Mental Skills Training

by Diana McNab, former Official Sports
Psychologist for the U.S. Racquetball Team

Peak Performance in sports comes from proper physical and mental preparation. Once a player has grasped the physical skills, strategies, and techniques, it will be his understanding of the mental skills that will determine consistent success. Here are some elements:
Psyching Up & Out | Visualization | Relaxation | Concentration

psyching-up or psyching-out

Mental skills training comes with an understanding of "psychic energy." A player must find his optimum concentration level in order to focus, center, and enter a "Flow State." Psychic energy is the vim, vigor, and vitality of a player's mind while performing their sport. Players at the low end of the "psychic-energy continuum scale" need to mentally pump up for peak peformance; and high-anxiety players need to focus and calm down before performing.

PSYCHIC ENERGY CONTINUUM The goal of mental skills training is to learn how to enter a "Flow State" on demand, by physically warming up and mentally psyching up or down. "Flow State" is when a player's mind and body become one and they are performing on "automatic pilot," from their gut and instincts and not out of physical force or mentally pressuring, pushing, overthinking, or trying.

HOW TO ENTER "FLOW STATE" (PSYCHING UP)

A player must first be physically warmed up, stretched out, and aroused to obtain maximum oxygen and blood flow to all working muscles.
Abdominal breathing vitalizes all body parts and opens and stills the mind. Breathing in through dilated nostrils opens lungs to fullest capacity. Pause to allow "Prana," or nature's life force of water and oxygen to flow into all parts of the body; and by contracting abdominal muscles, slowly exhale carbon dioxide, wastes, toxins, and stress out of your mouth. Breath in for a three count; hold for six, and exhale for three.
A monkey slump or shoulder shrug releases all physical and mental tension. Draw up your shoulders on the inhalation, pause, and bend over, release and blow tension out of your mouth.
Replace all negative thoughts with positive affirmations.
- "I am a power hitter!"
- "I am a quick, agile, finesse player!"
Visualize yourself playing with the exact technique, strategies, and skills that you want to be using in the game.
Pinpoint focus on the ball. Blur out all other distractions and zero in on a spot on the ball.
Absorb as many senses as possible in the court:
- the feel of the racquet
- the sound of the ball bouncing
- the smell, taste, touch, and sound of racquetball
Focus on the "now," the moment. With no outside thoughts of the past (mistakes) or future (score). Play one shot at a time.
Turn on to "automatic pilot" and play from your instincts, gut, and intuition.
Slow everything down so that it becomes bigger than life.
Smile! Relax! Enjoy yourself. Remember: it is your choice to play racquetball!
Allow the hormonal endorphin rush to enter your body and mind and a sense of euphoria or invincibility will take over.

WHY ATHLETES GET PSYCHED-OUT Worrying about the score, the outcome, or the end result takes an athlete's mind out of the "Now," "The Moment," or "The Present." Or condemning oneself for past mistakes, errors or faults is like carrying negativity around on your back. Total focus, concentration and flow occur when a player is 100% in the "Now."

"CHOKING" IN SPORTS

Listening to the "little voice" inside their heads pulls the athlete out of the "Now" and they become judgmental, self-critical, and anxious.
Over-thinking, over-reacting, changing one's game plan and under- or over-confidence during the match.
Outside distractions, pressures, spectators, media, environment, pulls the athlete out of "Flow."
Improper physical and mental warm up. Under- or over-aroused.
Sees, thinks, and feels only negative pictures, images, thoughts, and results.
Does not truly believe in themselves, their talent, or their ability to win!

visualization

(The #1 Tool in Mental Skills Training) "What you perceive and you truly believe; you can achieve!" Visualization is creating perfect performance in your mind's eye. Close your eyes and see a large silver screen ten inches from your nose. See yourself playing racquetball using perfect technique, overcoming obstacles, and winning the match.

FOUR PROPERTIES OF THE MIND

Your mind thinks in pictures--not words!
Your mind doesn't know the difference between a vividly imagined picture and reality!
You get one-third of a neuromuscular contraction every time you visualize a move in your mind.
Use all of your senses: taste, touch, smell, and feel, to get the deepest mental imprintation.

KEYS TO VISUALIZATION

See yourself from the outside (as a spectator), using perfect technique and also the view out of your own eyes (inside yourself). These are the two views of visualization.
Visualize yourself in perfect technique in the same rhythm, tempo, and timing of your actual play. "Feel the game within you."
See the whole performance, from the pre-game warm up to the successful end result -- coming back from all situations, disturbances, and mistakes as a winner.
Use partial movements for a deeper imprintation -- "video dance" until you can see it, feel it, and believe it. There is nothing that you can't achieve if you truly believe.
The power of the mind's eye comes with practice, persistence, and knowledge.

relaxation techniques

(The Gateway to Peak Performance) Peak performance comes out of a physically and mentally relaxed state. The goal of an athlete is to stay loose, quick, focused, and centered. Remember: winning in racquetball is a matter of choice! Prepare physically and prepare mentally and strive for "personal bests" every time out.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

Jacobson's relaxation technique. Tighten each muscle and then relax it to get the feeling of tension and relaxation. Go through the entire body to get rid of any stress, tension, or knots.
Benson's think-into technique. By abdominal breathing. Say the word, "relax!" "let go!" "now" "Flow" and send that message to the body part that is tense and tight and release the negative energy.
The shake-out. Let go of your racquet and shake all body parts to increase circulation and get blood and oxygen back into each muscle group.
The "little room" technique. Paint, decorate, and furnish your own special room in your head; where you can go and relax, regroup, think, and solve problems. See yourself sitting in a big easy chair - safe, relaxed, calm, and solving all of your problems.
Affirmation, buzz words. "I love to play racquetball!" "I am an aggressive, power hitter!" "Just do it!" Repeat these messages over and over in your mind.
Pictures, collages, action shots, video. Seeing is believing! See yourself performing the way you would like to.
Relaxation abdominal breathing:
- Breathe in through your nose and blow up your lungs like a balloon.
- Prana "oxygen and water" are entering and cleansing your body.
- Pause. Allow the oxygen to circulate to the depths of your body.
- Slowly pull in your abdominal muscles, pelvic tilt, and exhale carbon dioxide, stress, and toxins out of your mouth.
- Breathe in for a count of three.
- Exhale slowly for a count of three.
- Now re-enter your game physically relaxed, refreshed, and energized, and mentally calm, alert, and focused.

concentration & focus

Concentration is an uninterrupted connection between a man and his thoughts. Focus is a target behavior where an athlete is totally absorbed in the "Now" -- zeroing in on a target, play or point in the game.

Broad focus is when the player takes in the whole picture, view his opponent's stance, position, and strategy, and reads the big picture.

Pinpoint focus is when the player blurs out all distractions except a point on the ball, a spot on the wall, or the center of the center of the target. It is the zeroing in to the center of a bull's eye.

A player must be constantly switching from reading the broad picture or play to pinpoint focus of the ball or spot on the wall for accuracy.

Distraction control is enhanced by deep breathing, relaxation technicques, stilling the mind, planting specific target instructions, and pinpoint focus. Every athlete must create his/her own distraction control game plan to get back into 100% concentration, focus, and control. There is only one moment in sports, and that is NOW!