One of the biggest reasons children and teens struggle in sports performance is: stress, anxiety, and issues going on in the mind. This week the New England Patriots play the Atlanta Falcons in Superbowl 51. Both teams have excellent skilled athletes. Pro level athletes still must manage mood and stress for peak performance and best decision making. As you watch the Super Bowl notice the mental errors: fumbles, dropped passesmissed field goals, passes into areas passes should not be thrown, penalties by both teams, poor kicks, clock management, fumbles, interceptions etc. It most likely will come down to the team that manages it’s mood and minimizes mental errors.

The number one Tennis in player in the world discussed his mental training for why he is the number one tennis player in the world. Novak Djokovic has won 8 Grand Slam Championships. Djokovic states he was not born a champion. The tennis star states: exercise, diet, yoga, meditation, visualization, and the law of attraction. Novak believes in positive thinking and imagery to create success in his life in a NY Times article from Sept 11, 2015. He states the most important element that contributed to his success is his attitude. His mental attitude was attributed for his tennis greatness!!!

Sports performance and mental errors plagued Arizona State this weekend against Texas AM in Houston Texas. Coach Todd Graham looked angry and incredulous when his team failed to make standard tackles that caused the Devils 14 plus points. The team dropped many passes that most 10 year olds would catch. The team fumbled the ball five times. Texas AM did have a solid pass rush however their were at least 20 mental errors that sabotaged Arizona State football.

Jordan Spieth winner of he Masters and US open stated that mental weakness impacted him and he missed the PGA Deutsche Bank cut. Spieth stated “ normally my mental game is a strength of mine and it is something I feel like I have an advantage over other players on. “These past two weeks it was a weakness for me.”

Your body is relaxed and you do not feel tight or have tension. You are mentally focused. You are in the moment( not thinking about the score, your last shot, you are empty without thought). You are enjoying the experience and not thinking about results.

I was listening to Sports radio and Jordan Bachynski Arizona States seven foot two basketball center was being interviewed after a close win over Utah on 1-23-2014. The team played better on defense and offense with many players contributing to the win.

Jordan spoke to radio personalities  Gambo and Ash about his game and discussed using a sports mental training expert. Jordan stated he shot thousands of free throws in the summer however his free throw percentage did not improve. He further stated he is using visualization and sports mental training techniques that are helping him improve his shooting percentage.

There is decades of  evidence research showing sports mental training is as essential if not more important in elite performance in sports. Jordan shared a story about a man who was a prisoner of war for years who practiced his golf game in his head and upon release after not touching a club for years had his best performance. What does this tell you?

Here are a few tips in sports mental training that can help a child, teen, or college or pro player:

Here are tips to help you build new motivation, confidence and major breakthroughs in your sport, exercise, and performance.

When your are exercising, use your positive mental images called imagery and visualization throughout your workout to create feelings of speed and power. Use visualization before, during and after your training to build confidence and new motivation. Imagery and visualization will rewire your brain so performance is smooth and natural. Seeing a video of your performance in the first person from warming up till you win or complete your goals.

Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute positive power words. When you’re thinking: “This is painful, I want to stop”; say to yourself: “This feeling is helping me improve and get healthier or stronger.

“Be mindful.Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Instead of replaying past mistakes, or stressing about the future, let past and future events fade into the background. Be right on, right here, right now. Do not think of your past errors, do not focus on the score, do not focus on poor referee calls. Stay in the moment and breath and focus on your breath and staying focused yet relaxed so your performance will be at it’s peak.

Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my neck, arms, shoulders , head, relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

If you have “good pain,” the pain of effort, that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Look only at what you need to do right now; your final time, place, team work, rebounding, breathing, relaxing, the score will take care of itself.

Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important right now, at this moment.

Diaphramatic breathing is vital throughout your performance. If you are not breathing deeply than your performance will be impacted in a negative way.

Enjoy and appreciate your fitness and strength. When you exercise, relax and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. Be thankful and grateful that you are active and enjoying exercise and you will improve with time. Be patient and practice the mental piece and you will see great improvements.

Sports mental coaching NFL Aaron Rodgers Greenbay packers.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL . He threw for four touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals and recovered a fumble during a scoring drive that gave the Packers a 14 point lead in the second quarter .

His passion for the game showed and his mental toughness when he dove for a ball in a pile of players . He mixed it up in the midst of a violent fight for the ball,

Rodgers stated he visualized himself mentally recovering the football in his mind and sure enough it happened in the game .

NBA PLAYER on Sports Psychology and sports mental training and coaching.

Kendall Marshall was the 13th draft pick in the 2012 draft. The Suns roster is loaded with guards. On Oct 31, 2013 the Suns have a deadline to exercise their option on rookie salary contracts and the first two years are guaranteed for all rookies in the NBA. Kendall Marshall is shooting thirty seven percent overall from the field and thirty one percent from three point range.

Marshall states he has done a lot of work on improving his shooting and athleticism in the off season. He states ” a lot of this game is mental for me-just having the confidence to go out there and know that I am good enough to help my team win. “I think that’s half of where my shot was, the other half was just putting in the work, constantly being on the court, putting up shots and building that confidence.”

Coach Jeff Hornacek states he spoke to Marshall about the arc of his shot and getting it up higher.” Marshall states his shot will not change overnight, however, research shows that working on the mental piece is just as important as the physical piece if not more important. Change can happen by using sports mental training techniques daily to improve: shooting, arc, form, and performance. The mind body connection is huge and we must get both aligned so we can perform at our peak performance level.

Sports mental training will prime the mind with the body. It creates a pathway connecting mind and body. It is a dress rehearsal for the big game. As the mind and body become fused their is flow. The mind and body begin to work together in a productive manner. Athletes can learn to relax and control anxiety. Sports participants can learn to build confidence that flows into their performance. Improve concentration and focus. Manage unhealthy thoughts that are impacting your performance in games.

Sports mental training is the science of success. Studies show that within a group of athletes of equal ability physically, those who receive mental training outperform those that do not receive sports mental training almost every time. Sports mental skills just like physical skills need daily practice.

Arizona Cardinals Sports Mental Training

The Arizona Cardinals signed Chandler Catanzaro as their kicker and his rise to fame can be attributed to sports mental training and psychology and a desire to learnvia one of the best NFL kickers of all time Morten Anderson. Catanzaro was searching for help after his freshman year at Clemson and Sports mental training elevated his self esteem, techniques, and above all performance according to Catanzaro.

After working with Anderson for a few years he not only won a scholarship at Clemson but finished the Clemson program as the all time leading scorer with 404 points!

Anderson used his experience and incorporated sports psychology and mental training to Catanzaro’s daily routine. It included: visualization skills, positive reinforcement skills, and a workout program. He practiced visualization and imagery skills that envisioned himself running onto the field being engaged on the sidelines and thinking about kicking the gain winning field goal. Anderson states with enough repetition mentally he would reach kicker nirvana.

Anderson states an important sports psychology concept which is focus on what you can control. You can not control the wind, the surface of the field, the score. Simply have faith in your mental and physical training and trust yourself and be relaxed yet focused and do your thing.

Catanzaro was 2 for 2 in the Cardinals Monday night win over the San-Diego Chargers.

The mental piece of sports is as big if not bigger than the physical and athletic piece according to research. Creating a positive attitude and a glass half full mentality is vital toward peak performance.  Athletes must view their sport and performance as an opportunity to grow and compete against one’s self. Sports athletes must learn from set backs and perceived failures and look at them as an opportunity to improve in the next present moment. Peak performance athletes must realize that criticism and judgment will not help performance in fact it will inhibit performance. Athletes must realize that perfection is not ever attainable and striving for perfection will only create paralysis of peak performance.

Athletes must understand that creating a healthy balance is essential. Creating a balance between: athletics, relationships, family, academics, sleep, diet, fun, and other activities is a balancing act but is essential for victory. Sports athletes must realize that they will learn many things about themselves as human being through sports. Some life lessons are: teamwork, overcoming challenges and set backs, overcoming an injury, friendship, fellowship, respect, discipline, manners, delaying gratification, self growth, self reflection, and more.

Great athletes set short term and long term goals. These goals must be realistic an must be able to be measured. Athletes must be able to assess daily performance and be able to learn from mistakes as well as to work on new specific goals and techniques to reach desired goals. Sports athletes must stay focused and committed to their daily goals. Training daily and assessing goals is vital for improvement.

Mental toughness, self confidence and positive self talk is essential for peak performance in sports at any level. Using self talk to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is vital for a win.

Imagery and visualization are huge components for success. Athletes can use visualization incorporating: visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic components as well as using cues to anchor in successful performances.

Managing anxiety and stress are huge. Athletes can use Imagery, Progressive relaxation, diaphramatic breathing, meditation, stretching, music and other tools to stay focused and not distracted as well as to eliminate anxiety that inhibits peak performance.

Sports mental training takes practice , however, most elite athletes use it to maintain focus, bounce back from poor performances, stay focused, be in the moment, and achieve success in sports.

Olympians Sports Mental Training

Olympic Teen Archer Brad Ellison has been practicing in his mind for the 2008 olympics.

He is practicing imagery of him winning the gold and feeling like he won the gold medal already with visual pictures in his mind.

“Your brain can not tell the difference between something you imagine in your mind versus any event that actually happens.” states olympic gold shooting medalist Lanny Basham.

Visualization and imagery are huge components for peak mental performance in sports.

Scientific America article

In football there are few plays more thrilling than a last-second field goal attempt: both teams line up with the clock one or two ticks from zero. The ball is snapped and the crowd roars as the kicker charges forward in an effort to drive the ball through the yellow uprights, the fate of his team hanging in the balance. Yet why do some kickers rise to the challenge whereas others choke under pressure? It may have more to do with their mental state than physical ability, one psychologist says.

“Choking” is a term that has seeped into the vernacular to describe those big moments when athletes—or any individuals in a stressful situation—are unable to perform well under pressure. Choking, however, has little to do with failing to pull off the unbelievable (a 60-yard field goal in a blizzard, for example) nor does it describe a random off-day, performance-wise. Rather, Sian Beilock, a neuroscientist who authored the 2010 book, Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal about Getting It Right When You Have to, defines the phenomenon as a “worse performance than you’d expect given someone’s skills and experience, precisely because they find the situation to be pressure-filled or stressful.” For example, a kicker taking the field during a big game and bungling an easy 25-yard field goal he had made thousands of times before. So what happens when someone chokes?

Beilock tackled this question in a 2008 study where she asked novice and expert golfers to either take their time in performing a series of golf putts or putt as quickly as they could. The novices struggled when they tried to putt quickly whereas the experts’ performance was worse when they took their time. This led Beilock to conclude that when athletes become really skilled at performing a task, they start undertaking parts of it outside conscious awareness—they go on autopilot. When they are under pressure, however, anxiety starts to creep in, pushing them to focus harder in an attempt to perform better. That is when things begin to unravel. “They start thinking too much about aspects of what they’re doing that should just run outside of conscious awareness,” Beilock says, “and it actually disrupts them.” For those of us who are not expert athletes, Beilock offers a different example: walking down a flight of stairs. “[If] I asked you to think about what you were doing with your knee,” she says, “you’d likely fall on your face.”

This shift originates in the brain: The cerebellum, the area below and behind the cerebrum responsible for motor control, coordinates complex actions when we are on autopilot. But as soon as we start focusing on the individual steps, the cerebral cortex, which controls higher-order conscious thought, takes over and we stumble into trouble.

When it comes to high-pressure athletic situations such as those found in championship playoff games, the Super Bowl is near the top of the list. Last year 75,000 people filled Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., to watch the Denver Broncos take on the Carolina Panthers, and some 112 million tuned in from home. And although some Super Bowls are won by comfortable leads or blowouts, others turn on razor-thin margins (five of the last 15 Super Bowls have been decided by three points or less). These conditions set the stage for choking, and Beilock says that placekickers may be particularly susceptible. “You could have the game on your shoulders, all eyes are on you [and] you have some time, often, to dwell on what you’re about to do,” she explains, “and that could be a good recipe for disaster.”

Take former San Diego Chargers player Nate Kaeding, who ended his nine-season NFL career as the second-most accurate field goal kicker in history—he made 86.2 percent of his total attempts. And yet in the playoffs, his percentage dropped to 53.3 percent. In one notorious playoff game he had three misses, including 36- and 40-yard kicks he had not missed all season. His performance seems to be the very definition of choking under pressure.

Then there are other kickers who consistently come through in a tight spot. Adam Vinatieri, just off his 21st NFL season, has scored more crucial field goals than any other kicker in history, including 82.4 percent in playoff games, earning him a slew of admiring nicknames such as “Automatic Adam”, “Iceman” and “Mr. Clutch.” Yet is anyone born a clutch player? According to Beilock, probably not.

“My work really suggests that there is a toolbox of techniques that we can use to perform better in stressful situations,” she says, “And some people happen to utilize those better than others. But I think it’s something that can be learned.” She suggests practicing skills under pressure, in conditions close to those of the actual event. “That means for everyday people, if you’re going to be playing in front of your friends and family, you should probably practice that way, too,” she says. She also recommends not dwelling on the task ahead of time, adding that it can be helpful to distract yourself by singing a song or repeating a key word: “Something that takes your mind off the mechanics of what you’re doing.” Her work has shown that in high-stress situations, the best athletes are able to succeed by focusing on the overall outcome rather than on the individual steps.

On Sunday when the New England Patriots face off against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, placekickers Stephen Gostkowski and Matt Bryant will inevitably spend most of the night on the sidelines, waiting to be called upon in the highest-stakes moments to perform for a few vital seconds. They both have the physical ability to get the job done—their battle to succeed will happen largely in their brains. And as they take the field, millions of people will be waiting with bated breath for the answer to an age-old question: Will they choke?

The number one Tennis in player in the world discussed his mental training for why he is the number one tennis player in the world. Novak Djokovic has won 8 Grand Slam Championships. Djokovic states he was not born a champion. The tennis star states: exercise, diet, yoga, meditation, visualization, and the law of attraction. Novak believes in positive thinking and imagery to create success in his life in a NY Times article from Sept 11, 2015. He states the most important element that contributed to his success is his attitude. His mental attitude was attributed for his tennis greatness!!!

Sports performance and mental errors plagued Arizona State this weekend against Texas AM in Houston Texas. Coach Todd Graham looked angry and incredulous when his team failed to make standard tackles that caused the Devils 14 plus points. The team dropped many passes that most 10 year olds would catch. The team fumbled the ball five times. Texas AM did have a solid pass rush however their were at least 20 mental errors that sabotaged Arizona State football.

Jordan Spieth winner of he Masters and US open stated that mental weakness impacted him and he missed the PGA Deutsche Bank cut. Spieth stated “ normally my mental game is a strength of mine and it is something I feel like I have an advantage over other players on. “These past two weeks it was a weakness for me.”

Your body is relaxed and you do not feel tight or have tension. You are mentally focused. You are in the moment( not thinking about the score, your last shot, you are empty without thought). You are enjoying the experience and not thinking about results.

I was listening to Sports radio and Jordan Bachynski Arizona States seven foot two basketball center was being interviewed after a close win over Utah on 1-23-2014. The team played better on defense and offense with many players contributing to the win.

Jordan spoke to radio personalities  Gambo and Ash about his game and discussed using a sports mental training expert. Jordan stated he shot thousands of free throws in the summer however his free throw percentage did not improve. He further stated he is using visualization and sports mental training techniques that are helping him improve his shooting percentage.

There is decades of  evidence research showing sports mental training is as essential if not more important in elite performance in sports. Jordan shared a story about a man who was a prisoner of war for years who practiced his golf game in his head and upon release after not touching a club for years had his best performance. What does this tell you?

Here are a few tips in sports mental training that can help a child, teen, or college or pro player:

Here are tips to help you build new motivation, confidence and major breakthroughs in your sport, exercise, and performance.

When your are exercising, use your positive mental images called imagery and visualization throughout your workout to create feelings of speed and power. Use visualization before, during and after your training to build confidence and new motivation. Imagery and visualization will rewire your brain so performance is smooth and natural. Seeing a video of your performance in the first person from warming up till you win or complete your goals.

Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute positive power words. When you’re thinking: “This is painful, I want to stop”; say to yourself: “This feeling is helping me improve and get healthier or stronger.

“Be mindful.Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Instead of replaying past mistakes, or stressing about the future, let past and future events fade into the background. Be right on, right here, right now. Do not think of your past errors, do not focus on the score, do not focus on poor referee calls. Stay in the moment and breath and focus on your breath and staying focused yet relaxed so your performance will be at it’s peak.

Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my neck, arms, shoulders , head, relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

If you have “good pain,” the pain of effort, that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Look only at what you need to do right now; your final time, place, team work, rebounding, breathing, relaxing, the score will take care of itself.

Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important right now, at this moment.

Diaphramatic breathing is vital throughout your performance. If you are not breathing deeply than your performance will be impacted in a negative way.

Enjoy and appreciate your fitness and strength. When you exercise, relax and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. Be thankful and grateful that you are active and enjoying exercise and you will improve with time. Be patient and practice the mental piece and you will see great improvements.

Sports mental coaching NFL Aaron Rodgers Greenbay packers.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL . He threw for four touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals and recovered a fumble during a scoring drive that gave the Packers a 14 point lead in the second quarter .

His passion for the game showed and his mental toughness when he dove for a ball in a pile of players . He mixed it up in the midst of a violent fight for the ball,

Rodgers stated he visualized himself mentally recovering the football in his mind and sure enough it happened in the game .

NBA PLAYER on Sports Psychology and sports mental training and coaching.

Kendall Marshall was the 13th draft pick in the 2012 draft. The Suns roster is loaded with guards. On Oct 31, 2013 the Suns have a deadline to exercise their option on rookie salary contracts and the first two years are guaranteed for all rookies in the NBA. Kendall Marshall is shooting thirty seven percent overall from the field and thirty one percent from three point range.

Marshall states he has done a lot of work on improving his shooting and athleticism in the off season. He states ” a lot of this game is mental for me-just having the confidence to go out there and know that I am good enough to help my team win. “I think that’s half of where my shot was, the other half was just putting in the work, constantly being on the court, putting up shots and building that confidence.”

Coach Jeff Hornacek states he spoke to Marshall about the arc of his shot and getting it up higher.” Marshall states his shot will not change overnight, however, research shows that working on the mental piece is just as important as the physical piece if not more important. Change can happen by using sports mental training techniques daily to improve: shooting, arc, form, and performance. The mind body connection is huge and we must get both aligned so we can perform at our peak performance level.

Sports mental training will prime the mind with the body. It creates a pathway connecting mind and body. It is a dress rehearsal for the big game. As the mind and body become fused their is flow. The mind and body begin to work together in a productive manner. Athletes can learn to relax and control anxiety. Sports participants can learn to build confidence that flows into their performance. Improve concentration and focus. Manage unhealthy thoughts that are impacting your performance in games.

Sports mental training is the science of success. Studies show that within a group of athletes of equal ability physically, those who receive mental training outperform those that do not receive sports mental training almost every time. Sports mental skills just like physical skills need daily practice.

Arizona Cardinals Sports Mental Training

The Arizona Cardinals signed Chandler Catanzaro as their kicker and his rise to fame can be attributed to sports mental training and psychology and a desire to learnvia one of the best NFL kickers of all time Morten Anderson. Catanzaro was searching for help after his freshman year at Clemson and Sports mental training elevated his self esteem, techniques, and above all performance according to Catanzaro.

After working with Anderson for a few years he not only won a scholarship at Clemson but finished the Clemson program as the all time leading scorer with 404 points!

Anderson used his experience and incorporated sports psychology and mental training to Catanzaro’s daily routine. It included: visualization skills, positive reinforcement skills, and a workout program. He practiced visualization and imagery skills that envisioned himself running onto the field being engaged on the sidelines and thinking about kicking the gain winning field goal. Anderson states with enough repetition mentally he would reach kicker nirvana.

Anderson states an important sports psychology concept which is focus on what you can control. You can not control the wind, the surface of the field, the score. Simply have faith in your mental and physical training and trust yourself and be relaxed yet focused and do your thing.

Catanzaro was 2 for 2 in the Cardinals Monday night win over the San-Diego Chargers.

The mental piece of sports is as big if not bigger than the physical and athletic piece according to research. Creating a positive attitude and a glass half full mentality is vital toward peak performance.  Athletes must view their sport and performance as an opportunity to grow and compete against one’s self. Sports athletes must learn from set backs and perceived failures and look at them as an opportunity to improve in the next present moment. Peak performance athletes must realize that criticism and judgment will not help performance in fact it will inhibit performance. Athletes must realize that perfection is not ever attainable and striving for perfection will only create paralysis of peak performance.

Athletes must understand that creating a healthy balance is essential. Creating a balance between: athletics, relationships, family, academics, sleep, diet, fun, and other activities is a balancing act but is essential for victory. Sports athletes must realize that they will learn many things about themselves as human being through sports. Some life lessons are: teamwork, overcoming challenges and set backs, overcoming an injury, friendship, fellowship, respect, discipline, manners, delaying gratification, self growth, self reflection, and more.

Great athletes set short term and long term goals. These goals must be realistic an must be able to be measured. Athletes must be able to assess daily performance and be able to learn from mistakes as well as to work on new specific goals and techniques to reach desired goals. Sports athletes must stay focused and committed to their daily goals. Training daily and assessing goals is vital for improvement.

Mental toughness, self confidence and positive self talk is essential for peak performance in sports at any level. Using self talk to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is vital for a win.

Imagery and visualization are huge components for success. Athletes can use visualization incorporating: visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic components as well as using cues to anchor in successful performances.

Managing anxiety and stress are huge. Athletes can use Imagery, Progressive relaxation, diaphramatic breathing, meditation, stretching, music and other tools to stay focused and not distracted as well as to eliminate anxiety that inhibits peak performance.

Sports mental training takes practice , however, most elite athletes use it to maintain focus, bounce back from poor performances, stay focused, be in the moment, and achieve success in sports.

Olympians Sports Mental Training

Olympic Teen Archer Brad Ellison has been practicing in his mind for the 2008 olympics.

He is practicing imagery of him winning the gold and feeling like he won the gold medal already with visual pictures in his mind.

“Your brain can not tell the difference between something you imagine in your mind versus any event that actually happens.” states olympic gold shooting medalist Lanny Basham.

Visualization and imagery are huge components for peak mental performance in sports.

Sports performance and mental errors plagued Arizona State this weekend against Texas AM in Houston Texas. Coach Todd Graham looked angry and incredulous when his team failed to make standard tackles that caused the Devils 14 plus points. The team dropped many passes that most 10 year olds would catch. The team fumbled the ball five times. Texas AM did have a solid pass rush however their were at least 20 mental errors that sabotaged Arizona State football.

Jordan Spieth winner of he Masters and US open stated that mental weakness impacted him and he missed the PGA Deutsche Bank cut. Spieth stated “ normally my mental game is a strength of mine and it is something I feel like I have an advantage over other players on. “These past two weeks it was a weakness for me.”

Your body is relaxed and you do not feel tight or have tension. You are mentally focused. You are in the moment( not thinking about the score, your last shot, you are empty without thought). You are enjoying the experience and not thinking about results.

I was listening to Sports radio and Jordan Bachynski Arizona States seven foot two basketball center was being interviewed after a close win over Utah on 1-23-2014. The team played better on defense and offense with many players contributing to the win.

Jordan spoke to radio personalities  Gambo and Ash about his game and discussed using a sports mental training expert. Jordan stated he shot thousands of free throws in the summer however his free throw percentage did not improve. He further stated he is using visualization and sports mental training techniques that are helping him improve his shooting percentage.

There is decades of  evidence research showing sports mental training is as essential if not more important in elite performance in sports. Jordan shared a story about a man who was a prisoner of war for years who practiced his golf game in his head and upon release after not touching a club for years had his best performance. What does this tell you?

Here are a few tips in sports mental training that can help a child, teen, or college or pro player:

Here are tips to help you build new motivation, confidence and major breakthroughs in your sport, exercise, and performance.

When your are exercising, use your positive mental images called imagery and visualization throughout your workout to create feelings of speed and power. Use visualization before, during and after your training to build confidence and new motivation. Imagery and visualization will rewire your brain so performance is smooth and natural. Seeing a video of your performance in the first person from warming up till you win or complete your goals.

Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute positive power words. When you’re thinking: “This is painful, I want to stop”; say to yourself: “This feeling is helping me improve and get healthier or stronger.

“Be mindful.Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Instead of replaying past mistakes, or stressing about the future, let past and future events fade into the background. Be right on, right here, right now. Do not think of your past errors, do not focus on the score, do not focus on poor referee calls. Stay in the moment and breath and focus on your breath and staying focused yet relaxed so your performance will be at it’s peak.

Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my neck, arms, shoulders , head, relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

If you have “good pain,” the pain of effort, that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Look only at what you need to do right now; your final time, place, team work, rebounding, breathing, relaxing, the score will take care of itself.

Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important right now, at this moment.

Diaphramatic breathing is vital throughout your performance. If you are not breathing deeply than your performance will be impacted in a negative way.

Enjoy and appreciate your fitness and strength. When you exercise, relax and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. Be thankful and grateful that you are active and enjoying exercise and you will improve with time. Be patient and practice the mental piece and you will see great improvements.

Sports mental coaching NFL Aaron Rodgers Greenbay packers.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL . He threw for four touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals and recovered a fumble during a scoring drive that gave the Packers a 14 point lead in the second quarter .

His passion for the game showed and his mental toughness when he dove for a ball in a pile of players . He mixed it up in the midst of a violent fight for the ball,

Rodgers stated he visualized himself mentally recovering the football in his mind and sure enough it happened in the game .

NBA PLAYER on Sports Psychology and sports mental training and coaching.

Kendall Marshall was the 13th draft pick in the 2012 draft. The Suns roster is loaded with guards. On Oct 31, 2013 the Suns have a deadline to exercise their option on rookie salary contracts and the first two years are guaranteed for all rookies in the NBA. Kendall Marshall is shooting thirty seven percent overall from the field and thirty one percent from three point range.

Marshall states he has done a lot of work on improving his shooting and athleticism in the off season. He states ” a lot of this game is mental for me-just having the confidence to go out there and know that I am good enough to help my team win. “I think that’s half of where my shot was, the other half was just putting in the work, constantly being on the court, putting up shots and building that confidence.”

Coach Jeff Hornacek states he spoke to Marshall about the arc of his shot and getting it up higher.” Marshall states his shot will not change overnight, however, research shows that working on the mental piece is just as important as the physical piece if not more important. Change can happen by using sports mental training techniques daily to improve: shooting, arc, form, and performance. The mind body connection is huge and we must get both aligned so we can perform at our peak performance level.

Sports mental training will prime the mind with the body. It creates a pathway connecting mind and body. It is a dress rehearsal for the big game. As the mind and body become fused their is flow. The mind and body begin to work together in a productive manner. Athletes can learn to relax and control anxiety. Sports participants can learn to build confidence that flows into their performance. Improve concentration and focus. Manage unhealthy thoughts that are impacting your performance in games.

Sports mental training is the science of success. Studies show that within a group of athletes of equal ability physically, those who receive mental training outperform those that do not receive sports mental training almost every time. Sports mental skills just like physical skills need daily practice.

Arizona Cardinals Sports Mental Training

The Arizona Cardinals signed Chandler Catanzaro as their kicker and his rise to fame can be attributed to sports mental training and psychology and a desire to learnvia one of the best NFL kickers of all time Morten Anderson. Catanzaro was searching for help after his freshman year at Clemson and Sports mental training elevated his self esteem, techniques, and above all performance according to Catanzaro.

After working with Anderson for a few years he not only won a scholarship at Clemson but finished the Clemson program as the all time leading scorer with 404 points!

Anderson used his experience and incorporated sports psychology and mental training to Catanzaro’s daily routine. It included: visualization skills, positive reinforcement skills, and a workout program. He practiced visualization and imagery skills that envisioned himself running onto the field being engaged on the sidelines and thinking about kicking the gain winning field goal. Anderson states with enough repetition mentally he would reach kicker nirvana.

Anderson states an important sports psychology concept which is focus on what you can control. You can not control the wind, the surface of the field, the score. Simply have faith in your mental and physical training and trust yourself and be relaxed yet focused and do your thing.

Catanzaro was 2 for 2 in the Cardinals Monday night win over the San-Diego Chargers.

The mental piece of sports is as big if not bigger than the physical and athletic piece according to research. Creating a positive attitude and a glass half full mentality is vital toward peak performance.  Athletes must view their sport and performance as an opportunity to grow and compete against one’s self. Sports athletes must learn from set backs and perceived failures and look at them as an opportunity to improve in the next present moment. Peak performance athletes must realize that criticism and judgment will not help performance in fact it will inhibit performance. Athletes must realize that perfection is not ever attainable and striving for perfection will only create paralysis of peak performance.

Athletes must understand that creating a healthy balance is essential. Creating a balance between: athletics, relationships, family, academics, sleep, diet, fun, and other activities is a balancing act but is essential for victory. Sports athletes must realize that they will learn many things about themselves as human being through sports. Some life lessons are: teamwork, overcoming challenges and set backs, overcoming an injury, friendship, fellowship, respect, discipline, manners, delaying gratification, self growth, self reflection, and more.

Great athletes set short term and long term goals. These goals must be realistic an must be able to be measured. Athletes must be able to assess daily performance and be able to learn from mistakes as well as to work on new specific goals and techniques to reach desired goals. Sports athletes must stay focused and committed to their daily goals. Training daily and assessing goals is vital for improvement.

Mental toughness, self confidence and positive self talk is essential for peak performance in sports at any level. Using self talk to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is vital for a win.

Imagery and visualization are huge components for success. Athletes can use visualization incorporating: visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic components as well as using cues to anchor in successful performances.

Managing anxiety and stress are huge. Athletes can use Imagery, Progressive relaxation, diaphramatic breathing, meditation, stretching, music and other tools to stay focused and not distracted as well as to eliminate anxiety that inhibits peak performance.

Sports mental training takes practice , however, most elite athletes use it to maintain focus, bounce back from poor performances, stay focused, be in the moment, and achieve success in sports.

Olympians Sports Mental Training

Olympic Teen Archer Brad Ellison has been practicing in his mind for the 2008 olympics.

He is practicing imagery of him winning the gold and feeling like he won the gold medal already with visual pictures in his mind.

“Your brain can not tell the difference between something you imagine in your mind versus any event that actually happens.” states olympic gold shooting medalist Lanny Basham.

Visualization and imagery are huge components for peak mental performance in sports.

The Arizona Cardinals signed Chandler Catanzaro as their kicker and his rise to fame can be attributed to sports mental training and psychology and a desire to learnvia one of the best NFL kickers of all time Morten Anderson. Catanzaro was searching for help after his freshman year at Clemson and Sports mental training elevated his self esteem, techniques, and above all performance according to Catanzaro.

After working with Anderson for a few years he not only won a scholarship at Clemson but finished the Clemson program as the all time leading scorer with 404 points!

Anderson used his experience and incorporated sports psychology and mental training to Catanzaro’s daily routine. It included: visualization skills, positive reinforcement skills, and a workout program. He practiced visualization and imagery skills that envisioned himself running onto the field being engaged on the sidelines and thinking about kicking the gain winning field goal. Anderson states with enough repetition mentally he would reach kicker nirvana.

Anderson states an important sports psychology concept which is focus on what you can control. You can not control the wind, the surface of the field, the score. Simply have faith in your mental and physical training and trust yourself and be relaxed yet focused and do your thing.

Catanzaro was 2 for 2 in the Cardinals Monday night win over the San-Diego Chargers.

Arizona State University basketball player uses Sports Mental Training to improve greatly:

I was listening to Sports radio and college basketball player Jordan Bachynski from Arizona State University a seven foot two center was being interviewed after a close win over Utah on 1-23-2014. The team played better on defense and offense with many players contributing to the win.

Jordan spoke to radio personalities  Gambo and Ash about his game and discussed using a sports mental training expert. Jordan stated he shot thousands of free throws in the summer however his free throw percentage did not improve. He further stated he is using visualization and sports mental training techniques that are helping him improve his shooting percentage. There is decades of evidence based research showing sports mental training is as essential if not more important in elite performance in sports. Jordan shared a story about a man who was a prisoner of war for years who practiced his golf game in his head and upon release after not touching a club for years had his best performance. What does this tell you?

Here are a few tips in sports mental training that can help a child, teen, or college or pro player:

Here are tips to help you build new motivation, confidence and major breakthroughs in your sport, exercise, and performance.

When your are exercising, use your positive mental images called imagery and visualization throughout your workout to create feelings of speed and power. Use visualization before, during and after your training to build confidence and new motivation. Imagery and visualization will rewire your brain so performance is smooth and natural. Seeing a video of your performance in the first person from warming up till you win or complete your goals.

Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute positive power words. When you’re thinking: “This is painful, I want to stop”; say to yourself: “This feeling is helping me improve and get healthier or stronger.

“Be mindful.Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Instead of replaying past mistakes, or stressing about the future, let past and future events fade into the background. Be right on, right here, right now. Do not think of your past errors, do not focus on the score, do not focus on poor referee calls. Stay in the moment and breath and focus on your breath and staying focused yet relaxed so your performance will be at it’s peak.

Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my neck, arms, shoulders , head, relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

If you have “good pain,” the pain of effort, that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Look only at what you need to do right now; your final time, place, team work, rebounding, breathing, relaxing, the score will take care of itself.

Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important right now, at this moment. Diaphramatic breathing is vital throughout your performance. If you are not breathing deeply than your performance will be impacted in a negative way.

Enjoy and appreciate your fitness and strength. When you exercise, relax and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. Be thankful and grateful that you are active and enjoying exercise and you will improve with time. Be patient and practice the mental piece and you will see great improvements.

Sports psychology and mental training tips Phoenix Arizona.

The mental piece of sports is as big if not bigger than the physical and athletic piece according to research. Creating a positive attitude and a glass half full mentality is vital toward peak performance.  Athletes must view their sport and performance as an opportunity to grow and compete against one’s self. Sports athletes must learn from set backs and perceived failures and look at them as an opportunity to improve in the next present moment. Peak performance athletes must realize that criticism and judgment will not help performance in fact it will inhibit performance. Athletes must realize that perfection is not ever attainable and striving for perfection will only create paralysis of peak performance.

Athletes must understand that creating a healthy balance is essential. Creating a balance between: athletics, relationships, family, academics, sleep, diet, fun, and other activities is a balancing act but is essential for victory. Sports athletes must realize that they will learn many things about themselves as human being through sports. Some life lessons are: teamwork, overcoming challenges and set backs, overcoming an injury, friendship, fellowship, respect, discipline, manners, delaying gratification, self growth, self reflection, and more.

Great athletes set short term and long term goals. These goals must be realistic an must be able to be measured. Athletes must be able to assess daily performance and be able to learn from mistakes as well as to work on new specific goals and techniques to reach desired goals. Sports athletes must stay focused and committed to their daily goals. Training daily and assessing goals is vital for improvement.

Mental toughness, self -confidence and positive self talk is essential for peak performance in sports at any level. Using self- talk to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is vital for a win.

Imagery and visualization are huge components for success. Athletes can use visualization incorporating: visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic components as well as using cues to anchor in successful performances.

Managing anxiety and stress are huge. Athletes can use Imagery, Progressive relaxation, diaphramatic breathing, meditation, stretching, music and other tools to stay focused and not distracted as well as to eliminate anxiety that inhibits peak performance.

Sports mental training takes practice , however, most elite athletes use it to maintain focus, bounce back from poor performances, stay focused, be in the moment, and achieve success in sports.

Sports psychology mental training Tips continued:

Imagery is an amazing skill to improve performance in sports .

Relaxing and becoming quiet is important for mental imagery and breathing properly is key.

Seeing visual images and changing them to positive images is important .
Practicing focus on detail is a portion of imagery .

Experiencing tactile and kinesthetic’s is an important exercise in sports peak performance .

Imagery with a specific skill repeated daily will help reduce errors in you game . Clearly succeeding at your skill is the image to reinforce with best form. Auditory, olfactory, visual, and kinesthetic skills are vital for strong visualization and imagery.

Keeping a daily log on how you perform so you can write down the best procedures and routines that work best for you is helpful .

Tips for repeating your peak performance in sports.

Your body is relaxed and you do not feel tight or have tension. You are mentally focused. You are in the moment( not thinking about the score, your last shot, you are empty without thought). You are enjoying the experience and not thonking about results.

If muscles are relaxed most likely your mind will follow.

David Abrams Mapc www.lifeworksaz.com, adult therapist, teen therapist, couseling, phoenix arizona.
Sent from David Abrams MAPC, LPC, CAGS
602.575.4030
www.LifeWorksAZ.com
Visit My Blog At http://davidstake.blogspot.com

I was listening to Sports radio and Jordan Bachynski Arizona States seven foot two center was being interviewed after a close win over Utah on 1-23-2014. The team played better on defense and offense with many players contributing to the win.

Jordan spoke to radio personalities  Gambo and Ash about his game and discussed using a sports mental training expert. Jordan stated he shot thousands of free throws in the summer however his free throw percentage did not improve. He further stated he is using visualization and sports mental training techniques that are helping him improve his shooting percentage. There is decades of  evidence research showing sports mental training is as essential if not more important in elite performance in sports. Jordan shared a story about a man who was a prisoner of war for years who practiced his golf game in his head and upon release after not touching a club for years had his best performance. What does this tell you?

Here are a few tips in sports mental training that can help a child, teen, or college or pro player:

Here are tips to help you build new motivation, confidence and major breakthroughs in your sport, exercise, and performance.

When your are exercising, use your positive mental images called imagery and visualization throughout your workout to create feelings of speed and power. Use visualization before, during and after your training to build confidence and new motivation. Imagery and visualization will rewire your brain so performance is smooth and natural. Seeing a video of your performance in the first person from warming up till you win or complete your goals.

Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute positive power words. When you’re thinking: “This is painful, I want to stop”; say to yourself: “This feeling is helping me improve and get healthier or stronger.

“Be mindful.Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Instead of replaying past mistakes, or stressing about the future, let past and future events fade into the background. Be right on, right here, right now. Do not think of your past errors, do not focus on the score, do not focus on poor referee calls. Stay in the moment and breath and focus on your breath and staying focused yet relaxed so your performance will be at it’s peak.

Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my neck, arms, shoulders , head, relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

If you have “good pain,” the pain of effort, that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Look only at what you need to do right now; your final time, place, team work, rebounding, breathing, relaxing, the score will take care of itself.

Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important right now, at this moment. Diaphramatic breathing is vital throughout your performance. If you are not breathing deeply than your performance will be impacted in a negative way.

Enjoy and appreciate your fitness and strength. When you exercise, relax and let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. Be thankful and grateful that you are active and enjoying exercise and you will improve with time. Be patient and practice the mental piece and you will see great improvements.

The mental piece of sports is as big if not bigger than the physical and athletic piece according to research. Creating a positive attitude and a glass half full mentality is vital toward peak performance.  Athletes must view their sport and performance as an opportunity to grow and compete against one’s self. Sports athletes must learn from set backs and perceived failures and look at them as an opportunity to improve in the next present moment. Peak performance athletes must realize that criticism and judgment will not help performance in fact it will inhibit performance. Athletes must realize that perfection is not ever attainable and striving for perfection will only create paralysis of peak performance.

Athletes must understand that creating a healthy balance is essential. Creating a balance between: athletics, relationships, family, academics, sleep, diet, fun, and other activities is a balancing act but is essential for victory. Sports athletes must realize that they will learn many things about themselves as human being through sports. Some life lessons are: teamwork, overcoming challenges and set backs, overcoming an injury, friendship, fellowship, respect, discipline, manners, delaying gratification, self growth, self reflection, and more.

Great athletes set short term and long term goals. These goals must be realistic an must be able to be measured. Athletes must be able to assess daily performance and be able to learn from mistakes as well as to work on new specific goals and techniques to reach desired goals. Sports athletes must stay focused and committed to their daily goals. Training daily and assessing goals is vital for improvement.

Mental toughness, self confidence and positive self talk is essential for peak performance in sports at any level. Using self talk to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors is vital for a win.

Imagery and visualization are huge components for success. Athletes can use visualization incorporating: visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic components as well as using cues to anchor in successful performances.

Managing anxiety and stress are huge. Athletes can use Imagery, Progressive relaxation, diaphramatic breathing, meditation, stretching, music and other tools to stay focused and not distracted as well as to eliminate anxiety that inhibits peak performance.

Sports mental training takes practice , however, mostl elite athletes use it to maintain focus, bounce back from poor performances, stay focused, be in the moment, and achieve success in sports.

Kendall Marshall was the 13th draft pick in the 2012 draft. The Suns roster is loaded with guards. On Oct 31, 2013 the Suns have a deadline to exercise their option on rookie salary contracts and the first two years are guaranteed for all rookies in the NBA. Kendall Marshall is shooting thirty seven percent overall from the field and thirty one percent from three point range.

Marhall states he has done a lot of work on improving his shooting and athleticism in the off season. He states ” a lot of this game is mental for me-just having the confidence to go out there and know that I am good enough to help my team win. “I think that’s half of where my shot was, the other half was just putting in the work, constantly being on the court, putting up shots and building that confidence.”

Coach Jeff Hornacek states he spoke to Marshall about the arc of his shot and getting it up higher.” Marshall states his shot will not change overnight, however, research shows that working on the mental piece is just as important as the physical piece if not more important. Change can happen by using sports mental training techniques daily to improve: shooting, arc, form, and performance. The mind body connection is huge and we must get both aligned so we can perform at our peak performance level.

Sports mental training will prime the mind with the body. It creates a pathway connecting mind and body. It is a dress rehearsal for the big game. As the mind and body become fused their is flow. The mind and body begin to work together in a productive manner. Athletes can learn to relax and control anxiety. Sports participants can learn to build confidence that flows into their performance. Improve concentration and focus. Manage unhealthy thoughts that are impacting your performance in games.

Sports mental training is the science of success. Studies show that within a group of athletes of equal ability physically, those who receive mental training outperform those that do not receive sports mental training almost every time. Sports mental skills just like physical skills need daily practice.

Let me start off with the fact that I am a huge fan of Arizona State football and Arizona State sports and I am an alumni as well. Both of my parents are also Alumni of Arizona State University and we always want the best for Arizona State. Many colleges throughout the country use sports mental training and research shows that the mental piece is as important if not more than the physical or athletic component.

Arizona State has a great physical trainer and his contract was extended and is earning approximately 250,000 dollars per year. I believe the head coach and assistants are doing a great job with the physical preparation however the mental preparation needs work. Arizona State showed that they can compete with the best teams in the country when they have mental toughness and reduce errors. Arizona State had a laundry list of mental errors against Wisconsin as well as Stanford. We can give credit to the opponents however many errors were not created by the opponents. Coach Todd Graham stated ” we made every mistake you could possibly make. Those kind of mistakes do not give ourselves a chance to win.” He went on to state the team had: special team mistakes, punting mistakes, 12 guys on the field (coaching), and critical dropped passes. The athletes were tense and distracted and mentally there were many errors. In both games the Sun Devils seemed to relax and calm down and their performance improved dramatically.

Minimizing the mind’s distractions and counterproductive messages and signals to the body is a sklll that can be learned and is actually more important than the physical aspect of training in many studies as far as peak performance goes in sports . Ignoring distractions and self imposed pressures of competition and focusing on task at hand is vital to elevate performance and to win.

One of many research study of sports peak performance was done the Soviet Olympians. Their elite athletes were assigned to one out of four groups. The first group consisted of athletes that spent all their time on physical training. The sec on devoted seventy five percent of the time to physical training and 25 percent of the time to the mental training piece. The third group spent half their time participating in physical training and the other half of their time on mental training. The final group spent twenty five percent of their time on the physical aspects of training and seventy five percent on the mental aspects of training regimens.

The results were empowering. The more time the elite athletes devoted to mental training the more they improved. The athletes that made the best progress were those that spent 25 percent of the time in physical training and 75 percent of their time in mental training. The mental side of sports mental training can unlock the physical potential.

A study done at Hunter College with eight teams showed that mental regimens increased free throw shooting by 7 percent. This figure is huge and statistically significant. The seven percent increase in free throw percentage resulted in eight additional wins during the season. There are studies at Harvard and Stanford that support the above mentioned and their are studies in almost every sport connecting increases in peak performance with mental training.