1.02 – Is there such a thing as a winning mindset?

0 Comments

We talk to Prof. Dave Collins, Director at Grey Matters Performance Ltd., about the idea of a ‘winning mindset’. Dave has worked with over 70 World or Olympic medalists, coached to national level in three sports, is a 5th Dan black belt in Karate, and an ex Royal Marine – and that’s not even the half of it! 

In this episode, we explore the concept of the ‘winning mindset’ and what such a thing might actually consist of. We talk about whether personality might play a role, the importance of context, and whether or not we can learn to exhibit a winning mentality. 

1.01 – What is sport psychology anyway?

0 Comments

In this episode, Dr Pete Olusoga & Hugh Gilmore talk to Dr Jonathan Fader, a clinical and performance psychologist, best known for his work in Major League Baseball and the NFL. We discuss what sport psychology is (and what it isn’t), and some of the ways that psychology might help athletes and coaches take their performance to the next level. 

Dr. Fader is the co-founder of Union Square Practice, a mental health centre, and SportStrata, a performance coaching group, located in New York City, and is the author of Life as Sport. 

Managing burnout: Lessons from elite sport coaches.

0 Comments
burnout_syndrom

Burnout tends to happen as a result of long-term stress in a situation or job that, for whatever reason, you’re highly committed to. So the more you care about your work, the more likely you are to experience burnout.

Burnout has three major characteristics: emotional and physical exhaustion, a cynical attitude towards people and relationships at work, and a feeling that you are no longer accomplishing anything worthwhile. Sound familiar?

Read more →

Whatever you do, don’t screw up! Why avoiding failure is ultimately damaging.

0 Comments
James_Milner_-_Patrice_Evra_20120611

Just before England began their EURO 2016 campaign, England midfielder, James Milner, said that it was vital for his team to avoid losing their first match against Russia if they were to do well in the tournament. You might take from this that the team would be focused on doing well in their opening game.

Makes sense. But did Milner’s statement actually reveal an underlying attitude that could really hinder a team as they progress (or don’t) through major competitions.

Read more →

Preparing effectively for the BIG competitions.

0 Comments

“It’s just like any other game!” – How many times have you heard someone say that?

Maybe you’re a coach who’s said it to players before an important match. Maybe you’re an athlete who’s heard it from teammates or coaches who are trying to make things as normal as possible in the build up to a big competition. “If we do what we normally do, we’ll be alright.” And you know what, in certain circumstances, yup, that works fine.

Read more →

The mindful athlete: Can mindfulness really improve performance?

2 Comments

You may or may not have come across the concept of Mindfulness before. You might have heard about sports coaches encouraging their athletes to adopt mindfulness practices, or maybe you’ve heard about athletes learning and practicing meditation as part of their training. But what exactly is this thing called Mindfulness, and can it really improve sporting performance?

Read more →

The problem with Mental Toughness

8 Comments

Everyone loves a bit of mental toughness. Coaches will often tell you they only want athletes who are mentally TOUGH. Athletes strive to develop their mental STRENGTH. Sports journalists write and debate about which athletes are mentally TOUGHER than others.

Badass
Badass

In fact, mental toughness has become one of the most commonly used phrases in sports. I should point out here that I have no evidence whatsoever to support that last statement, but it seems like it’s probably true. Just search twitter for mental toughness or mental strength and you’ll see what I mean.

Read more →

%d bloggers like this: