Last night as I was reading up on PST (Psychological skills training) it struck me the drastic turn that my blog has taken. As a result I am considering creating another blog where I will be able to post video's for my athletes to view. This should allow me to continue to focus of this blog which is to foster a discussion about track and field and the theory and science involved. That being said, on to today's topic.
The Psychology of Sport
During my undergrad and collegiate career I can distinctly recall two times where my arousal level exceeded the point where it could effectively assist me in competing. Once was my freshman year at BHSU in the conference pent. The other time was my sophomore year in the pent at conference. Coincidentally each time occurred in a high pressure situation. In one situation the pressure to preform was applied by an external source and in the other the pressure to preform came from within. Each time the over-arousal inhibited performance.
We can all agree that there needs to be a rise in
arousal level when competing. It seems almost natural to "get up for the game" or to "get pumped up." Yet, as coaches, we fail to offer to our athletes the information or techniques to properly moderate themselves.
Psychological factors account primarily for day-to-day performance fluctuations.
I love this statement. There have been a number of times that I have had athletes finish a practice and known this fact. I have, until now however, been unable to put it into words. The chapter I read through lists a number of letdowns or mistakes.
- You walked off a playing field in disgust after losing a game you felt you should have won.
- You choked at a critical point in a competition.
- You felt depressed because you weren't recovering quickly enough from an injury.
- You lacked the desire or motivation to exercise.
- Your mind wandered during a competition.
- You became angry and frustrated with your performance and put yourself down.
Thinking About Track
I have encouraged my athletes over and over again to "think about track." What I have failed to do is explain what I mean and what exactly I am asking. Mental rehearsal is nearly as important as the act of practicing the movement itself. Mental rehearsal can be beneficial in the following ways.
- It allows innumerable repetitions.
- Requires no special setting
- Allows the athlete to isolate and focus on important factors (knee drive, relaxation, perfect posture)
- Allows the athlete to experience heightened arousal levels and allows them to be more aware of the physical changes to the body (faster heart beat, increased adrenaline.)
As a result I would like my athletes to simulate the major points of emphasis from practice. They can visualize perfect form without experiencing the negative externalities experienced during practice such as cold, loss of balance, etc. The five areas that I find potentially useful for athletes are the following.
- Arousal regulation
- Imagery (mental preparation)
- Confidence building
- Increasing motivation and commitment (goal setting)
- Attention or concentration skills (self-talk, mental plans)
Three Phases of PST Programs
As a result there are three phases of PST programs. The education phase, the acquisition phase and the practice phase. Each phase is different and necessary. As of today I will be introducing the education phase. As a result I am hoping that my athletes will become self-aware. As humans we tend not to realize that we are missing something until some one points it out.
The Education Phase
Because many sport participants are unfamiliar with how mental skills can enhance performance, the first phase of many PST program is educational. In the education p hase participants quickly recognize how important it is to acquire PST and how the skills affect performance.
The Acquisition Phase
The acquisition phase focuses on strategies and techiniques for learning the different psychological skills. Both formal and informal meetings are devoted to the learning of these skills.
The Practice Phase
The practice phase has three primary objectives: (a) to automate skills through overlearning; (b) to teach people to sytematically integrate psychological skills into their performance situations; abnd (c) to simulate skills you will want to apply in actual competion.
This completes my thoughts for the day as I need to go and deal with a long jump approach right now. Have a great day and post any thoughts you might have pertaining to the subject or not.
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