By Megan Buning
(June 30, 2021)

Mental performance training (MPT) (or mental conditioning) is used frequently to help athletes overcome psychological barriers to peak performance. In the field of sport psychology, MPT targets areas shown to influence performance without crossing over into issues related to diagnosis or severe clinical issues (e.g., depression, eating disorders, suicidal ideations). MPT is individualized to athletes and can range from strategies to help athletes improve self-talk, develop practice and performance routines, overcome negative psychological states (e.g., fear of failure, perfectionism, overinvestment, negativity), incorporate skill and cognitive imagery, improve in-competition focus, and improve communication skills (Bell & Hardy, 2009; Cotterill, 2010; Hatzigeorgiadis et al., 2009; Sagar & Stoeber, 2009; Weinberg, 2008; Wrisberg et al., 2009). Considering the power of mental conditioning, the following are a few of my go-to strategies that coaches can incorporate into practices and training. Each of the eight strategies listed are streamlined, singular examples that can be explored in more detail. 

FOUNDATIONAL STRATEGIES

1) Practice and implement mindfulness. Simply put, mindfulness is keeping your mind focused on the task/situation (moment) on purpose but keeping judgmental or evaluative thoughts about yourself or the task/situation out of your mind (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Sound simple? Take a moment to see how long you can stay focused on a conversation or even reading this article. Does your mind wander? Making yourself aware of when your mind wonders (is not present in the moment) is one key. Once you are aware, you can take steps to redirect your attention. The second key to this awareness is to notice if you are judging or evaluating self or the situation/task. If yes, then get rid of those types of thoughts so you can see the task/situation/moment without the lens of judgment/evaluation to see the situation more clearly (or for what it is). This process can be a cornerstone for successful performances and is one coaches can train athletes to use during practices and games. Mindfulness-based approaches are used to treat various clinical issues and have finally trickled into sport performance (Dorjee, 2010; Gardner & Moore, 2017). The quickest way to teach/learn mindfulness is to practice what is called a body scan. Body scans turn attention inwards and force athletes to learn physical symptoms of various performance deterrents (injury, anxiety, emotional physical triggers and indicators of emotion) and control where their attention goes on command (Mirams et al., 2013). Smookler (2019) provides a good introduction to body scan; however, keep in mind athletes will enhance their mindfulness with consistent practice and feedback. Check in with athletes after a body scan to see if they are actually able to follow your instructions for the scan.

2) Intentionally use diaphragmatic breathing (deep breathing or “belly breathing”). Teach athletes to use the diaphragm to breathe in situations where they need to manage anxiety, focus, pain, and strong emotions. Diaphragmatic breathing not only provides extra oxygen to the brain creating a full-body calming sensation, but it also provides additional time to move through a strong emotion to help prevent emotional reactions (and facilitate adaptive responses) (Ma et al., 2017). Diaphragmatic breathing should be incorporated into body scans and used when athletes are fatigued or struggling to stay focused. The Cleveland Clinic (2018) provides a quick resource for how to learn this technique.

INTERNAL PROCESSES – MINDSET AND GOAL-SETTING

3) Check the mindset. You may have heard the term “growth mindset,” but understanding more about the mindset of your athletes (or yourself!) is important. Dweck (2006) brought the study of fixed versus growth mindset to the world and what having each type means to performance. In a nutshell, mindsets are situational and task-specific so your athletes may have a fixed mindset toward a specific task but a growth mindset to another. Fixed mindsets hamper or even stop success, but growth mindsets find ways to succeed and persevere. Mindsets can be assessed by hearing what athletes say to themselves (and others) about their performance on the task. Coaches can quickly assess task-specific mindsets during drills and games by asking them to think out loud or simply state what they think about their ability to succeed at that task. Once coaches understand the differences in the mindsets, coaches can help athletes reframe and restate their thoughts to growth mindset statements which can help eventually change the mindset more permanently. Dweck (2009) gives a brief explanation of how mindsets present in sports.

4) Reimagine goal setting. Research has long established that goal setting is critical for successful performances (for a review, see Jeong et al., 2021); however, the process of learning how to set goals has become controversial and tedious (think SMART goals). The process itself can be enough to turn athletes away from trying to set goals. Since goals are important, reconsider how to approach setting them. One technique is to use the SBR model (Hanson, 2021). SBR has the athlete identify the desired results first (R), then define the current situation (S) they are in (e.g., environment, physical, time, equipment), and finally think through the behaviors (B) they need to act upon to get the results they want given their unique situation. The SBR model gives athletes the flexibility to set more relatable goals while staying fluid. Finally, this approach puts the emphasis on the process (behaviors) versus the outcome (results) which aligns with having a growth mindset.

FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

5) Understand attentional focus (just the basics). Nideffer (1990) developed a model that illustrates people move through four quadrants of focus during performance. Basically, athletes can focus internally either in a narrow or broad sense or have an external point of focus (narrow or broad). Understanding what these focus quadrants involve and when athletes should be in different quadrants can help coaches know how to cue athletes to shift focus (quadrants) to optimize performance. For example, when learning motor skills or new skills, athletes may perform better by shifting their focus to an external quadrant (e.g., focus on the foot making contact with the ball) versus internal focus (e.g., focus on how the leg/foot feels when it makes contact) (Neumann, 2019; Wulf, 2013). Also, if the athlete is “stuck” and is trying to analyze a situation for too long, they may make errors or are unable to perform. Coaches can help athletes understand when the athlete should shift out of the analyzing phase (broad, internal quadrant of focus) and into the mental/physical action phase (internal and/or narrow, external quadrant). Wooding (2019) provides a brief video describing the quadrants and how knowledge of the quadrants can be useful.

6) Teach how to use focus points and flush routines. A powerful technique for athletes to help regain focus and regulate emotions is establishing a focus-flush routine. Start by having athletes find a stationary point on the field of play. The point should: a) be something stationary, b) their eyes are naturally drawn to, c) and will be viewable throughout the performance. A key for using focus points is athletes need to consistently “check-in” with these points throughout the performance even if they do not need to refocus. This means athletes need to get in the habit of glancing or finding the focus point periodically so they know exactly where to look when they need to refocus. When the time comes where athletes need a moment to refocus, they should train their eyes on this focus point for two to 10 seconds (depending on the time they have) and take deep breaths (see strategy #2) as they clear their minds. When athletes need to regroup and forget about an error or negative performance, this refocus routine may become a “flush” routine. In this situation, have athletes pre-select a word or phrase (or encouraging self-talk) to use that they believe will help them move through the unpleasant thoughts and feelings of a poor performance or situation. When a “flush” is needed, the athlete should find their focus point, incorporate deep breaths, and state their words/phrases/self-talk until they feel refocused. Each athlete will have varying lengths of time they will have to focus and flush, so practicing this routine during training is important. Chertok (2020) provides more tips on how to incorporate this focus point.

EMOTION REGULATION

7) Work on emotion differentiation. Emotion differentiation (a component of emotional intelligence) is how precisely people can first identify then distinguish between different emotions (Lennarz et al., 2018).  Emotion differentiation is used to help equip individuals with a more stable and positive set of strategies to overcome psychological obstacles (Kashdan et al., 2015).  Experts in the field of emotion suggest individuals who can articulate in detail the complex emotional response they have after a negative event (in particular) may not become as overwhelmed in stressful situations (Lennarz et al., 2018).  Individuals who are not as skilled at articulating emotions with detail and complexity are more likely to respond to stressful situations with behaviors that are not healthy (e.g., physical aggression, binge behaviors, lashing out) (Kashdan et al., 2010). Coaches can help by having athletes slow down and verbally articulate all of the emotions they may be feeling in the moment – not just the strong emotions that may be overwhelming their thoughts. Help athletes think more specifically with the terms they choose as well. For example, if an athlete states they feel sad, have them think more deeply – do they really just feel sad or do they feel discouraged? Once athletes get to where they can identify more complex emotions and distinguish between emotions, they can recognize exactly what it is they feel and develop more adaptive strategies to manage emotions. The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence created a phone application called the Mood Meter that puts the RULER program (2021) for working through emotions in an easy-to-use app. The Mood Meter may be a good resource for athletes to use and it helps create self-awareness which ties into mindfulness.

8) Help athletes move through strong emotions. Strong emotions last up to 90 seconds if we do not “feed” the emotion with actions/thoughts (Aldao, 2014; Taylor, 2009). Athletes often are derailed because they feed the emotion with continuous negative thoughts or actions which distract them from a successful performance. Coaches can educate athletes and help them understand emotions are temporary if athletes can find a way to not “feed” them and buy themselves time to allow themselves to move through the emotion. An important note about emotions is coaches can help athletes understand when they feel an emotion, it is vital to let themselves feel the emotion (do not try to ignore it) and acknowledge they feel this way (practice articulating the emotion and using emotion differentiation). This is called “emotional acceptance” (Shpancer, 2010). The longer athletes try to avoid an uncomfortable or unpleasant emotion, the longer they will be “in” that emotion (they are feeding it by avoiding it). Once athletes experience emotional acceptance, they can help themselves by trying to track down the root cause of this emotion. What do they think is causing them to feel this way? In the time it takes them to trace back to the root cause, they may be halfway through the emotion, and they may realize the emotion is coming from something earlier that day or not related to the performance. Regardless of if they identify the root cause, athletes then need to decide if they need to make an adjustment in their performance (physical and mental) based on the preceding events of those emotions and define what adjustments to make. Finally, the experience is over, and athletes need to trash (toss or throw away) that emotional experience so they can move on. Huesman (2020) gives a useful acronym to describe this process when she explains “E.A.T. It.” Experience the emotion (E), acknowledge the emotion then adjust as needed (A), and finally throw it away (T) because they have already learned from the experience.

These are my top eight go-to strategies that I not only use for mental performance clients but that I use for myself. If you need or want more consistent training, I encourage you to seek out a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (for non-clinical performance issues) or a licensed sport psychologist or counselor (for clinical issues that may or may not be related to performance).

References
Aldao, A., (2014, July 14). How brief are emotions? A closer look at the science behind emotion duration. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com

Bell, J. J., & Hardy, J. (2009). Effects of attentional focus on skilled performance in golf. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 21(2), 163-177.

Chertok, G. (2020). 5 ways to improve your focus. U.S. News & World Report: Health. Retrieved from https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/how-to-improve-focus-under-pressure

Cleveland Clinic. (2018, September 14). Diaphragmatic breathing. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/

Cotterill, S. (2010). Pre-performance routines in sport: Current understanding and future directions. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3(2), 132-153.

Dorjee, D. (2010). Kinds and dimensions of mindfulness: Why it is important to distinguish them. Mindfulness, 1(3), 152-160.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Penguin Random House LLC.

Dweck, C. S. (2009). Mindsets: Developing talent through a growth mindset. Olympic Coach, 21(1), 4-7.

Gardner, F. L., & Moore, Z. E. (2017). Mindfulness-based and acceptance-based interventions in sport and performance contexts. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 180-184.

Hanson, B. (2021). SBR Model. Athletes Assessments: Performance through people. Retrieved from http://www.athleteaassessments.com/sbr-model/

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Mpoumpaki, S., & Theodorakis, Y. (2009). Mechanisms underlying the self-talk–performance relationship: The effects of motivational self-talk on self-confidence and anxiety. Psychology of Sport and exercise, 10(1), 186-192.

Huesman, H. (2020, December 21). How do you respond to failure? Twitter video retrieved from https://twitter.com/hannah_huesman/status/1341020919112871938

Jeong, Y. H., Healy, L. C., & McEwan, D. (2021). The application of Goal Setting Theory to goal setting interventions in sport: a systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-26.

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Kashdan, T. B., Barrett, L. F., & McKnight, P. E. (2015). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 10-16.

Kashdan, T. B., Breen, W. E., & Julian, T. (2010). Everyday strivings in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Suffering from a hyper-focus on avoidance and emotion regulation. Behavior Therapy, 41(3), 350-363.

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Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., … & Li, Y. F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874.

Mirams, L., Poliakoff, E., Brown, R. J., & Lloyd, D. M. (2013). Brief body-scan meditation practice improves somatosensory perceptual decision making. Consciousness and Cognition, 22(1), 348-359.

Neumann, D. L. (2019). A systematic review of attentional focus strategies in weightlifting. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 1(7), 1-14.

Nideffer, R. M. (1990). Use of the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style (TAIS) in sport. The Sport Psychologist, 4(3), 285-300.

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Sagar, S. S., & Stoeber, J. (2009). Perfectionism, fear of failure, and affective responses to success and failure: The central role of fear of experiencing shame and embarrassment. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 31(5), 602-627.

Shpancer, N. (2010, September 8). Emotional acceptance: Why feeling bad is good. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com

Smookler, E. (2019, April 11). Beginner’s body scan meditation. Mindful: Healthy mind, healthy life. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/beginners-body-scan-meditation/

Taylor, J. B. (2006). My stroke of insight: A brain scientist’s personal journey. The Penguin Group.

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