You have the talent, you’ve been working hard at your game, you’re physically in great shape and you’ve won plenty of times in the past – but when it comes to the big events, you just can’t finish off that winning position. If we were to take elite golf as an example, let’s take a […]
I was reading the book Bounce: How Champions are Made recently, and the author mentioned a Michael Jordan commercial for Nike from several years ago. Watching the commercial again, I realised how powerfully it demonstrates the importance of accepting failure and setbacks as we strive for greatness in whatever we do. In order to remain […]
Anxiety surrounding body image and exercise is related to muscle gain, weight control and attractiveness leading to the question “Does this manifest in sport?” In short, yes it does, while athletes and coaches should be aware that personal sporting identity and body image are vulnerable to damage due to a perceived failure to meet the […]
I want to run you through a demonstration I have used in workshops and with individual clients. It’s called Stress and a Glass of Water. I didn’t invent the analogy, but have used something like this to help people understand the concept of stress for a long time. If I were to ask you How heavy is […]
Anxiety is a concept that is widely discussed by performers and coaches. Practitioners involved in sports performance need to be aware of anxiety related symptoms. Once awareness is built it would be prudent to deal with anxiety related issues. There are two distinct aspects of anxiety. One aspect emanates towards trait anxiety. Trait anxiety relates […]
The transfer rumour mill is starting to crank up as Premier League and Football League clubs prepare to return for pre-season training in the very near future. Successful recruitment is generally accepted in the professional game as the no.1 critical factor with regards to success on the pitch. So, clubs work feverishly to sign the […]
“No one formula can provide effective and meaningful interventions for all athletes and teams in all situations” (Anderson, 2002). It is critically important to keep individual differences in mind when considering sport psychology interventions. Research in the field of sport psychology has been able to examine techniques and reveal what is most helpful for performance […]
Self-talk, or our internal monologue, often has contrasting effects; used correctly self-talk is one of the most effective methods of instilling self-confidence. Negative self-talk involves thinking or saying anything that reflects a lack of confidence or a defeatist attitude. Circumstances where negative self-talk is common amongst athletes, are situations where they have previously failed, or […]
Alcohol Drinking alcohol before sleep can be viewed as having both a positive and negative influence on sleep. Most research suggests that consumption of alcohol before sleep has a detrimental impact on sleep quality and quantity. Due to alcohols fast metabolism, the effects of alcohol on sleep can change between the first and second half […]
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not get there.” The words of baseball legend Yogi Berra might be carrying particular resonance with Sir Bradley Wiggins right now. With the Tour De France well underway, there is a notable absentee and there is a feeling that Wiggins isn’t quite sure where he is […]