Evaluation of the Psychological Skills Training Programme.

Well it has been an eventful, fun and enthralling psychological skills training programme which has gone on for eight long weeks and it is safe to say Athlete Z loved every bit of it and gained valuable skills to help him compete with his football psychologically. I would like to say a massive thanks to the athlete for giving up some of his valuable time every week for me by taking part weekly in training programmes. It has been a time consuming exercise but there is no doubt with the responses we attained each week from the Athlete he gained ample different skills and techniques to help him with his football. These skills are highly likely to help the athlete perform up to his high standards as it will enable him to keep control of his nervous and his mind so he can remain in a position where he can perform well and not let anything get to him.

Re Assessment

Within this section I will be rewinding back to the first ever week of the psychological skills programme where athlete z had completed questionnaires and performance profile wheels. Athlete z will be re taking these tests and then I shall compare the results to the first time he completed these tests.

 

 

 

During this 8 week programme we have seen mega changes psychologically for athlete z whilst he has been completing series of different tests to help him with his psychological aspects. Firstly beginning with the belief of the athlete, here at the beginning his belief was scoring at 6 out of 10, however after the programme when we reassessed you could see clearly above that he scored 7. This shows improvement in his belief as he has been working towards improving his nerves and that has helped him to believe in himself further. Secondly moving on to the focus of the athlete he has scored 8 out of 10 at the beginning and now he scores himself 9. This is another improvement as he has been goal setting in recent weeks which has helped him to focus on his goals even more which shows already this programme is helping him to up his goals all round. The mental toughness has also been notched up a level from 4 to 5 now. From meditation techniques and imagery this has helped the athlete to come on leaps and bounce and his mental toughness and the belief within him has really helped him with his mental toughness and to cope with the number of games that are there to be played during the season. The concentration levels haven’t shifted as they are still at a 9 which shows that it’s a stable section for the player and so nothing has decreased which is the most important aspect. The confidence has increased to 5 which is very healthy for the player as his belief has shot up which means he will be highly confident in his abilities to take people on and create goals as well as score them himself which is important.  The self-control has really shot up from 6 to 8 which shows the programme has helped the player to work on his self-control as he has been working on mental skills programmes quite a lot and it has affected him positively to score a great 8 out of 10 now. The awareness has also improved considerably from a mere 5 to a huge 8 out of 10 after this programme. The player’s awareness has really been improved through the techniques used during the skills programme and that has impacted him positively. In addition the motivation has increased from 8 scored before to 9 now as athlete z is hungrier to achieve success and is motivated even more to get the job done efficiently and play at the top level. This all comes from the self-belief of the player from where he has previously scored 7 and now he has scored 9 out of 10 which shows great belief in his abilities as he has used mental imagery techniques and music to boost his belief in his capabilities which will fuel his motivation to succeed and perform at a higher level.

Monitoring Feedback

Looking back at the athletes feedback each week on how he had found the weekly techniques he was assigned too, overall it has been a great success as the athlete always came away learning something new and making sure that he can apply this to his everyday life as a footballer from the new season. The techniques impacted the player in a highly positive way which has enabled the player to perform up to some quality standards and outshining other players on the pitch at times. The skills programme has been a massive success as it has helped athlete z to perform emphatically. Each week the athlete stated that he had learnt a lot and benefited and that shows within his performances as he has that mental edge over the other players as his motivation and belief is sky high at the moment enabling him to put in some outstanding performances.

What does the athlete want to achieve in the future?

Athlete said has stated that as an aspiring footballer to play at the highest level he wants to develop in all aspects of his game physically to technically and also mentally. He is keeping his feet on the ground and isn’t dreaming about the extraordinary fairy tales of becoming the best player in the world over the next year. Athlete Z wants to just have a fit and healthy season and progress a step forward maybe to a team one step higher in the non-league grid. Athlete z sees this all as a learning experience where he just wants to learn from the older players in the team and inherit the knowledge some of the players have had that has helped them to play pro football. There are no massive plans for athlete z, he just wants to keep doing what he is doing and stay humble and hopefully get the opportunity if he keeps playing well.

Evaluation of the programme

As mentioned it has been a successful programme with the feedback we have got from athlete z. he really did gain a lot in terms of controlling his nerves before matches and believing in himself that littler extra which has motivated and spurred him on to work harder and that has shown through some great performances as the programme went on. Athlete z said he had gained strengths in all departments of his psychological wheel as he believes this program has helped him to come on leaps and bounce and perform well consistently. Each week was introduced to the athlete with great structure and care and with healthy information so that the athlete knew exactly what he has to do during the week. The information was useful and that led to the player participating in the programme correctly which helped him to take out huge amounts of benefits and strive towards success. Athlete Z enjoyed the music week as this helped spur him on and motivate him as well as inject him with the confidence beforehand so during games he can believe in himself and take opposition on. In addition there were a few negatives with the whole programme as we were very limited to time as we only could manage 8 weeks, a few months would be perfect to see a bigger picture of the outcome which would benefit both parties as athlete z could improve even more and me the assessor can help athlete z improve more. Therefore I believe that was the only weaknesses within the programme as there was nowhere near enough time to have a much broader programme and work on other aspects and possibly bring in other weekly techniques to help with the cause. After speaking to athlete z he had said that he enjoyed every week of the program and didn’t struggle massively with anything as the information was given to great detail which helped him complete and get through each week which was vital. Everything can be improved no matter what it is, and therefore I believe this program could improve massively however six-eight weeks was nowhere near long enough to improve all the skills of the athlete, each skill would need around couple of weeks to improve on depending on the player. These are the only things that need the work in terms of improving this program as I strongly feel that it has been a successful program, the only downside was the fact that the time was not on our hands or we could have developed the skills and programs further. I will like to make changes to the programme in order to make it more effective so I would like to increase the programme to possibly the whole season next year. We will possibly start to begin with the pre-season to develop basic techniques and gradually move on steadily develop as we go on.  In addition we will be looking to improve some of the by enhancing the difficulty levels of the exercise techniques which will mean that the player will need to put in further time and effort which should possibly help him enhance his performance twice as more than it already is.

New Action Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Training Week 6- 29th April/1st May

Breathing Control

Aim- The aim is for Athlete Z to control his breathing through this programme which will enable him to take greater command of his body’s abilities. By harnessing the breath, he can take control of his body, his mind, his emotions and inner spirit for any pursuit.
While there’s no shortcut for sheer hard work, whether you’re a world-class athlete or a casual mall walker or jogger, it’s all about breathing efficiently. The goal for all endurance training is to build a more extensive cardiovascular system or network. The lung muscles and diaphragm will only achieve a certain strength, but, says famed marathoner Alberto Salazar, “What you’re doing is creating a capillary-blood network to service the muscles so that whatever amount of air that you can get in, you can keep as much of that oxygen as possible. The less oxygen you have for whatever reason, the more you have to rely on stored blood sugars, and eventually you run out of that. The better you breathe, the more oxygen you can get in, the less you have to use your glycogen stores. When you get to that point, you are able to go a little faster and a little harder.” 
Normally in high endurance sports, you focus on trying to take natural, deep breaths, both through your nose and through your mouth concurrently, and exhaling at the appropriate time. If it becomes forceful, where you’re straining to blow everything out, he says, “People feel like they’re losing control of their breathing and they sort of panic and start gasping. He suggests finding a natural rhythm that can go with flow, and this can work with most kinds of exercise. “It could be, like in swimming, with a certain amount of strokes, every stroke or every other stroke,” he says. “In running, it could be every other stride. You have to find that natural cadence that you have, and stay relaxed within that cadence.” 
Mental Aspects
Without understanding the effects the breath has on the mind, on mental clarity, on achieving, you’re likely to feel that you’re driving with the hand-brake on. Certainly the body must be kept in shape to be able to perform physical functions, but unless the mind is in tune, it can’t effectively captain the multifarious functions that need to occur for peak physical performance. But that performance can be taken even a step further. Awareness of your breath is the first place to start. Knowing how to achieve that focused relaxation will keep you from stressing and knotting up.
The mind, as we’ve all experienced, can be both a powerful ally in achieving our goals, and a major impediment in keeping us from them. Often the mind is ready to quit well before the body hits its limitations, and can easily grow confused, with distracting little “voices” dictating your course of action.  Thus, it often needs to be coerced and cajoled into shoving aside or even obliterating your often self-imposed physical limitations, allowing you to go far beyond what you might imagine.
Simply, the single most important effect awareness of your breath brings is focus. If you are focused on even a single breath, you aren’t distracted by the regrets of yesterday or the anxiety of an unknown tomorrow. That breath brings you to the here and now. Being conscious of a single breath and staying in the moment is a simple yet valuable perception for easing anxieties about the past and fear of the future, keeps you tuned to whatever task is at hand, and provides a strong bridge between mind and body.

The Zone

On an even deeper level, breath awareness can also play an active role in helping you find what sport psychologists call the zone. Everybody has had a brush with it, that rare place or moment of mental perfection, physical clarity and performance, when all your cylinders are firing in perfect harmony, when there’s absolutely no disconnect between your mind, your body and your emotions. It’s when time stops and there is the freedom of complete absorption in the activity at hand. We see examples of it all the time in sports world – the odds-defying last shot, an error-free performance, an impossible comeback.
How it works

For this exercise the breathing cycle is divided into three parts, with each part getting a set number of counts:

 1. The Inhale (2 counts)

 2. The Hold or Retention, before the exhale (2 counts)

 3. The Exhale (4 counts)

 Try this breathing method a few times to become familiar with it.

Now, let’s look at how we can use this technique while walking, for example. In this case each count corresponds to one step, for example:

1.Inhale for 2 steps

 2.Hold for 2 steps

 3.Exhale for 4 steps

To adapt to cycling, each pedal stroke gets one count. For swimming, each stroke gets one count, and so on.

Suggestions

 ■It is important to find a pace and count that you can maintain and that feels natural. As you become more adept with this technique, you will want to try and increase your counts while keeping the same ratio. For example inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 8, or 6, 6, and 12. Experiment and find a combination that works well for you. Slower, deeper breathing will give more energy, endurance, and focus.

■If your mind wanders, or you lose your count, gently bring your mind back to the count. This may take a little practice, but if done regularly, it will become second-nature. The goal is to find the perfect pace for your body and your breath. This will help you to slip into that meditative performance state often referred to as the “zone."

Athlete Z says:

This was a great way to end a six week psychological skills program as it has really made me feel much better about myself and remain calm as well as positive. Working on breathing control has helped me to stay in control of my mind and body. I feel my breathing get easier as well as healthier. Breathing much easier has helped me with my fitness work, as the season has come to a close I have been keeping fit so I don’t get battered in pre-season. Working on my fitness levels by going for regular jogs and endurance based activities has been boosted by my breathing control which has helped me to enhance my levels of fitness. This has been really enjoyable and I will be using breathing control techniques to maintain my fitness levels throughout the rest of next season as this is like a psychological drug to help me get through matches next season having that extra in the tank in the latter parts of the game.

Conclusion
In conclusion to this training week six shows it has been another success as athlete z has worked really hard at this and it has helped him a lot. He really has come on leaps and bounce in terms of his fitness levels as he finds it very useful which it is. It is also good to see athlete z enjoy it and see the work that comes out when putting the work in. All in all athlete z enjoyed this training weeks and will take this forward to next season where he will use this weekly to help maintain is fitness levels.

Great success!

Training week 5- 22nd/24th April

Meditation

Aim- Athlete Z will need to go through Meditation to re-energise himself for the upcoming games, this week is Meditation which means he will have to perform certain Meditation tasks to help him to overcome fatigue and be ready for match days after tough training sessions.

Meditation Programme

It is another week which means there is another training programme for Athlete Z to take on. This Week is a real treat for the Athlete as he can enjoy himself Meditate! Not bad for a training programme!

Every athlete would agree that energy is a key ingredient to success in sport. Food, restful sleep, breath and meditation are the four sources of energy. The amount of energy gained from meditation is greater than that from sleep with 20 minutes of meditation equal to 8 hours of deep sleep. Meditation is probably the most powerful technique known to relieve stress and anxiety and restore health.

Meditation can be very helpful in harmonizing Athlete Z’s mind. It can help his muscles relax and fight stress, depression and anxiety and boosts tolerance levels. Meditating regularly can relax the muscles and reduce blood pressure. A good meditation routine will help him stay focused and objective and will give his mind a much needed break so he can be fresh when it comes to match days raring to go.

Below is a training programme for the Meditation for Athlete Z to complete for a week before he plays his match:

1 Yogic Stretching:

Yogic stretching is different from the western concept of exercise and is essential to beginning your meditation because it frees excess energy, allowing the mind to relax with ease. Take IMPACT Action: Perform 5-10 rounds of posture sequences (learned under the guidance of a trained yoga teacher) such as Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) in which each posture is synchronized with the breath.

2 Pranayam (Yogic Breath):

Pranayam is breath control that noticeably shifts mood and energy and purifies the mind. Importance is given to the breath because the lungs can remove as many as 250 toxins and impurities from the body simply through the regular practice of pranayam. Take IMPACT Action: Spend 10 minutes performing yogic breathing exercises (learned under the guidance of a teacher); yogic breath has been practiced for thousands of years, and has been shown to improve cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency, and increase concentration, attention and memory.

3 Create Personal Space:

It’s important to create a comfortable, personal space where you sit each day to meditate. Practicing in the same space builds up an uplifting atmospheric vibration; you can surround this space with inspiring images. Take IMPACT Action: Sit comfortably with your spine erect, on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, whatever is most relaxing for you. Do not lie down. Sit to meditate for 20 minutes, twice daily.

4 Be Regular with Your Practice:

Practice makes perfect. When you practice regularly, you train your mind to associate with that calm, meditative state. Take IMPACT Action: Do your best to practice at the same time each day, and for the same length of time. If you feel restless, stick with it, observe the restlessness and complete the 20 minutes.

5 Your Meditation Mantra:

“I am nothing, I want nothing, I do nothing”: Meditation can be boring because, for once in your life, you are not wanting to do or think anything. Nor will your meditation work if you sit with the intention of wanting something from your practice. Take IMPACT Action: Sit with an attitude of gratitude. Thoughts will come and go; don’t try to chase them away or control them — simply observing without any resistance will bring your mind and body much-needed rest and relaxation. Remember, thoughts when observed will naturally dissolve; they are like waves in an ocean, they come and go.

6 Reduce Caffeine, Alcohol and Processed Foods:

The benefits of a good meditation practice are limited if diet and nutrition are not addressed. Caffeine can disrupt sleep and cause anxiety and restlessness, alcohol can impair balance and steadiness and deplete key electrolytes and minerals vital to nerve and muscle co-ordination and processed food is infused with chemicals and preservatives. Take IMPACT Action: Reduce your intake of caffeine and alcoholic beverages and eat plenty of fresh, unprocessed foods.

7 Value Your Practice:

 It is important to honour your meditation practice and give it the same priority you give your daily sports training routine. Take IMPACT Action: Turn off your phone and anything else that might distract you. Be 100 per cent with your meditation, approach it with reverence and do it with awareness.

Athlete Z says:

This has been a real treat for me to perform Meditation and this is what I will carry on doing every week as this has really freshened my mind and stay focused on my tasks both at college and football. I feel really energised and I was raring to go for my game which we won 2-0 and I had well, not the best game ever but it was a decent performance from me, I was fully focused and had the energy and concentration to play 75mins in full throttle without worrying about a thing just enjoying the game. That is exactly what I did during the match, I ran up and down the whole pitch running at least 6km in that game. Attacking wise I was sharp and quick and defensively working back I was good too. I had a very mature performance and my breathing during the game was getting easier as I felt really fit through these meditation techniques as even the muscles in my body weren’t cramping too. This was overall a very successful week for me as meditation is something I will keep with me forever, I will definitely be meditating every week to keep on task and stay fresh, even feel good about myself!

Conclusion

To conclude this week I believe it has been a very good week for Athlete Z as he has flourished during his games and most importantly started to believe in himself more and feeling fresh and good about life in general. Athlete Z is really impressed and has really reduced all the other stress factors in his everyday life. As he keeps on doing this every week it will get better and better. This was for only one week and he felt a difference, so meditating every week can really enable Athlete Z to feel good and keep performing at high levels worrying about nothing hopefully and that is a huge bonus for him if he can enjoy playing football without being stressed and just play the game he loves.

Training Week 4- 15th/17th April

Psyching up Music

Aim- This week is all about Athlete Z listening to Music before his matches to help motivate and psych him up. This is really important as Athlete Z must get psyched up so he can focus and be up for the match he is going to play.

Music to Motivate

Well we are back for another week of blogging and this week it is all about Music!

Latest research suggests well-chosen tunes at the right time can aid performance and recovery by up to 10%. With the help of an expert playlist, here’s how. Searching for that extra half-a-second to catapult you and your team-mates to glory? According to leading sports psychologists, music is a powerful tool which Athlete Z will be using, which can give a competitive advantage at any level.  Ranging from slow tempo, inspirational tracks the day before a match to high-octane anthems immediately before kick-off, researchers believe music helps mental preparation and establish routine. Athlete Z will be told to synchronise whatever activity he is engaging in to the tempo of music there's a very clearly energetic effect that is bound to show. Various studies point to a 10% reduction in perceived exertion because the body’s emotional state can be transferred into a physical reaction. The dressing room jukebox is a perfect setting where high tempo tunes can match a player’s anticipated heart rate and inspire them to on-field success.

Players should incorporate music into pre-game rituals at an early age because, once in their 20s, players are unlikely to break habits. The best results come from songs that have meaning to the individual, music’s subconscious power. Athlete Z will benefit from listening to a soundtrack immediately before kick-off.

To give Athlete Z a head start I have compiled a list of songs which could inspire the Athlete to achieve as much as a 10% performance increase. Split into three sections – visualisation, pre-match motivation and post-match reflection – the Motivational Music Playlist for Footballers explains what the player should listen to, and when, to help hit top gear.

Visualisation

Voices of the Valley Abide with Me (42 beats per minute)

A song to stir the heart of any footballer, this choral piece is as interwoven with the sport’s heritage as the FA Cup itself.

R Kelly I Believe I Can Fly (60BPM)

Whether it’s soaring to meet a cross or sprinting down the touchline like Ryan Giggs in his prime, this track is sure to promote inspiring imagery.

Luciano Pavarotti Nessun Dorma (50-60BPM)

Inimitably linked with England’s gallant showing at Italia 90, this aria brings to mind images of footballing greatness, striving for glory, and passion.

David Bowie Heroes (113BPM)

Driven by Brian Eno’s wailing guitar licks and Bowie’s call to arms, if the Berlin wall can be brought down then so can the opposition back line!

Keith Mansfield (composer) Grandstand theme (132BPM)

This rousing up-tempo number served as a frame to the BBC’s football coverage for generations and provides a definitive soundtrack.

 

Pre-match motivation

Queen We Are the Champions (64BPM)

Premiership sides’ victory anthem since the early 1990s has a rousing crescendo which will quicken your pulse and strengthen your resolve to succeed on the pitch.

The Farm All Together Now (112BPM)

An evocative tribute to the impromptu England vs Germany match in 1916 no man’s land, this classically-inspired piece has become associated with several teams including England’s challenge at Euro 2004.

Tinie Tempah Pass Out (127BPM)

This dance floor romp’s visceral bass, combined with Tinie’s confidence and intense vocal dexterity, will lift your spirits as you prepare for action.

Dario G Carnival de Paris (137BPM)

A thunderous samba rhythm section serves as a pre-match stimulant while the triumphant horns resemble a rallying call to arms.

 

AR Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls ft Nicole Scherzinger Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny) (137BPM)

The curtain fall for 2008’s uplifting film Slumdog Millionaire, mesmeric Indian rhythms and soaring harmonies combine for an uplifting and energising listen.

 

Post-match relaxation

Enya Anywhere Is (100BPM)

This refreshing celtic-influenced ballad is an ideal soundscape to induce relaxation and a feeling of harmony after the battle on the pitch has subsided.

Sergio Mendes Mas que Nada (99BPM)

Synonymous with Brazil’s inimitable football style since featuring in Nike’s pre-France 98 commercials, Mendes’ lilting Latin jazz rhythms have a relaxed feel.

Groove Armada At the River (68BPM)

With its signature lazy trombone solo, this tune is packed with the carefree, meandering tranquillity of a summer’s day; the perfect restorative after 90 intense minutes on a frosty pitch!

Seal Kiss from a Rose (44BPM)

Sometimes it’s hard to select relaxing music that retains a “masculine” energy, but the London soul man’s iconic track is dark, brooding, and yet strangely soothing.

Fleetwood Mac Albatross (67BPM)

This shimmering instrumental calms the spirit and replaces any tension with a floating serenity and assured calm. A perfect backdrop to reflect on your performance.

 

Athlete Z has a say

This week has been fairly easy, I have been told to listen to the music playlists created by the blogger during periods of time where it is said of what playlist to listen too. At first I thought honestly it wouldn’t work, but then actually listening to the change of music and the drop of the beat really did act as a stimulant to my performance as it really did spur me on to play up to my level best and create chances and score goals for my team during the match. Thankfully, that is exactly what happened this week. We won 4-0 against a fairly decent side from Yorkshire; I had assisted twice and scored a goal myself in a man of the match performance which really has pleased me as I really did work hard. I believe some of the contribution to my great display did come from listening to the high octane music which really did help me heaps and bounds. It has been a great week and I will definitely be adding this to my routine every week before my matches as I believe this can keep bolstering my performances and keep me on form by performing on another level every week hopefully.

Conclusion

Well as you have read this week was another success as the high octane music before matches really did ‘bolster’ Athlete Z’s performances like he had said. It really has become an integral part of the Athletes routine before matches as he now can make this in to a habit which cannot be broken, hopefully helping him to be consistent in his game play too which is vital for him and he really does believe that can happen and it possibly can if he remains psyched up listening to music.

Training Week 3 – 8th/10th April

Relaxation Techniques

Aim- Athlete Z must take part in Relaxation Techniques which will enable the Athlete to breathe easily and remain calm in any given circumstances which will leave him to perform better and reduce anxiety levels. This will be carried out on the dates mentioned above. This is around a week long programme as well as it can be used every week if he finds it beneficial.

A relaxation program should begin with "Getting Loose" and then followed with "Breathing Easy".

Getting Loose

Begin each session as follows

• Loosen your clothing and remove your shoes
• Lie down with a pillow under your head (on a bed or on the floor)
• Lie flat on your back, feet about 12 to 18 inches apart and your arms at your sides
• Go as limp as you can from head to foot
• Let your shoulder blades go slightly flat
• Waggle your feet
• Settle in with your legs
• Shake your arms gently, rolling the backs of your hands against the floor
• Roll your head back and forth

Now begin the "Getting Loose" exercise for each part of your body, as follows

• Legs
• Flex the muscles of your left leg by raising it 6 to 10 inches above the floor Point your toes slightly back toward your head. Hold this position of tension for as long as you can, about 10 seconds or so, until you begin to feel the muscles start to tremble. Then, say to yourself 'Leg, let go'. At this point, stop flexing it and let the leg drop. Let the leg rest for another 10 seconds or so, saying to yourself 'I feel the tension flowing out of my leg...my leg feels relaxed, warm, heavy... completely relaxed'
• Repeat the flex-let go-rest procedure for that leg.
• Run through the entire procedure again for your right leg.
• Buttocks and thighs
• Tighten your buttock and thigh muscles, as tightly as you can. Hold them as long as you can - longer than 10 seconds - until you have to let go. Then release them, saying 'Let go', to yourself. Pause for 10 seconds or so and focus your attention on the relaxed feeling in those muscles, on the tension flowing out.
• Repeat the exercise.
• Stomach
• Do the same procedure twice for your abdominal muscles
• Back and Neck
• Arch your spine, tightening all along it from your tailbone to your neck, and finish by telling it 'Let go'.
• Repeat the exercise
• Arms and Shoulders
• Imagine there is a bar suspended above you that you want to use to pull yourself up. Raise your hands, palms upward, above your chest. Grab the imaginary bar and clench your fists around it as hard as you can. Flex the muscles in your arms and shoulders. Hunch your shoulders up as tightly as you can. Hold as long as possible and then say 'Let go. ' Rest for 10 seconds or so, soaking up the warm, relaxed feelings, letting the tension flow out.
• Repeat the exercise
•  Eyes
• Focus on a point on the ceiling. Without moving your head slowly roll your eyes to the right as far as they will go, then to the centre, then to the left, then back to the centre.
• Rub the palms of your hands together until you feel heat. Close your eyes and cover them with your hands. Let the heat warm them. Rest, and tell your eyes 'Let go' and feel the tension flow out as you feel the warmth.
• Entire body
• Clench your feet and fists. Pull your shoulders up. Tighten your jaw and face. Now simultaneously flex your entire body, arching yourself as much as you can from your heels to the back of your head. Hold it for as long as you can until you feel your body tremble. Then say 'Let go' - and just let yourself go... all the way, as much as you can.
• Lie there and feel the tension drain away.
• Get totally relaxed
• Close your eyes. Let your attention wander slowly over each part of your body, from legs to face, as you did in the exercise. If any area seems to have some residual tension, tense it. Let you. Feel the tension draining out of you, but do not worry if there is still a little left. Keeping your eyes closed, stay in this relaxed state for the rest of the 10 minute session. Think of a very pleasant, peaceful place. Think of floating in a small boat on a peaceful lake with a soft breeze gently rocking you back and forth, back and forth. Alternatively think of floating in space, lighter than air, weightless. Observe the pleasant, calm feelings. Tell yourself 'I am relaxed now... My legs feel relaxed... My buttocks, thighs, and abdomen feel relaxed... My back arms, shoulders, jaws, face and eyes feel relaxed... The tension has been let go. '

Focus your relaxed feelings

Now begin to focus this relaxation on your event. Tell yourself 'When I am running and I begin to feel tension gripping some muscles, I will be able to tell those muscles "Let go", saying "Let go" will recall the relaxed feelings I feel now and will release the tension from those muscles.'

Breathing Easy

Having completed the "Getting Loose" exercises remain lying on your back. Carry out the "Breathing Easy" exercise for 10 minutes, as follows

• Inhale
• Inhale slowly and deeply, filling your chest with air, counting four seconds to yourself 'One and two and three and four'. The count is to give you a nice and easy, even pace. Try to breathe as fully as you can without discomfort. Imagine your chest slowly filling with air, from your diaphragm to your collar.
• Hold breath
• When you have inhaled fully, hold your breath for another four seconds, again counting to yourself 'One and two and three and four'. This should be just a comfortable pause. Do not do it until you are blue in the face.
• Exhale
• Exhale - but do not blow. Just let the air out through your mouth slowly saying to yourself 'Easy...easy... easy... easy.' Let out as much air as you can, down to the lower part of the lungs. Feel yourself relaxing as you do. Feel your shoulders, chest and diaphragm letting go. As you exhale, think of the tension flowing out of you.

Do not worry if the sequence is not exact or the cadence perfect. It may seem a bit difficult to stay with at first, but just keep going. The important thing is to establish the slow relaxed breathing rate. After the ten cycles, your breathing rate will be automatically slower and you can dispense with the "one and two and three and four" cadence.

Now do as follows:

• Inhale - Breathe in fully.
• Hold breath - Hold it very briefly.
• Exhale - Let the air out slowly (do not blow), saying mentally 'Easy... easy... easy... easy ' with each exhalation.
• Repeat this cycle ten times.

You will soon begin to feel a calm, thoroughly pleasurable feeling - some say a warmth radiating from your chest throughout your body

Now let yourself breathe normally and tell yourself relaxing phrases 'I feel very relaxed... All the tension is going out of me as I exhale and good feelings are coming into me as I inhale... When I am playing my sport, I will be able to take a few deep breaths and by saying, "Easy " will be able to tell myself to relax whenever I feel overly tense... When I am playing, I will recall the good feelings I am experiencing now and they will automatically return to me. Imagine all this happening as you say it to yourself.

Now do as follows:

• Inhale - Breathe in slowly
• Hold breath - Hold it very briefly
• Exhale - Let the air out slowly while mentally saying to yourself 'Easy... easy... easy... easy.'
• Repeat this cycle ten times.

Now let your breathing go naturally, and pay attention to the pleasant feelings in your body. Repeat the same encouraging phrases to yourself that you did earlier. Listen to the sound of your own breath coming in and out. You will notice that the breathing is slow and deep without you having to make it that way. The exhaling will last longer - as long as an eight-count, perhaps.

Continue to do the breathing exercises for the rest of the session, each time alternating the ten cycles of inhale-hold-exhale with the mental encouragement. After the last cycle of ten, just let yourself enjoy the feeling for a minute.

Easy

Tell yourself for the rest of the day I will recall these sensations every time I tell myself 'Easy' (or a word/phrase you prefer to use).

 

 

This has been chosen to do with Athlete Z as he needs to relax at times and is really anxious when it comes to big game situations. He is sometimes worried about the atmosphere and what people will think of his performances when he is playing. This is why I have decided to put this programme in place for the Athlete as this will help him to relax and stay focused on the task ahead and not get distracted due to nerves. This is highly essential and I believe this will help him to overcome anxiousness and remain relaxed before matches.

Feedback from Athlete Z-

Wow! This programme was fantastic, best to date in fact. Did this everyday and it really did work especially before matches. Relaxation through these techniques helped me to stay calm and focused on the matches and that is exactly what had happened. During training sessions my breathing was fantastic as my whole body and my mind was fresh and relaxed which enabled me to just enjoy the training session in the sun. It was a real treat. Also, I did this before my big match for nelson. It was a huge game as a decent sized crowd turned up, so by performing these techniques I was all smiles and relaxed before the games with only slight nerves which straight away show it was a success. The game ended 0-0 which wasn’t a bad score considering the strength of the opposition, I played ok, got a few good crosses in and made opportunities for my team as well as I hit the post! Overall, this programme has helped me to stay calm and relax which has happened and I will be using these techniques every week for sure.

TRAINING WEEK 2 - APRIL 1ST/3RD

Training the Brain to Win

Aim- Training Athlete Z to believe he has what it takes to win and feel like a winner

This week is all about ‘Training the Brain to Win’ a famous quote from coaching Phil Jackson, “Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.” This week its simple and easy for Athlete Z, it is all with what and how he thinks of himself, with the help that is stated below Athlete Z must work towards techniques identified below to train his brain to win and nothing less.

Sports psychology is the scientific study of mind, emotion, and behaviour as it relates to athletic performance and physical activity. The mental demands of rigorous competition can be enormous, making sports psychology a crucial part of any athlete’s training regimen.

Athletes who diligently train their minds play their best more consistently, experience greater enjoyment, and increase their odds of victory. As one progresses to the higher echelons of any sport, physical skills tend to balance out among competitors. How, then, does the athlete distinguish him- or herself from the pack? It is here where we discover that having a superior mind-set is the key to gaining the upper-hand.

*There is no training programme for this or a long process, it is quick and simple. Athlete Z must make sure that he trains his mind to believe he is the best.

How can this be done?

Important mental skills for athlete z’s excellence include:

• Supreme, unwavering confidence in your abilities
• The ability to keep a laser-like focus when surrounded by distractions
• The capacity to sustain a high level of motivation throughout a long season
• The strength of will to conquer all anxiety, frustration, and discouragement
• The power to bring your intensity to the next level when needed

Effective mental training tools include:

• Clear and challenging short- and long-term goals
• Visualization of making great plays and succeeding on the field
• Positive, energetic language used to motivate yourself into a winning frame of mind
• A consistent breath during all moments of action
• Confident, upbeat body language to get the feeling of success in your body and mind

As athlete z is looking to improve his game it can benefit from sports psychology at any time. Junior athletes can get a significant head start on their peers by developing their mental strength early on, rather than waiting until college or beyond. Seasoned pros can ensure they stay on top of their game, never letting themselves get complacent, by training their minds appropriately.

Sports psychology services can be applied in all scenarios. Specific examples include:

• When the athlete z wants to reach his full potential. By fine-tuning his game mentally and emotionally, he can eventually exceed even his greatest expectations.
• When the athlete experiences any kind of setback, such as a mental block, performance plateau, prolonged slump, demotion, or injury.
• When off-field issues or concerns begin to interfere with the athlete ‘s z performance.

Athlete Z’s mentality will either hold him down or bring him up. He must strive to master his mind rather than being mastered by it. If he doesn’t, he will risk losing every game before it even starts. He must think about how he can improve his performance in the following areas:

• How you prepare mentally in practice and during training
• How you maintain a winning mind-set on the day of competition
• How you manage your thoughts in the moment of action
• How you deal with distractions
• How you use the results of competition to build your character from event to event
• How you communicate with others as a leader and a teammate
• How you decompress after training and competition to stay fresh and avoid burnout

To excel in each of these areas, he’ll need a game plan. For example, when dealing with results, he should take the time to learn from every poor performance rather than brooding or trying to forget it. After a peak performance, write down specifically what you were thinking, feeling, and doing immediately before, during, and after the event. The next time you need a boost in confidence or motivation, refer back to the list.

Athlete Z has his say
This week I have been working on training my brain, so it can help me to overcome tough obstacles and become a winner. This week I am out of action so I have taken this free time to work on this by continuously saying to myself I am the best and thinking of me becoming successful by scoring great goals and providing goals too. I am thinking positively which is helping me already as I feel confident and feel better about myself which is important. I am working even harder at the gym pushing more weights to build my strength and overcome my little injury, I really cannot wait to get in to action now. There is a great sense of ‘buzz’ and feeling I feel as though I really can finish the season strongly when I get back to playing ways.

Conclusion

Sports psychology is the key that can transform a weak performance into a brilliant one, and a good athlete into one of the best to have ever played the game. This can only be done by training the mind to believe that they can achieve the best by continuously talking and thinking positively, its quick and simple and has his great effects and you can see already by reading what Athlete Z had to say that he is feeling better about himself and is highly confident and cannot wait to be playing again. It really is a treat for one to become the best.