Training athlete cognition is the next frontier in mental performance. Cognition involves the way athletes see, decide, and execute on demand (Zaichkowsky & Peterson, 2018). In the second of a four-part series, this article will focus on the importance of sports vision and how athletes see the field, court, or course.
Mental Training isn’t new to the world of elite performance. The Chicago Cubs hired Dr. Coleman Griffith in the 1950s. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point established a long-standing mental training program in the 1980s. The U.S. Olympic and Paraolympic Committee (USOPC) maintains a staff of sport psychology trained professionals to help U.S. athletes excel on the world’s biggest stages. However, there is a new frontier that is transforming the game of athlete performance. Before we dive in let me give you a little background.
Athletes are used to the rhythms of their athletic seasons. They work hard in the off-season. They amp it up with their teammates in pre-season. They battle and compete throughout the season (and into the post-season). Then, they take a little time to rest, recover and rejuvenate before doing it all again. But many athletes don’t take the time to notice the strides they’ve made. They don’t reflect on the year. They just keep pressing on.
Athletes make mental mistakes. Hitters swing at bad pitches. Gymnasts over rotate on tumbling passes. Point guards make bad passes. Linemen jump offsides. We might assume athletes aren’t focused but in reality they are too amped up.Â
Did you know mental training has prerequisites? Just like registering for Trigonometry or French 303, mental training has prerequisites that need to be met. Prerequisites set us up for success, ensuring we’re ready for what comes next. Athletes need to be ready to strengthen their mental game; otherwise they’re just wasting their time.
Mental toughness and resilience are taking a front seat at nearly every level of sport. Commentators mention it much more than just a few years ago. I’m here to answer the BIG questions when it comes to mental toughness and resilience and what impact mental training truly has on athletes’ performance.
Top athletes meticulously shape their pre-game routines. They want to be ready physically, mentally, and emotionally to perform their best when the competition kicks off. Unfortunately, few are as intentional about what they do after the game. How well athletes wind down will ultimately impact the quality of their training or performance tomorrow.
Coaches like you are constantly looking for a new competitive advantage. You are always on the lookout for new advances in equipment, physical training, or software to give your players better insights. One place that can be easily overlooked is the six inches between an athlete’s ears: their brain. Find out why mental training is going mainstream.
Managing the roller coaster of highs and lows can leave some teams prideful or depleted. Yet the best teams in sports find a way to maintain a healthy respect for their competition and a insatiable drive to get better. In short they choose to remain humble and hungry.
How does your team respond when they fall behind on the scoreboard? They may scratch and claw their way back until the very end. However, this isn’t always the case. Some teams crumble slowly while others implode from fear and panic. Find out how to help your team develop a fighting spirit.
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