs font partie du processus d’apprentissage et de développement. Ils mettent à profit les compétences qu’ils maîtrisent tout en apprenant de leurs erreurs. Ils ne s’attardent pas aux fautes qu’ils commettent, mais en tirent des leçons et passent à autre chose.

Les bons athlètes sont aussi de bons étudiants dans leur sport. Afin d’exceller au bon moment et de donner le meilleur d’eux-mêmes, ils doivent d’abord apprendre les stratégies mentales à exécuter dans des situations précises. Ces athlètes sont positifs, se concentrent sur le moment présent, ont la bonne intensité et savent quoi faire lors d’une situation stressante. Enfin, ils aiment avoir les feux braqués sur eux, car c’est ce qui leur permet, au final, de remporter des championnats.

* Seulement disponible en anglais 

Références de la collection de SIRC: 

1. Heishman M, Bunker L. Use of Mental Preparation Strategies by International Elite Female Lacrosse Players From Five Countries. Sport Psychologist [serial online]. March 1989;3(1):14-22. Available from: SPORTDiscus, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 12, 2014.

2. Kahrović I, Radenković O, Mavrić F, Murić B. EFFECTS OF THE SELF-TALK STRATEGY IN THE MENTAL TRAINING OF ATHLETES. / EFEKTI SELF-TALK STRATEGIJE U MENTALNOM TRENINGU SPORTISTA. Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport [serial online]. March 2014;12(1):51-58.

3. Mattie P, Munroe-Chandler K. Examining the Relationship Between Mental Toughness and Imagery Use. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology [serial online]. April 2012;24(2):144-156.

4. Miller A, Donohue B. The Development and Controlled Evaluation of Athletic Mental Preparation Strategies in High School Distance Runners. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology [serial online]. December 2003;15(4):321-334.

5. Taylor J. A Conceptual Model for Integrating Athletes' Needs and Sport Demands in the Development of Competitive Mental Preparation Strategies. Sport Psychologist [serial online]. September 1995;9(3):339-357.

6. Weinberg R, Butt J, Culp B. Coaches' views of mental toughness and how it is built. International Journal Of Sport & Exercise Psychology [serial online]. June 2011;9(2):156-172.

Confidence for Competition

Having confidence is the key to achieving many great things - whether it's on the field or off of it. Highly confident athletes have the ability to focus on the task at hand and execute it, all while under intense competition pressure.  Although some athletes have a natural "knack" for this, there is an element of control required that anyone can learn to increase their self-confidence.

Below are some strategies that can be employed to help you on your way:

1. Realize that confidence requires effort and is not a gift - Most athletes don't feel that gaining confidence is something that they can actively work toward achieving.  Make building confidence a daily discipline.

2. Know your strengths - The last few weeks before a major event is when doubt and worry can creep up on you, so remind yourself how good you are.  Have a list of your best attributes written down and/or imagine some of your best performances. Remind yourself that you have done it before and can do it again.

3. Focus on the positive - If you do something well, don't be afraid to compliment yourself on it. Believe you are awesome!

4. Talk nicely to yourself - Taming that voice in your head can be the most difficult and also the most crucial element in how your feel about life and obtaining confidence. Incorporate self-talk into your training sessions so that when the pressure is on, you'll have the mental strength needed to get through low points.

5. Surround yourself with positive people - This part is easy, try to have people around you that build you up and only want the best for you.

Psychological strategies can play a huge part in an athlete's success, adopting training programs that improve mental skills adds an extra advantage for the athlete trying to cope with the added pressure that competing can bring.

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Covassin T, Pero S. The relationship between self-confidence, mood state, and anxiety among collegiate tennis players. Journal Of Sport Behavior. September 2004;27(3):230-242.
2. Hays K, Thomas O, Maynard I, Bawden M. The role of confidence in world-class sport performance. Journal Of Sports Sciences. September 2009;27(11):1185-1199.
3. INDIVIDUALIZED CONFIDENCE: Let elite athletes guide your self-confidence enhancement. Journal Of Pure Power. January 2010;5(1):65-71.
4. Koehn S. Pre-Performance Confidence as a Predictor of Flow State. Medicine & Science In Tennis. February 2012;17(1):16-21.
5. Levy A, Nicholls A, Polman R. Pre-competitive confidence, coping, and subjective performance in sport. Scandinavian Journal Of Medicine & Science In Sports. October 2011;21(5):721-729.
6. McCann S. What to do before hitting the road: Three key tasks while preparing for the "Big One". Olympic Coach. Summer2008 2008;20(3):20-21.

Looking on the Bright Side!

We have often heard that a person’s attitude can colour their view of any situation. Someone with a positive attitude will see a situation quite differently than someone with a more negative attitude. When we have a positive attitude about a situation things seem to go much easier than if we are fighting ourselves. So how can attitude affect us in our fitness and sporting lives? And how can we work with attitude to improve our performance?

A recent article from the SIRC Collection points to 10 things we should all know about attitude and how it affects us:

1. Having a good attitude is a choice.  A person’s state of mind is what they choose it to be. We can choose how we think about something and how we will act in response.
2. Attitude can be changed.  While we may have what we consider an automatic response to something, we can choose whether or not to have a different attitude to it, we can make our attitudes whatever we want them to be.
3. Attitudes aren’t shaped in a vacuum.  A great number of factors influence the development of an individual’s attitude, from personality and temperament, to family and social environments.
4. Attitudes can be enhanced by adversity.  Successful people recognize that adversity can be used to learn more about ourselves and in effect turn failures into successes.
5. Attitude can determine whether a person is a success or a failure.  Research indicates that for the most part, people with positive attitudes are much more likely to achieve success than people who look at things from a negative perspective.
6. Attitude affects a person’s relationship with other people.  A positive attitude often gives off an infectious energy just like another’s negative attitude often feels like the energy is being sucked out of you
7. Attitude can affect outcome.  Having a positive attitude will be more likely to breed success than an negative expectation or outlook.
8. Attitude affects what a person expects from life.  “Positive people expect more and tend to achieve more”.
9. Attitudes can turn problems into opportunities.  People with a positive attitude can adapt to just about any situation and see where it can be improved.
10. Attitude determines who a person is.  A person with a positive attitude engages in life unlike those with a negative attitude who see life as something that happens to them. “Individuals with a positive attitude live their lives with passion.”

Attitude can be developed as one aspect of mental training. Being mindful of our attitude during training, competition and performance, we can exert a conscious effort to approach situations with an attitude focused on success. Use attitude as one more tool in your arsenal for personal achievement on and off the field.

Reference:

Peterson, J.A. (2012). 10 Things Health/Fitness Professionals Should Know About Attitude. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 16(1), 46.