Mental Skills and Mental Skills Strategies

• Deficiency in any of these areas


  • Decreases the ability of the athlete to perform at an optimal level
• Areas required for optimal athletic performance


  • Developed appropriate energy systems and physical attributes
  • Correct strategies and tactics given the strengths & weaknesses of the team
  • Appropriate level of mental skills required to succeed in sport
  • Necessary physical skills to play at that level
• Mental Skills Strategies


  Goal Setting, Performance Routines, Imagery, Relaxation, Self-talk (GRIPS)
• At the elite level of sport, where most of the players are of similar ability, and have similar access to technology & training methods, it is the mental strength of the individual which separates the great players from the good players
• Mental Skills


  • Self Confidence
  • Motivation
  • Arousal Regulation
  • Concentration
  • Stress Management
• Mental Skills Strategies


  • Goal Setting
  • Relaxation
  • Imagery
  • Performance Routines
  • Self talk
• An athlete can use one or more of these methods (before, during &/or after) to improve their mental skills which will result in improved performance
• Appropriate use of these methods is influenced by the circumstances under which the performer finds himself
• All tools can be used to affect all outcomes!!!
• Before / Pre Performance


  Concentration: Relaxation, Self-Talk & Routines aren't the best options for enhancing concentration before competition
• Before / Pre Performance


  Self-Confidence: Self-Talk & Routines aren't the best options for enhancing before performance
• During Performance


  Stress: Imagery & Self-Talk aren't the best
• During Performance


  Concentration: Imagery & Goal-Setting aren't the best
• During Performance


  Arousal: Imagery isn't the best
• During Performance


  Motivation: Imagery & Personal Relaxation aren't the best
• During Performance


  Self-Confidence: Imagery IS the best
• After Performance


  Stress: Goals Setting and relaxation are best
• After Performance


  Concentration: Possibly goals setting and relaxation
• After Performance


  Arousal: relaxation is best
• After Performance


  Motivation: Goal Setting and self talk
• After Performance


  Self-Confidence: Possibly GIPS
• What defines before, during, after performance?
• But some tools are better than others, take note...
• As a player's self-confidence increases


  Their performance increases
• If self-confidence levels are too high


  There is a drop in performance levels
• Self-confidence


  A belief in a performer that they can successfully perform a desired skill / behaviour
• Most effective methods of improving self confidence


  • Goal setting
  • Imagery
  • Self talk
  • Performance routines
• Self-confidence is critical to successful performance as shown in the "self-fulfilling prophecy" diagram
• Concentration / attention


  The ability to focus on the required task by focusing on relevant cues & blocking out distractions
• High level performers


  • Have the ability to shift concentration quickly from a broad to narrow focus (large number of cues to a small number of cues) or vice versa
• Over-aroused performers


  • Have a narrow, internal focus & this limits their ability to concentrate on all the relevant cues in the environment
• Concentration is


  • Shiftable
  • Selective
  • Divisable
• Most effective methods of improving concentration


  • Imagery
  • Self talk
  • Performance routines
  • Goal setting
• Arousal


  The amount of mental energy or preparedness a person has prior to performance. Athletes performing at optimal arousal levels are said to be in "The Zone" / "Flow State"
• Athletes who are either under or over aroused


  Do not perform at their optimal level
• Under-aroused


  • Easily distracted, focused on irrelevant cues in the environment, lacking concentration & motivation
• Over-arousal


  • Increased muscular tension can affect coordination; narrow internal focus results in missed environmental cues; inability to shift attentional focus to appropriate state
• The "Inverted U hypothesis" depicts the relationship between arousal & performance
• Most effective methods of regulating arousal levels


  • Imagery
  • Self talk
  • Performance routines
  • Relaxation
• Motivation


  The individual reasons that person has for getting involved in an activity