It is often said that playing from behind is easier than having the lead going into the last phase of a match. It is correctly assumed that the leader is the one who has most of the stress as he/she feels the extra emotional burden to having to win giving his/her prime position to do so. However, how many times have we witnessed a leader giving up strokes, runs, or goals toward the end of …
Sports Mental Edge sincerely wishes that 2016 brings you happiness and prosperity. We will cheer for you as you embrace your dreams and accomplish your goals one step at the time. We all know that dreams are worth pursuing and, once achieved, the gratification is enormous. We also know that the road to achieve your dreams can become challenging, at times. That does not mean that they are not worth sticking with them. On the …
We compete because we want to win. The inherent aspect of competition is that of doing one’s best to achieve the ultimate goal. When we were young, we were given rewards for just participating in an event; maybe it was a ribbon or a medal. Coaches and parents were thrilled to see us happy. In the process, we unconsciously learned that getting ribbons was a very pleasant experience worth repeating. As we grew up, we …
Today’s demands to excel, sometimes at too young of an age, are putting a lot of pressure on many athletes who struggle with managing their competitive emotions and find in food one of the few things they can have control over. Eating disorder is on the rise and a lot of the understanding behind this concerning phenomena is linked to having to meet very high expectations in order to succeed. Some sports that are inclined …
We tend to think that practicing hard and pushing through rough experiences are enough to make it into the big leagues, but elite athletes are taught to understand that unless they build awareness of their thoughts, emotions and body sensations, they will fall short of achieving their true potential. To achieve peak performance, it is not only necessary to practice hard and develop consistent techniques, but also learn to become aware of moments when distractions …
Perfectionist athletes continuously seek to accomplish extremely high standards. They work very hard to improve their techniques and spend countless of hours seeking the edge that will enable them to surpass their competitors. Even if they see progress, they will always see that more improvement is possible. They are quick to see the negative side of their performance and associate any error with mediocrity. When asked how they are doing, they quickly let us know …
Working with team sport athletes requires a different mental approach than working with individual athletes. What really counts is how a coach makes sure that the team plays as a unit. It does not matter if a team is full of talented players. If they cannot play together, the team will not achieve success. Coaches choose to use different types of motivation, which could be a combination of positive or negative talks. Positive motivation pushes …
Athletes come to compete ready to do their best. They train hard after putting a lot of hours practicing and improving their skills. But, is this enough in order to do one’s best? Derek Jeter showed up to play not expecting to do his best, but with a prepared state of mind that would help him to achieve his best. One of his mental preparations was that of managing what he can control without worrying …
Elite female tennis player, Serena William, practices against male players because they hit harder and she is forced to return shot which are more difficult to hit. Alexi Thompson, one the best female golf players in the professional tour credits playing against her older brothers for her ability to hit long drives. She claims she wanted to measure up to them and, consequently, learned to hit long. The underdog Argentina’s national rugby team defeated the …
This really does not make any sense at all!! At first sight, this title makes no sense whatsoever. Athletes train very hard to perform at their best. They compete to win and establish mental goals to achieve their dreams. So, how could it be possible that they would accept defeat in order to win? The burden of needing or wanting to win is extremely high, regardless of whether it is a young athlete or an …