While being consistent is a primary focus for top-athletes around the world, many may have seen themselves lose focus. A new trend shows why sports psychology may be here to stay. Dating back to 1920's Germany and the Deutsche Sporthocshule labs for sports psychology founded by Carl Diem, sport psychology professionals have been interested in how participation in sport, exercise, and physical activity may enhance personal development and well-being throughout the life span.
By definition; Sport Psychology-- is (a) the study of the psychological and mental factors that influence and are influenced by the participation and performance in sport, exercise, and physical activity, and (b) the application of the knowledge gained through this study to everyday settings.
It is hard to say exactly how many professional or amateur athletes work with sports psychologists, but one certainty is the numbers have been steadily growing over the past two decades for athletes reporting participation.
Sport psychology is not confined to struggling athletes alone. The tools a sport psychologist can offer an athlete are vital in helping them attain greater confidence and supplying motivation. Also likely is these tool have helped many more successful athletes reach new desired heights, they otherwise would not have achieved.
Some of the ideas conveyed through sport psychology are that of confidence, imagery, motivation, cohesion, and attentional focus.
Using imagery is something athletes of any age can do right now to improve their game. It is also a quite leisurely activity. You simply picture yourself performing your sport in your mind. More importantly however, you must visualize yourself performing correctly and with excellence.
Confidence is an additional vehicle that can drive athletes to perform beyond anything they have ever accomplished before. This certitude allows them believe they can do better. I believe confidence is the least acknowledged, yet greatest must-have attribute for success among highly skilled athletes.
Quite possibly it is deficiencies present in ares like the ones aforementioned, or perhaps things like cohesion, focus, and motivation, to name a few, that might hindered your game. But conceivably, it is something else all together, and wind and weather permitting this can be the untapped well of support you cast your quarters into while wishing to net that formerly elusive game-winning-goal.
If you'd like to make your game more consistent and physical practice alone is not providing you with the results you seek, the time could be now to try something you've never tried before. The aftermath could be a whole new success you'd never imagined.
Check out a couple of resources or ask your friends, coaches, parents. Keep playing and keep winning in sport and in life.
http://www.aaasponline.org
This website run by the AAASP provides a forum for those interested in psychological research, theory development and the application of psychological principles in sport and exercise, including coaches, athletes, students, and parent.
Also, The Sports Training Blog offered a post that mentioned some of the top sport psycholgist in the US.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment