Competition is a test of an athlete’s physical and

psychological skills

How much time do you spend physically training?

How much time do you spend psychologically

training?

Few athletes develop psychological skills to the extent they can.

Athletes learn psychological skills

through years of trial and error.

Psychological Skills Training Program

(PST)

OBJECTIVE OF PST1. Help athlete perfrom up 1. Help athlete perfrom up to capabilityto capability

2. Enjoy sport participation 2. Enjoy sport participation moremore

3. Develop skills for other 3. Develop skills for other life situationslife situations

Building Psychological Skills

Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills

Goal SettingGoal Setting

Attention ControlAttention Control

Stress ManagementStress Management

Cognition Control Cognition Control

ImageryImagery

Physical RelaxationPhysical Relaxation

1. Athletes are made cognizant of the importance of psychological factors in sport.

2. The concept is introduced that these psychological factors are skills that can be learned.

3. Introduce the range of psychological skills and the degree to which they can be learned.

4. Identify the specific psychological skills which the athlete wants to develop.

Psychological Skill

1. Emotional Control, with 1. Emotional Control, with specific concern given to specific concern given to arousal regulation through arousal regulation through the management of stress the management of stress and anger.and anger.

Psychological Skill

2. Attention control, which 2. Attention control, which focuses on the ability to attend focuses on the ability to attend to the appropriate stimuli in to the appropriate stimuli in the sport environment, the the sport environment, the ability to shift attention and ability to shift attention and the ability to maintain the ability to maintain attention.attention.

Psychological Skill

3. Self-confidence 3. Self-confidence development and development and maintenance, which helps maintenance, which helps athletes to avoid becoming athletes to avoid becoming both under and over both under and over confident.confident.

Psychological Skill

4. Interpersonal skills or 4. Interpersonal skills or those abilities which permit those abilities which permit athletes to interact effectively athletes to interact effectively with other athletes and with other athletes and coaches.coaches.

Relaxation+

Imagery +

Concentration=

Better Performance

How does imagery work?

“Imagined stimuli and perceptual or real stimuli have a qualitatively similar status in our conscious mental life.”

David MarksJournal of Mental Imagery

Imagery Helps In:

1. Setting Goals1. Setting Goals

2. Controling Emotions2. Controling Emotions

3. Developing Self-awareness3. Developing Self-awareness

4. Improving Concentration4. Improving Concentration

5. Relieving Pain5. Relieving Pain

6. Practicing Sport Skills6. Practicing Sport Skills

7. Practicing Strategy7. Practicing Strategy

Preparing to Practice Imagery

1. Right Setting1. Right Setting

2. Relaxed Attention2. Relaxed Attention

3. Motivation3. Motivation

4. Right Attitude4. Right Attitude

Motor Imagery Guidelines1. Image performance and positive 1. Image performance and positive outcomeoutcome

2. Image vividly (emotions and all 2. Image vividly (emotions and all senses)senses)

3. Use slow motion imagery for 3. Use slow motion imagery for analysisanalysis

4. Use an internal focus4. Use an internal focus

Motor Imagery Guidelines

5. Follow images of incorrect performance 5. Follow images of incorrect performance with images of correct performancewith images of correct performance

6. Imagery strengthens the mental 6. Imagery strengthens the mental blueprint of well learned skillsblueprint of well learned skills

7. Use triggers to strengthen imagery7. Use triggers to strengthen imagery

8. Practice, practice, practice!8. Practice, practice, practice!

Advantages of Motor Imagery

1. Efficient1. Efficient

2. Not Physically Fatiguing2. Not Physically Fatiguing

3. Avoids Risk of Injury3. Avoids Risk of Injury

4. Doesn’t Require Facilities or 4. Doesn’t Require Facilities or EquipmentEquipment

5. Provides a Break to the 5. Provides a Break to the Monotony of Physical PracticeMonotony of Physical Practice

Causes of Anxiety

Uncertainty of OutcomeUncertainty of Outcome

Great ImportanceGreat Importance

Two Responses to Stress

Physical (somatic)Physical (somatic)

Mental (cognitive)Mental (cognitive)

Physical Symptoms of Stress

Increased heart rateIncreased heart rate

ButterfliesButterflies

Muscle tensionMuscle tension

Cotton mouthCotton mouth

YawningYawning

Cold, clammy handsCold, clammy hands

Mental Symptoms of Stress

Negative self-talkNegative self-talk

Images of disasterImages of disaster

Lack of concentrationLack of concentration

Feeling of being overwhelmedFeeling of being overwhelmed

Realistic Positive Thinking

Self-confidence is the conviction that you can achieve the realistic goals you have set for yourself with the full awareness of the effort involved to achieve it.

Self-doubt is a self-fufilling prophecy

The most significant self-confidence is the confidence in your ability to acquire competencies.

Sabres Won - Loss Percent for Imagery and Nonimagery Games Winning % for games Winning % for games

with pregame imagery with pregame imagery exercises (won 5 lost 4 exercises (won 5 lost 4 tied 2 = 55%)tied 2 = 55%)

Winning % for games Winning % for games without pregame without pregame imagery exercises imagery exercises (won 4 lost 13 tied 4 = (won 4 lost 13 tied 4 = 29%)29%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Imagery

NoImagery