When does thinking become detrimental to athletic performance? Is it even possible to replicate good technique in competition without thinking? Technique and mechanics are crucial for both confidence and success in sports. However, mechanics are quite detailed. There are a lot of moving parts. For a baseball pitcher to throw strikes, there are many
How often do worrisome thoughts affect how you perform, play, or compete? Do you tend to worry about letting your teammates down or having a bad game? Athletes who worry think too much about past poor performances or possible negative future results. Worrying about something that has yet to happen interferes with an athlete’s ability
The Mindset to Always Focus Forward How long does a tough loss affect you? Some athletes can get over a loss quickly and shift their focus to the next competition. Other athletes dwell on bad games or performances; “I can’t believe I choked,” “I let my team down again,” or “We should have easily won
Do you visualize your athletic performances? Is visualization a consistent component of your training regimen? Most athletes answer “no” to both of these questions. But why do so many athletes ignore visualizing performance, even after many elite, Olympic, and professional athletes attribute their success to this particular mental skill? Several reasons exist for athletes not
What is your biggest fear when dealing with an injury? Every athlete has a unique and personal injury experience, meaning injury affects athletes differently depending on their perspective. Sports injuries are multifaceted. Every injury has a physical, mental, and emotional component. Neglecting one of these components can delay the mental or physical healing process. When
What makes an elite athlete “elite”? Elite athletes aren’t elite just because they are talented. Plenty of talented athletes have not lived up to their potential. Do elite athletes just have better coaching? Again, many athletes have risen to the top without the best coaching. Likewise, many talented athletes have elite coaches and still consistently