Cell assembly theory developed by Donald Hebb (1949) explains how within the brain we develop neural pathways that act like roads, these are formed through learning, experiences, and the thoughts we have. In simple terms when a thought or experience is had cells fire in the brain, if the thought is rarely repeated and not […]
Numerous accounts of high profile sports people suffering from depression have surfaced in recent times. Unfortunately, not all cases have been reported by the victim and recent newspaper reports in Ireland revealed the tragic loss of a talented young inter county senior hurler. He was one of many that suffered in silence. The opening up […]
Have you ever seen the television series Made (MTV)? On this show one person wants to change his or her life and often wants to be ‘made’ into the person of his or her dreams. Remember the girls wanting to be made popstars and the guys sport jocks? Whether you liked the show or not, […]
In a sport and exercise context, music is typically used in one of four ways; Asychnronous, Synchronous, Pre-task and Recuperative. The current article will explore how we can use listening to music before starting sport or exercise, as part of the physical warm-up or mental preparation. In this sense, pre-task music is applied immediately prior to a […]
Confidence is such a key component of successful performance in sport and a player’s loss of confidence can brutally be laid bare in the professional arena. Footballer Ashley Young appears to be having a crisis of confidence, not helped by his apparent penchant for diving. The reputation of Manchester United’s winger has fallen a great […]
Motivation involves the biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate our behaviour. In simpler terms, motivation is used to describe why we do something. Motivation is a big topic of conversation in all sports. Whether it is amongst pundits, fans or academics, it always provides a strong debate on how and why athletes are […]
The turnaround in fortunes of the Australian cricket team has been a remarkable story as Darren Lehmann’s men went from perennial losers to Ashes winners in the space of six months. The likes of Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin have deservedly taken the accolades for the part they played in regaining the famous Ashes urn […]
Psychology is a word that is thrown around with the likes of therapy and psychiatry. Adding sport on the front, still does not seem to shift these negative connotations. It is often thought that the athlete will be lying on a couch with the therapist wearing a white coat and using their clip board to […]
Continuous training (CT) is defined as ‘a bout of prolonged steady-state activity’ (Haskell et al, 2007) and has been utilised as an effective intervention to stimulate favourable physiological adaptations to the cardiovascular and metabolic systems (Gibala et al, 2012). The current physical activity guidelines advocate that all adults should undertake 150 minutes of moderate-intensity CT […]
Skill Acquisition in Sport This article attempts to provide simplistic insight into the concept of Skill Acquisition in sport, and specifically what actions coaches and teachers need to be conscious of to help ensure their athletes are presented with the best possible chance of achieving excellence. In an effort to effectively develop talent and impart […]