Section 1 - Introducing "The Athlete Inside"
Section 2 - Athletic Training & Conditioning Class: The
First Week
Section 3 - Need to Know! Fitness Terms & Exercise
Principles
Section 4 - Athletic Training Workout Design
Section 5 - Sports Lectures & Workouts
Section 6 - Another Game/Student Projects
Section 7 - More Sports!
Section 8 - It's All in Your Mind (at least 75%)
Section 9 - Personal Trainers & Group Instructors: How to
Use this Information
Correspondence Course Assignments
Online Course Descriptions
"How to Order."
No Athletic Training class is complete without a discussion about the mental techniques that are available to help with performance. Mind/Body Fitness can help your students get the most out of their exercise time and make the workouts as effective for the mind as for the body? Sports psychologists have been using techniques on athletes that condition the mind and result in successful physical performance, too. Fortunately, everybody can learn to have peak performance at their own level of fitness.
Mental preparation through relaxation, visualization, and process-oriented goal setting, as well as other techniques, can help you focus our best efforts on your routine.
"Going with the flow" involves the concept of relaxed concentration that opens the way for peak performance. There is a feeling of total immersion in the present activity, with the body, mind and spirit united on the one experience. Peak performance can only happen when an exerciser stays in the present mentally by setting aside any concerns or worries during the exercise session. When a person is totally focused on the activity, all doubt about performing well is pushed away and he or she excels.
Total mental focus and concentration is sometimes called association. During weight training, maximum muscle contractions and strength gains are elicited by narrowly focusing attention on the muscles and movement. This focusing method is important also for team activities and martial arts, as well as when learning new exercises and developing coordination skills.
Directing full attention away from the physical self and the work being done is called disassociation. By distracting someone away from the fatigue and discomfort associated with intense cardiovascular work, it is possible to lengthen his endurance. This can improve performance and may seem contrary to what was previously stated about focusing on the present. However, imagine the level of exercise a skilled instructor can squeeze out of an aerobics group if she plays calypso music, talks about palm trees and blue oceans, and has them snapping and clapping while moving to the beat. They are totally involved in the activity.
The following peak performance techniques can be used before or after a workout. Guided muscle relaxation in a lying position with the focus on deep, abdominal breathing is a performance enhancer by itself or it can precede other mental exercises.
Visualization is a technique that can be used before or after a workout. The mind actually treats each thought as a reality. If you feed it positive images, it will believe them and help your body to react in the desired way. As a pre-exercise focusing method, you can envision how you would like to be and feel during a picture perfect workout. This creates new memories and you will feel satisfying progress in your physical abilities.
Visualization is a natural way to close a workout. Combined with relaxation, the cool-down period is an appropriate time to focus on the inner self. Positive visualization scripts about exercise performance or a mini-vacation fantasy leaves the participant feeling calm yet refreshed.
I previously mentioned that the mind believes whatever you put into it. Positive self-talk and affirmations can enhance your sense of well being and esteem, and therefore cause your training program to be even more effective. This is not an ego trip.
Everybody has good qualities but many don't believe that they do, and this negative thinking sets them up for failure. But by objectively listing several genuine positive qualities you have or would like to have, and then telling yourself you have them, you will respond with those characteristics over a period of time.
Sometimes we have to "fake it to make it" or react in a way that feels unnatural until it becomes a part of us. One positive affirmation prop is to write your affirmation statements on several index cards. Print "I am _____," filling in the blank with the quality you desire, such as "graceful," "getting stronger every day," "confident in my abilities." Place the cards where you will see them often, like the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, and car, and say the phrase to yourself often.
You can turn your dreams into reality with goal setting, and thus achieve your peak performance. Some goals that are long term should be broken down into smaller, easily achieved goals. When you reach a small goal using the following method, proceed to the next small goal.
To plan your goal, get some paper and write down your goal. List all the benefits you will gain from this goal and then list the obstacles you may encounter. Do you need to acquire some particular skills or knowledge to reach your goal? This analysis may uncover further mini-goals you need to reach, and you must take the time to accomplish them first.
List the people who you need to help you reach your goal and how they can help you. Select only people who will back you up and not try to undermine your attempts. Your supporters must also believe you can accomplish your goal. Talk to these people and explain how they can help.
Set a specific deadline for reaching your goal. Now write down all the strategies and methods you can use to make your goal a reality. Commit yourself to the goal. Why do you want to achieve this goal and what price are you willing to pay? Can you make the necessary sacrifices of time, pleasures, or even change of attitude to reach your goal? Select two or three of the strategies you listed to get started toward your goal.
Now visualize yourself going from the beginning to the end of your goal step by step. See the result and envision how you will feel. You may need to think about these images often to make them believable. You may also write positive affirmation cards to remind you about your goal.
Determine how you will reward yourself when you reach the goal. You should have a reward for each small goal. This will reinforce your desire to persist toward any larger goals.
Mental exercise that energizes the mind and benefits your training will affect other areas of your life, too. You may find yourself more receptive to expanding your horizons in other interests. You may be more open to breaking through fears that limit you. Whatever the dream is, you can make it a reality.
I spend one class session doing a mind/body workshop with the students, teaching them these simple techniques to help improve their performances. I also teach them progressive relaxation using a contract/release technique, deep breathing techniques and visualization.
I have them write a performance enhancing visualization script for their sport of choice. Below I've included a sample visualization script that I wrote for beginning hang gliding pilots to help them mentally practice their launches and landings. Notice the inclusion of sensory details and feelings. You can use a similar approach to writing visualizations for any sport performance.
(Taped onto an audio tape with an instrumental music background)
"As I lay relaxed and open, I sense a radiant energy in my heart center. This energy is yellow, orange, and red, and it sends warm energy to all parts of me, both my body and my mind. This energy gives me power; allowing me to be strengthened and relaxed at the same time.
I have intuition and I can make decisions based on my feelings. In hang gliding my launching and landing skills are as natural and instinctive as walking. I see myself as I assemble my glider always in the same manner each time I fly. I perform my pre-flight check of my glider in the same manner each time I fly. And I pre-flight all my flying gear: the harness, the radio, the helmet.
As I attach myself to my glider, I say, "Hooking in." "Hooked and locked." Then, "Hang check," as I stretch out and see that all my hang straps are straight. Everything checks out fine.
As I stand on launch my eyes are on the horizon and my wings are level. My hands are rotated down and my grip is loose. The glider is perfectly balanced on my upper arms. I am in the power position with my body through the bar. The wind is perfect for launch as I say "Clear." Making my total commitment to the launch, I run with power off the ramp and as the kite lifts me into the air I rotate my grip and push my feet back into my harness.
As I fly I see the colors of the sky and my surroundings. The sky is clear and blue, the warmth of the sun is relaxing. Down below me I see a grassy meadow, strewn with blue... red... yellow... orange... and purple wildflowers. The mountains in the distance beckon to me, "Come and play! Fly over our beauty." I feel as the eagle must feel, dancing in the sky. I fly in big circles, catching rising thermals of air, gently gliding as I shift my weight in the turns. Several hawks join me in the circular movement of the thermal, accepting me as another winged creature.
As my flight path becomes lower I soar above the trees. I focus on breath and control, on power and calm. I prepare for landing by making nice, easy 180 degree turns and focus on my landing spot. I remove my feet from the harness and pull my body up and through the bar like "a ship's figurehead." My eyes are on the horizon and I have level wings. I have a loose grip and my legs are ready to run. After a slight pull in for speed, I let the glider come to trim. As my feet brush the tips of the tall grass, I flare out and up. I hold the flared glider, ready to run if necessary. My feet land on the ground and I end my flight successfully.
I allow myself to feel all the emotions I have with a successful flight. I begin to
focus on my breathing and allow myself to return to awareness."
Section 1 - Introducing "The Athlete Inside"
Section 2 - Athletic Training & Conditioning Class: The
First Week
Section 3 - Need to Know! Fitness Terms & Exercise
Principles
Section 4 - Athletic Training Workout Design
Section 5 - Sports Lectures & Workouts
Section 6 - Another Game/Student Projects
Section 7 - More Sports!
Section 8 - It's All in Your Mind (at least 75%)
Section 9 - Personal Trainers & Group Instructors: How to
Use this Information
Correspondence Course Assignments
Online Course Descriptions
"How to Order."