TBR: SPORT PSYCHOLOGY |
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PODCAST - JUNIOR SPORTS PSYCH
Improving your performance via Sport Psychology is much more than practicing mental skills such as visualisation. Developing a strong mental game involves aspects such as organisational skills, planning skills, developing healthy habits and gaining perspective on your life and how your sport fits into all of that.
Below are some useful tools and concepts that aim to set you up with basic principles to use to build on your mental game as an athlete and person.
Below are some useful tools and concepts that aim to set you up with basic principles to use to build on your mental game as an athlete and person.
GOAL SETTING
Goal setting is an integral part of being an athlete at all levels. Setting goals can help you find direction in the process of learning, improve your self confidence, motivation and refine your skills. A well structured goal setting routine is important. Here you can download TBR's goal setting principles and goal form template as a set of tools to help guide you through the goal setting process.
ORGANISATION SKILLS
Yes, this is a huge part of sport psychology. Training for a snowsport can be very time demanding. Balancing sport with school and social life can be difficult. Being proactive in prioritising and planning ahead for every day and week can help to ensure you are organised for your sport and have time for the other important things in life.
Keeping an up to date written calendar or diary (even on your phone) is a powerful tool and keeping on top of this can also reduce the stresses resulting from being overwhelmed by the busy life of a student athlete. Importantly, this should be YOUR own kept schedule, rather than one updated by your parents, coaches or teachers to ensure that YOUR mind is up to date with everything in your life.
This may also be incorporated into your written goal setting if it is something that you struggle with.
Keeping an up to date written calendar or diary (even on your phone) is a powerful tool and keeping on top of this can also reduce the stresses resulting from being overwhelmed by the busy life of a student athlete. Importantly, this should be YOUR own kept schedule, rather than one updated by your parents, coaches or teachers to ensure that YOUR mind is up to date with everything in your life.
This may also be incorporated into your written goal setting if it is something that you struggle with.
MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING
VISUALISATION / IMAGERY
Visualisation (also known as imagery) is a mental rehearsal technique which basically allows you to inwardly walk through skill executions or memorise courses by visualising those things. Becoming good at visualisation takes practice and there are techniques you can use to help you improve on this skill. Good visualisation requires a high level of focus so using other mental skills such as controlled breathing or meditation before visualising can be very useful. As you get better at those other skills, you will find your ability to visualise improves too.
CONTROLLED BREATHING
Controlled Breathing is a very effective relaxation technique. That can be used to help reduce anxiety before a competition run, help with falling asleep and help rid the mind of distractions, allowing you to focus better.
MEDITATION
Meditation is increasingly being accepted as a very powerful tool for athletes. Meditation takes lots of practice but technology has enabled learning to meditate far more accessible. We recommend regular practice with the smartphone app 'Headspace' for beginner to intermediate's in meditation. Through regular practice on Headspace and the exercises in the TBR Relaxation & Focus Skills, you can train yourself to develop a pre competition run routine to help you focus and calm your mind.
https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app
Visualisation (also known as imagery) is a mental rehearsal technique which basically allows you to inwardly walk through skill executions or memorise courses by visualising those things. Becoming good at visualisation takes practice and there are techniques you can use to help you improve on this skill. Good visualisation requires a high level of focus so using other mental skills such as controlled breathing or meditation before visualising can be very useful. As you get better at those other skills, you will find your ability to visualise improves too.
CONTROLLED BREATHING
Controlled Breathing is a very effective relaxation technique. That can be used to help reduce anxiety before a competition run, help with falling asleep and help rid the mind of distractions, allowing you to focus better.
MEDITATION
Meditation is increasingly being accepted as a very powerful tool for athletes. Meditation takes lots of practice but technology has enabled learning to meditate far more accessible. We recommend regular practice with the smartphone app 'Headspace' for beginner to intermediate's in meditation. Through regular practice on Headspace and the exercises in the TBR Relaxation & Focus Skills, you can train yourself to develop a pre competition run routine to help you focus and calm your mind.
https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app
MENTAL HEALTH
ATHLETE LIFE AND ADOLESCENTS:
Mental Health is VERY important. And harder than most people think to look after!
You're a competitive skier, tying to finish high school and somehow have a social life too! That's even harder! We get it! Being a teenager is a challenging time for most, let alone for those of us who are teenage winter sports people. Balancing education, social life and sport can sometimes seem impossible. Be assured that no one finds this an easy task! The tools above are a great starting place to help you get the most out of this time and do your best whilst balancing such a busy life.
ASK FOR HELP (EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU NEED IT)
EVERYONE needs some guidance from time to time. As social beings, we thrive and survive on communication. Today, we are somewhat blinded by the growing influence of social media, portraying an unrealistic version of normality. Generally all we see on the online profile of those we admire are the positive snippets of their life which are often staged anyway. This includes the top performing skiers you all follow on social media! In anyones life we are all destined to have difficult times and usually the best way through these is to allow our support network to help us. Actively seeking support from our network is never as far from reach as some of us may think. Everyones network is different but if you aren't confident to talk to your family and friends about anything it's free to give the kids hotline a buzz and chat to someone anonymously. They're available 24/7 on 1800 55 1800. Furthermore, as a TBR athlete, you have the added support of your coaches!
TBR - PART OF YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK
Many of our TBR coaches are past TBR athletes and have experienced the challenges associated with modern student athlete life. For that reason your TBR coaches may have the best understanding of some of the questions you may have and are always happy to listen and offer assistance in that way. Many of our TBR coaches have spent periods of time traveling the world with teams of athletes so you may be surprised at how much experience and advice they have to offer!
A MESSAGE FROM TBR
Remember to be a supportive TBR team member and be a positive part of your team mates support network too! You may just find yourself useful from time to time when your team mate's need some help. TBR strongly encourages our most senior athletes to continue our leadership culture and empower our younger athletes to aspire to achieve.
Mental Health is VERY important. And harder than most people think to look after!
You're a competitive skier, tying to finish high school and somehow have a social life too! That's even harder! We get it! Being a teenager is a challenging time for most, let alone for those of us who are teenage winter sports people. Balancing education, social life and sport can sometimes seem impossible. Be assured that no one finds this an easy task! The tools above are a great starting place to help you get the most out of this time and do your best whilst balancing such a busy life.
ASK FOR HELP (EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU NEED IT)
EVERYONE needs some guidance from time to time. As social beings, we thrive and survive on communication. Today, we are somewhat blinded by the growing influence of social media, portraying an unrealistic version of normality. Generally all we see on the online profile of those we admire are the positive snippets of their life which are often staged anyway. This includes the top performing skiers you all follow on social media! In anyones life we are all destined to have difficult times and usually the best way through these is to allow our support network to help us. Actively seeking support from our network is never as far from reach as some of us may think. Everyones network is different but if you aren't confident to talk to your family and friends about anything it's free to give the kids hotline a buzz and chat to someone anonymously. They're available 24/7 on 1800 55 1800. Furthermore, as a TBR athlete, you have the added support of your coaches!
TBR - PART OF YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK
Many of our TBR coaches are past TBR athletes and have experienced the challenges associated with modern student athlete life. For that reason your TBR coaches may have the best understanding of some of the questions you may have and are always happy to listen and offer assistance in that way. Many of our TBR coaches have spent periods of time traveling the world with teams of athletes so you may be surprised at how much experience and advice they have to offer!
A MESSAGE FROM TBR
Remember to be a supportive TBR team member and be a positive part of your team mates support network too! You may just find yourself useful from time to time when your team mate's need some help. TBR strongly encourages our most senior athletes to continue our leadership culture and empower our younger athletes to aspire to achieve.
