Positive Psychology hit the headlines last year with announcement of the launch of ‘happy schools’. At these schools, happiness will be placed at the heart of the curriculum in order to developoptimism and ambition. These happy schools are not based on airy-fairy wishful thinking, but on the empirically researched psychological framework of positive psychology, pioneered […]
This post was intended to be about self confidence, but I decided I needed to take a step back and rather than talk specifically about gaining confidence; a more general overview of Emotional Intelligence in sports was in order. In this way it becomes easier to address many aspects of how the Game within the […]
Self-Confidence in Sports Performance Self-confidence is a state performers exhibit before, during and after performance. Performers can either suffer from low confidence levels or exhibit high levels of self-confidence. In principle, positive self-confidence should lead to higher self-motivation, greater confidence and enhanced focus. In contrast, negative self-confidence will lead to increased anxiety, negative emotions and […]
‘My idea of paradise is a straight line to a goal’– Friedrich Nietzsche Every successful person whether that be an artist, sports person or leader has set goals which have driven and directed their efforts in their quest to be the best they can be. Goal setting is an extremely powerful technique for enhancing performance […]
Why is it that some athletes become crippled by injury, whilst others return to come back stronger than ever before? Both physical and psychological factors play a significant role in mediating this process. As a physiotherapist it is essential to address the psychological as well as physical needs of the athlete. The use of a […]
When gearing up for a big match, very few athletes actually take the time to sit back and take a breath. The simple acts of inhaling, exhaling and relaxing for just a few moments can have a significant impact on sporting performance. Just take a look at Cristiano Ronaldo the next time he lines up […]
Mêdraœ and Bidziñska (2004) found that recreational males, former athletes and people who participate in aerobic exercise or sports (e.g. running, swimming, cycling) regularly engage in exercise addictive behaviours. But, the difference between commitment and addiction to exercise has been disputed. Commitment and addiction can be differentiated through the intellectual analyse of rewards and rationales […]
How many of you have listened to music while you train? How many people do you see in the gym or running down the road with their earphones in? How many exercise classes are set to music? Music and exercise are used so prevalently together that it often seems wrong to have one without the […]
“The mind is everything” Sir Jackie Stewart admitted in a 2004 interview. “All the boys in Formula One today have gifts from God and there’s 20 of them. Then there’s the top six, then the extraordinary three. But the genius is the one who takes it to another level. That is Michael Schumacher today, just as […]
How we try to motivate our players is often misunderstood, in particular prior to playing in a game. Most coaches spend years searching for an epic, hair-stand-on-the-back-of-your-neck style speech like Al Pacino’s famous one in Any Given Sunday. These kind of forced speeches however never really live up to expectation because of one simple reason […]