Part 2: MST - Programme Overview

• MST - Programme Overview

  • What are their strengths & weaknesses 
  • Organised structure & individualised 
  • Targeted & specific (for given sport, position, person & situation)
• MST Skills vs MST Methods

  • Makes it more doable (skills & methods) 
  • Easier for athletes to grasp & take on (to improve on it)
  • SKILLS = qualities, abilities, attributes that need to be developed (eg attention-concentration) = [product]
  • METHODS = procedures or techniques used to teach, learn & develop the skills needed to perform well (eg imagery) = [process]
• MST Skills vs MST Methods

  • Makes it more doable (skills & methods) 
  • Easier for athletes to grasp & take on (to improve on it)
  • SKILLS = qualities, abilities, attributes that need to be developed (eg attention-concentration) = [product]
  • METHODS = procedures or techniques used to teach, learn & develop the skills needed to perform well (eg imagery) = [process]
• MST Skills vs MST Methods

  • SKILLS = qualities, abilities, attributes that need to be developed (eg attention-concentration) = [product]
  • Will have a skill/ability level
  • Ability to pay attention to right stuff, at right time , for right amount of time (attention-concentration) 
  • Skill is the product, need training/process to improve skill
• MST Skills vs MST Methods

  • METHODS = procedures or techniques used to teach, learn & develop the skills needed to perform well (eg imagery) = [process]
  • = how we actually train 
  • Important distinction 
  • Method is means to end - imagery to help improve a skill (eg attention-concentration, confidence)
  • Methods can be tweaked/used to improve different skills 
  • Need to be able to translate to activity (apply it, not just practise it)
• MST Skills

  • Skills things to be good at; Method = tools
  • 3 major skill categories 
  • More than 1 skill may be focusing on - focus on foundation skills 1st
• MST Skills 

  • Foundation MST Skills
  • eg Self-confidence, Motivation
  • Performance MST Skills
  • Optimal Arousal (mental & physical) 
  • Facilitative MST Skills 
  • eg team building (for team cohesion)
  • Doing performance, neglecting foundation skills can be counter productive 
• MST Skills 

  • Foundation MST Skills
  • eg Self-Confidence, Motivation
  • Self-confidence = hard to get, but easy to lose
  • Is base mental fitness needed 
  • May not be able to see early on 
  • If absence/poorly mastered then hurts performance
  • Are the basis
• MST Skills 

  • Performance MST Skills 
  • Optimal Physical Arousal (activation)
  • Optimal Mental Arousal (activation)
  • Optimal Attention/Concentration
  • Where most people want to jump straight into 
  • Means can miss/neglect foundation skills (which are crucial)
  • Doing performance, neglecting foundation skills can be counter productive 
• MST Skills 

  • Facilitative MST Skills 
  • Team building – team cohesion
  • Relevant skill for team sports; for others may not be most important, but can be important contributing factor (for attitude, harmony etc)
  • Helps something else to happen (indirect effect on performance)
  • How cope skill so doesn’t negatively affect performance
  • Don’t get bogged down by only focusing on performance skills; these others skills can have powerful influence as well - to achieve best performance
• MST Skills 

  • Facilitative MST Skills 
  • Team building – team cohesion
  • Relevant skill for team sports; for others may not be most important, but can be important contributing factor (for attitude, harmony etc)
  • Helps something else to happen (indirect effect on performance)
  • How cope skill so doesn’t negatively affect performance
  • Don’t get bogged down by only focusing on performance skills; these others skills can have powerful influence as well - to achieve best performance
• Build Your Own PST “House”

  • Facilitative PST Skills 
  • “Keep the lid/roof on”
  • May not be important everyday 
  • Performance PST Skills 
  • Wall
  • What around us 
  • Foundation PST Skills
  • Need good foundation (is crucial)

  
• MST Methods

  • Foundation Methods 
  • eg., Peak Performance Profile  [Technical, Tactical, Physical, Psych skills]
  • MST Methods*
  • eg., Mental Prep, Relaxation (centring), Imagery, Goal Setting, Self talk etc
• MST Methods

  • Foundation Methods 
  • eg., Peak Performance Profile  [Technical, Tactical, Physical, Psych skills: see pages 7-10]
  • Easily overlooked but is crucial 
  • To identify what their mental skills may be 
  • Important to look at physical skill as can have impact on mental skills
• MST Methods

  • MST Methods*
  • eg., Mental Prep, Relaxation (centering), Imagery, Goal Setting, Self talk etc
  • Not only set of methods, just examples 
  • Improve particular mental skill, not a skill themselves
  • Which method is most appropriate 
  • Don’t just chuck all methods
  • Wastes time 
  • Make informed structures based on skills have, choice what method/s are needed to help improve that skill 
  • Individualised to fit that person's needs
• MST Methods

  • * Methods are a means to an end, not an end in itself!
  • The methods are a means to an end - being good at imagery isn’t the point, being good at imagery bc/ it helps with confidence or attention concentration is the point
• MST Programme

  • Individually designed combination of methods selected to attain the individual's skill needs.
  • Need to know their needs 
  • Such as their weaknesses 
  • Everything taken into account to take in their needs 
  • There is NO set MST programme!
  • No set programme for one sport or person
  • Therefore must do a Needs/Skills Assessment