Sport psychology is the science of making use of the mind to enhance athletic performance. It involves the development of various mental abilities such as concentration and goal setting to allow an athlete to enter a state of effortless mastery in which his athletic skills are being used with full effectiveness.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a process by which an athlete vividly imagines performing athletically. An athlete may benefit by imagining himself knocking out an opposing boxer, for example, thereby increasing his self-confidence and decreasing debilitating anxiety. He might also imagine throwing a right hook, focusing on flaws in his delivery and trying to correct them. One advantage of this approach is that even injured athletes are able to practice this way. Research performed under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences confirms that these benefits are measurable.
Goal Setting
Sport psychologist Cristina Bortoni Versari, president of San Diego University for Integrative Studies, says goal setting is the most common approach used in sport psychology. Effective athletic goals include both training and performance goals. The most useful goals are specific and measurable. Broad goals, especially training goals, should be broken down into numerous smaller goals so the athlete can track his progress easily and obtain frequent feedback.
Attention
An athlete's attention must be relentlessly trained to ensure optimal performance. In some ways, it must be narrowed beyond what is required for day-to-day activities, and in other ways it must be broadened. A basketball player facing a hostile crowd, for example, must learn to narrow his focus to the court. On the other hand, at the end of a close game, he may need broaden his attention to keep track of the game clock so he can make a last shot before the buzzer.
The Zone
Psychologist Shane Murphy, a professor at Sacred Heart University, identifies a state known as the "zone," in which performance is exceptional, occurring automatically with little or no conscious thought. Many of those who have experienced this state describe it as effortless and enjoyable. Putting an athlete into the zone is the ultimate goal of all approaches to sport psychology.
References
- Association for Applied Sport Psychology: About Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology
- APA Division 47: Exercise and Sports Psychology
- "Athletic Insight"; The Zone: Evidence of a Universal Phenomenon for Athletes Across Sports; Janet A Young, et.al.; 1999
- "International Journal for Sport Psychology"; Introduction to Imagery in Physical Performance; B.S. Rushall, et.al.; 1994
- St. Louis Psychologists: Reaching the Finish Line: It Begins With Effective Goal Setting!
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