Game within the Game- Intro to Mental Training

Sport Psychology Consultingthe last 30 yearsSoccer coach for 35 years

SPC provides a service which melds mind and body into an optimal relationship. Working closely with athletes, coaches and parents, programs are specifically designed for the athletes’ age, competitive level and personal needs.

 SPC’s educational program is for healthy athletes who are striving for excellence in their sport. There is no magic answer- just sound mental training to optimize athletic performance.

 Top level athletes spend hours working on their skills, on fitness or on speed training. At some point we have to ask, am I doing everything from a mental point of view possible to help insure my success? Mental Training is this missing component. At every level, a major determining factor between success and failure involves how we mentally prepare for competition. Learning how to be successful as well as how to cope with failure are the mental building blocks needed to reach for your potential.

Sport Psychology ConsultantsTheMental-Game.comAn Educational Experience……… dedicated to anathletes’ long-term understanding of how best toperform to their potential.Skills such as relaxation, concentration, copingbehavior and imagery rehearsal can be taught. Thisis why SPC takes an Educational Approach toworking with athletes.

 Mental skills are the same as physical skills in that they can be taught, learned and practised. Performance can be radically improved by employing psychological skills training.

 Programs can focus on one or more principles, depending on which areas need improvement, and these might include: - goal setting - arousal - mental rehearsal - confidence building - concentration

 It is best if psychological skills become automatic via overlearning That athletes make them an integral part of their training That skills are practised to replicate real game scenarios

Goal Setting Visualisation Concentration MENTAL Anxiety andPositive self-talk TRAINING arousal control TECHNIQUES Relaxation Centreing Techniques Focusing

Every action begins first with a thought. Every result originates from an action.

Attitude What is Attitude?Where does it comefrom?Do you have theFury?Do you havepassion?

The Mind ConsciousSub-conscious

The Mind1. Sub-conscious mind never sleeps2. Your mind is like the soil3. Your mind can only hold one thought at a time4. Your mind will move your body in the direction ofyour dominant thought5. Your mind cannot distinguish between what’s realand imaginary

 What is it? How do you develop it? It may not be what you think it is!

Based on research rather than invention mental toughness may be defined from simple to complexStarting with simple PPR- Perseverance Persistence Resilience

 1. Unshakable self-belief in your ability to achieve your competition goals. 2. Unshakable self-belief that you possess unique qualities and abilities that make you better than your opponents. 3. Insatiable desire and internalized motives to succeed. 4. Bouncing back from performance set-backs as a result of increased determination to succeed. 5. Thriving on the pressure of competition. 6. Accepting that competition anxiety is inevitable and knowing that you can cope with it.

 7. Not being adversely affected by others’ good and bad performances. 8. Remaining fully-focused in the face of personal life distractions. 9. Switching a sport focus on and off as required. 10. Remaining fully focused on the task at hand in the face of competition-specific distractions. 11. Pushing back the boundaries of physical and emotional pain, while still maintaining technique and effort under distress (in training and competition). 12. Regaining psychological control following unexpected, uncontrollable events (competition specific).

 1. Sense of urgency without panic. 2. Wanting the responsibility when the game is on the line. 3. Ability to respond positively to criticism. 4. Establish the will to work to win. 5. Self-motivated 6. Having a never quit attitude. 7. Having a killer instinct.

 Has been shown to increase work output by up to 40-50% Goals need to be set for both training and competitions

There are three types of sporting goals: Outcome goals focus on end result, times, finishing place or medals Performance goals focus on comparing present performance levels with those attained previously, and are independent of other competitors Process goals focus on actions such as physical movements and game strategies that athletes must execute during a game in order to maximise their performance

Short-term goals: continually provide a more manageable focus point for athletes act as the stepping stones for achieving long- term goals bring about improved performances

 The acronym SMARTER is an effective way of goal setting:Specific – clear goalsMeasurable – assess progressAction based– Do somethingResearch Based- Realistic – achievableTime bound – within a time frameExciting – challenged, inspired, rewardedRecorded – written down- yes you can use a computer

 The importance of belief is really important- So tie in as many senses as you can Ask yourself- When I reach my goal it will Taste Like? Look Like? Feel Like? Smell Like? Sound Like? When you attach a sense it is more real!

 Athletes can attain optimal arousal and concentration levels by trying to imagine themselves performing skills before actually doing them This is known as - mental rehearsal - mental imagery - visualisation - hypnosis

 Effective imagery involves a lot more than simply “seeing” how a performance should be executed It calls on as many senses as possible during the rehearsal stage, typically: * kinaesthetic * auditory * visual * even smell & taste

Imagery improves performance by: Improving neural pathways between the brain and the muscles Providing a mental template of rehearsed sequences Enabling athletes to prepare for a range of events and eventualities Working in conjunction with other psychological skills Allowing athletes to pre-experience the achievement of goals that build confidence

 Is carried out by making the physical training environment as similar as possible to the game setting Thoughts are actually taken through to the physical application stage

 The relationship between arousal and performance is commonly referred to as the “inverted-U” hypothesis It is possible to experience situations of: * under-arousal * optimal arousal (in the “zone”) * over-arousal

Level of arousal changes based on: Skill Situation Activity Gross motor or fine motor skill

Arousal reduction techniques include: Controlled breathing Progressive muscular relaxation Biofeedback Stress-inoculation training (SIT) Listening to calming music Using routines

Arousal promotion techniques include: Rapid breathing Acting energetically Positive talk Energising imagery Pre-game workout

Choking – a situation where performance deteriorates because a heightened sense of pressure or importance is placed on an upcoming event or action Often caused by: Negative self-talk Thinking about past performances Thinking about the future Environmental distractions Muscle tension Fatigue

Consists of three parts:1. Focusing on relevant environmental cues2. Maintaining attention focus over time3. Having awareness of the situation

There are four types of focus:1. Broad-internal focus – on thoughts and feelings2. Broad-external focus – outwards on opponent’s actions3. Narrow-internal focus – thoughts and mentally rehearse upcoming movements4. Narrow-external focus – on very few external cues

Concentration can be improved by: Use of cue words Selective attention training Routines Over-learning Confidence

 Confidence levels and performance attainment closely reflect the inverted-U shape demonstrated by the arousal theory It is possible to lack confidence Be over-confident Be in “the zone”

 Confidence levels remain high if athletes feel that they are adequately trained to succeed in the activity being undertaken – both physically and psychologically Knowing what to expect by having practised many physical and mental scenarios, and knowing how to respond to them, removes uncertainty and ensures optimal performance levels

Building Unwavering Self- Confidence Use words wisely Believe Set internal achievement mechanisms Focus on the Positive Celebrate success

 From Darwin- Ignorance begets confidence more than it does knowledge From the Oracle of Delphi Know Thyself The critical factor: Constant Reliable Feedback The major problem- Occasional Delayed Ambiguous Feedback

 Most people overestimate their performance Discrepancy between perception and reality Over placement: people tend to place themselves higher or with more skill than reality Information Deficit- lack of real information Performance ill defined- no measureable goals

 Adaptive function- The one positive especially at early stages of development is that overconfidence leads to optimism to take on new challenges

5 Rules for Success If you can’t name it, you can’t claim it. Set Goals Success requires direct action. Success is always preceded by discomfort or failure. You, and only you, are responsible for what you get. Have Passion for what you do.

~ The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become. ~ Ω~ Most people have so much more potential than where they are right now ~ Ω ~ Success or Failure is dependent on one thing ~ YOU Ω ~ Are you the player you want to become? ~

(425) 241-6539margolies@TheMental-Game.com

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Game within the Game- Intro to Mental Training

by Mike Margolies

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Game within the Game- Intro to Mental Training Presentation Transcript