Mental skills training isn’t just for elite athletes. It’s for anyone interested in optimizing performance. If you’re an endurance athlete looking to perform at your best — regardless of experience or competitive level — mental skills training is just as important as the physical training you do. But how do you get started? Begin with the newly released "Guide to Goal … [Read more...] about How Do You Integrate Mental Skills into Your Training?
Mental Skills
How Do You Use Self-Talk to Improve Performance?
Self-talk — the “verbalizations or statements addressed to the self” (Hardy 2006, p. 84) — has been widely examined in sport psychology. Self-talk can be positive or negative, spoken aloud/externally or silently/internally, and be instructional or motivational. The research literature has shown that “self-talk is beneficial for athletic performance” (Tod, Hardy & Oliver … [Read more...] about How Do You Use Self-Talk to Improve Performance?
Can Self-Compassion Make You a Better Athlete?
Athletes can be hard on themselves. Have you ever finished a race or training session with words of self-criticism flowing through your inner dialogue? If so, you’re not alone. The culture of sport often revolves around the assumption that harsh criticism is necessary to motivate athletes in the face of poor performance. A growing body of research in psychology, … [Read more...] about Can Self-Compassion Make You a Better Athlete?
The ABCs of Prioritizing Races and Setting Race Goals
When it comes to setting your racing goals simply remember your ABCs. Before the season starts, identify the main races you want to target and prioritize those races using these ABCs: A-priority races: The one to three most important races of the season. Training will be designed around these races to allow you to peak for them. Ideally, these will occur together in a … [Read more...] about The ABCs of Prioritizing Races and Setting Race Goals
After Setting Your Goals, Now What?
Establishing an ambitious set of goals for the season can sometimes feel like an accomplishment in its own right. But setting your goals is only the first step toward achieving those goals. So what’s next? 1. Make those goals a priority Once you’ve set your goals it’s time to make those goals a priority. That means eradicating those attractive (but inevitably … [Read more...] about After Setting Your Goals, Now What?
