Mental Skills Training

for Athletes and Coaches

Tsukuba Summer Institute 2014

Guido Geisler, PhD

University of Tsukuba

MST … … Why?

Anywhere between 40% - 90% of performance in sport, on any given day, can be attributed to the athlete’s mental state/readiness at that time after taking all other factors into account

In the absence of mental trainers, coaches are often the ones who implement and/or oversee MST programs … or sometimes it’s the athletes themselves

It can be beneficial at all levels, from youth or recreational participants to adult athletes and elite performers

(Mentally) Consistent Performers

Mental Factors Related

to Excellence (McCaffrey & Orlick, 1989)

Characteristics of Olympic

Champions (Gould, Diffenbach, & Moffett, 2002)

Commitment

Mental preparation for

quality practice

Goal setting

Imagery

Distraction control

Handling pressure

Performance evaluation

Ability to cope with and

control anxiety

Confidence

Mental

toughness/resilience

Sport intelligence

Ability to focus and block

out distractions

Competitiveness

Hard work ethic

Ability to set and

achieve goals

Coachability

Mental Readiness?

Mental Readiness?

“In the Zone”

Leaving the Zone

Peak Performance – “Flow”

“An episode of superior functioning” (Privette, 1983)

“Everyone has experienced days when they seem to

be functioning better than usual; their minds are

sharp, they can think quickly, and on these days

concentration, problem solving, and focus seems

easy” (Adams, 2000)

“... those magic moments when a performer puts it all

together - both physically and mentally. The

performance is exceptional, seemingly transcending

ordinary levels of play” (Williams & Krane, 2001)

Flow Theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975; pronounced “chick-sent-me-hi-yee”)

A rare, dynamic, and intrinsically rewarding psychological state characterized by satisfaction and enjoyment in the sport experience

“I was totally absorbed, 110 percent; that was all that mattered in the

whole existence. It just amazed me how I could maintain such high

concentration for three hours. I’m used to having my mind wander,

especially under pressure. My body felt great. Nothing, you feel like just

nothing can go wrong and there’s nothing that will be able to stop you or

get in your way. And you’re ready to tackle anything, and you don’t fear

any possibility happening, and it’s just exhilarating. Afterward, I couldn’t

come down, I was on a high. I felt like I wanted to go ride, ride up that hill

again”.

Cyclist’s experience (from Jackson & Cskszentmihalyi, 1999)

Flow States

Flow States

Integrating performer needs with task demands (adapted from Taylor, 1995)

Performer Needs:

Psychological

contributors to

performance

Task Demands:

Physical, Technical,

Tactical

Task Demands:

Psychological

Integration of Performer

Needs and Task

Demands

Development of

PST/MST Program

Myths

Innate

Only for psychological

problems

Creates performance

miracles

A quick fix

Takes too much time

For elite athletes only

Issues outside of MST

Substance abuse

Eating disorders

Family issues

Identity issues

Sexual issues

Sleep disorders

Depression

…

MST … … Does it work?

Up to 85% of research studies suggest that mental

skills training is effective in enhancing sport

performance (Burton & Raedeke, 2008)

Main Purpose

To enhance mental toughness and core mental strength

To create flow states and help players become

autonomous in their mental game

Process … if coaches and athletes are willing …

Athletes acquire basic mental training tools, followed by

systematic and consistent use of those tools to build

essential mental skills

Mental Tools Goal Setting

Imagery & Mental Rehearsal

Relaxation & Energizing Techniques

Positive Self-Talk

Mental Skills Motivation

Self-Confidence

Stress Management

Energy Management

Attentional Skills

Mental tools and skills

differ from superstitions

in that they give athletes

control

Important Note: People don't change based on

what they know. They change based on how they

feel. Therefore, if you can get people to connect

emotionally with what you're talking about, instead

of just filling their brains with information, they'll

change.

Thus, you need to look below the surface

… at the subconscious.

Conscious Level

Subconscious Level

Unconscious Level

The Power of the

Subconscious

The subconscious is where much of it happens (Hermanson, 2011)

The subconscious is what shapes

your true thoughts & beliefs

And your thoughts & beliefs are

what shape your feelings/emotions

& the associated behaviours

… and thus, your mental

state before & during

performance

Ultimately, the aim is to manage one’s mental

processes at a more subconscious level and

achieve more frequent flow states

To do this, it is important to develop core mental

strength this can be seen as the mental equivalent

of core physical strength (which is important in the

execution of physical skills)

Activity #1 – Using Mental Tools

MST Steps

1. Athlete Assessment

Interviews, questionnaires (collect baseline data), and/or

observation (e.g., behavioural tendencies, pre-performance

preparation & routines)

Performance Profiling / Needs Analysis

2. Determining the mental skills to be addressed and the

mental tools that can be taught to enhance/maintain those

skills

3. The teaching and learning of the selected mental tools

4. Development of mental plans

5. On-going and end-of-season evaluation of program

Logbooks/journals, exit interviews

MST Steps – Three Phases

Coaches can address and incorporate mental skills

training – the 5 steps in the previous slide – into their

overall coaching approach by following three

phases:

Education Phase

Acquisition Phase

Implementation Phase

MST Steps

Education Phase

Athletes develop awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses

(Needs Analysis)

Self-analysis worksheets (abilities, personality), performance profiling

They then learn about mental tools & how they enhance mental skills

Acquisition Phase

Develop Mental Plans – initially these can be simple, based on the

strengths/weaknesses assessment above

Later, the process can evolve into more elaborate and specifically-targeted

mental preparation plans, performance plans, and recovery plans

Practice using these plans in training until they become automatic

Monitor progress, setbacks, and patterns through self-reflection

exercises e.g., logbooks

Logbooks

Reflection on competition & training sessions (plus where to

improve) is key to developing self-regulation

In soccer, self-regulation is an important factor in the transition from

elite youth player to professional player

Some suggest that reflection may be as important as the training

itself

Implementation Phase

Automate mental plans through over-learning & simulation of

situations in training; modify as necessary

Apply mental plans to competition contexts as needed

Continue to monitor progress, setbacks, & patterns via logbooks

Activity #2 – Performance Profiling

50

30 10

90

30

80

40

70

Circle Graph

Needs Analysis

Performance Profiling

90

70

20 40 60 70 80 100

• Butler & Hardy (1992)

• Burton & Raedeke (2008)

• (10-20 factors)

Rank GI Emergent

Pole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Contrast

Pole

Discrepancy

Score

1 10 Self-Belief o + x

Self-

Doubt

0

2 10 Attentional

Control + o

x

Easily

Distracted

-32

3 8 A o + x

Z -16

4 9 B + o

x

Y -27

5 8 C o + x

X 0

Performance Profile (Gucciardi & Gordon, 2009)

Construct

Rating

[o = current self; x = ideal self; + = coach’s assessment; DS = GI x (ideal – current)]

Remember …

MST is usually effective/sustainable only if athletes are

(a) completely honest in their reflection, and (b) willing

to tackle their true subconscious thoughts

Mental tools and skills are not a substitute for physical

training, technical & tactical know-how, or other

aspects of athlete development & preparation; they are

one part of a broader process

Mental tools and skills can be taught & learned, but

much like physical & technical skills, they require

practice in order to be optimally effective

Remember …

People do not simply change their behaviour

through rational argument

Gaining valuable insights about oneself is important and

necessary, but those insights do not guarantee that

people will act on those insights (change their behaviour)

– for best results, coaches will usually have to integrate

selected activities into the overall culture and routine in

order to turn insight into action

Actions change attitudes much faster than

attitudes change actions

Cultural Considerations …