In my last clinical update on sleep and sports injury in adolescent athletes, I described the stressors that they face in day to day training and competition. As well as these high-volume and intensity training schedules, these athletes are exposed to many non-training stressors. This highlights sleep as being central in aiding the short-term and […]
There are many variables that impact on the success of a team. One variable widely acknowledged is the contribution of a coach or manager. Across time we have seen two models of progression to coaching jobs through a variety of sports. 1. The quick progression of a recent former player to head coach. 2. The gradual […]
As a physically active population, athletes are typically viewed by the general public as healthy and strong, and so are not considered to be an at risk group for suffering from eating disorders. However this perception is part of the reason that eating disorders can be overlooked in sport. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) […]
Previous articles for Sport in Mind have focused on athlete recovery and the importance of the appropriate quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep has been outlined as being essential for physiological growth and repair, neuro-muscular performance, cognitive functioning and memory, emotional well-being and immune function. Napping has been proposed as a suitable strategy for athletes […]
Impressions that people hold of athletes commonly change in response to media reports. The phrasing of these can also affect how athletes consequently view themselves, which in turn affects their performance. Indeed, the effect that words can have on athletes is starting to be recognised. Team GB triathlete Hollie Avil retired from elite sport in […]
How we learn and refine motor skills and how we prevent performance breakdown in pressurised or demanding circumstances are among the most important questions within sport psychology and skill acquisition. The development of lightweight eye tracking technology has significantly advanced our understanding of what individuals fixate and attend to while performing sport skills. A growing […]
Reflective practice is – in its simplest term simply recalling memories, but more specifically it is recalling memories of your previous performances. This can be your most recent performance, including: a recent game you played yesterday or even a training session you had this morning. The difference between simply recalling memories and using reflective difference, […]
We know it’s possible to become a top athlete. Top athletes are made rather than born. Working hard is an essential component in becoming a top athlete, and working hard has lots of advantages in the short-term (value, self-confidence, motivation amongst others). However working hard is sometimes not that fun to do on a daily […]
The development of depression during retirement from professional sport has been highlighted by many athletes and most recently by swimming legend Ian Thorpe. James Cracknell has spoken about his tunnel vision of sport performance and subsequent inability to broaden his horizons in retirement. Alternatively sports stars have often quit a major competition or retired from […]
The question as to why humans require sleep is largely unanswered. Most research focusing around sleep has looked at specifically how humans sleep and it has been found that sleep provides us with a number of physical and psychological functions. There are three main functions which sleep provides us with. The first is a somatic […]