Mental drills

Fortifying the mind

in Mental drills

To improve performance, you have to start by fortifying the mind A friend of mine was a patient in a cancer ward and his treatment involved going without food and water for eight weeks. He survived on a drip. During this time he lost three stone in weight. Around him other patients frequently died. It... MORE

Meditation

in Mental drills

Good news for the immune system: meditation can modify the effects of strenuous exercise Intense training and heavy exercise have been linked with a damping down of immune system activity, leaving some athletes more vulnerable to infections. It’s thought that this may be because of a link with stress – heavy exercise stimulates the release... MORE

The psychology of speed training

in Mental drills

Mental preparation to enhance speed training and improve performance Article at a glance Encourages mental preparation prior to speed sessions to ensure high-quality performances Argues that performance can be improved by working harder and working smarter Shows that reflection and analysis are vital to improvement Suggests that learning to control self-talk can help manage unwanted... MORE

How mental imagery can improve your sports performance

in Mental drills

The ability to look into the future and the capacity to imagine have both played an important role in the success of the human species. And as Dr Costas Karageorghis explains, these same abilities can be harnessed to improve sports performance. What are imagery and self-hypnosis? Mental imagery can be defined as the process that... MORE

Developing a positive attitude towards pressure improves performance

in Mental drills

Professor Andy Lane provides practical advice for staying strong under pressure Oscar Wilde once said that ‘consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative’! However, it’s an irrefutable fact that consistency in sport is essential for long-term success. Andy Lane explains how you can increase your consistency for better sport performance. Imagine the scene; it’s... MORE

Brain training to enhance motor skills

in Mental drills

Can brain training exercises can result in successful changes to sport skills? Steve Robson looks at the evidence Back in the middle part of the 20th century, scientists assumed that localised areas of the brain were exclusively responsible for controlling specific tasks such as movement, speech and sight.  This approach was known as ‘localisation theory’.... MORE

How mental imagery and self-hypnosis can improve performance

in Mental drills

Focusing your mind can result in huge performance gains The ability to look into the future and the capacity to imagine have both played an important role in the success of the human species. And as Dr Costas Karageorghis explains, these same abilities can be harnessed to improve sports performance. What are imagery and self-hypnosis?... MORE