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Mental Toughness and Mindfulness in Sports

January 22, 2015 by Robert Andrews 6 Comments

For many athletes their reaction to stressful events during training, competitive pressures, and off field issues sets off an intense destructive response.  For many this reaction is so intense it impacts performance severely, impairs ones ability to focus, and depletes self confidence.   For many it feels like a wave of nervous energy and emotion has taken over their mind and body.  When something goes wrong negative responses rise up and performance often suffers.  These “Reactive Habits” can be avoided by becoming mindful or aware of how the athlete reacts to stress.

ChokingReactive habits are old programs or ways of responding that are often destructive to performance.  Many basketball players get animated and dramatic when they think a ref has made a bad call.  They throw their hands up in the air, stomp their feet in anger. Some charge at the official in a disrespectful and intimidating way.  A baseball or softball player might hang their head, look at the ground, and show poor body language as they walk back to the dugout after striking out.

For many athletes this reactive habit can be an internal reaction.  Their emotional intensity grows, their stomach knots up, blood pressure rises, and their thoughts become negative.

If the athlete has responded this way for a long time their reaction can become their default or norm when things go wrong.  They have little or no control over the reaction or its intensity.

Mindfulness – Changing Reactive Habits

Mindfulness is an awareness of what we are doing when we are doing it.  Athletes that fall into reactive habits are being mindful when under stress.  They are at the mercy of these destructive habits.  Becoming mindful creates a pause between the stimulus that occurs and the athletes reaction to the event.

Viktor Frankl, a WW II Holocaust survivor, author, and artist wrote the following profound quote:

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.  In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.”fj4txallncrox-01_0188

Translated into sports:

“Between events that occur in the life of the athlete there is a brief pause or space of time.  In that pause or space we have the ability to choose how we respond to the event.  Those choices decide if we succeed or if we struggle.”

When an athlete makes a mistake, is called out by a coach, or sees a teammate go down with an injury, mindfulness acts as the third person observer to help the athlete become aware of their response to the stimulus.  Noticing emotions welling up, poor body language, withdrawal, anxiety, frustration, increases in heart rate and blood pressure, or negative thinking will help the athlete recognize the reactive habit is building.

Quieting The Inner Storm

Poor PerformanceNature gives very clear signals that a storm is coming.  Dark clouds, wind, changes in temperature, thunder and lightning all tell as that a storm is eminent.  We take action to get out of harms way.

Every athlete has “warning signs” that let them know that their internal storm or reactive habit is building. Biting nails, tightening of the  stomach, changes in body language or facial tones, anger and frustration, becoming quiet and withdrawn, and over thinking are all signs that the storm is building and the reactive habit is taking over.

Becoming mindful of these warning signs helps the athlete recognize the space between stimulus and response. Breathing, correcting negative thoughts and attitudes, calming emotional responses, and making smarter and better choices help to quiet the storm before it damages confidence, impacts performance, or effects team chemistry.

Noticing when the athlete is exhibiting their specific warning signs creates the awareness for change.  We can’t change anything if we aren’t aware of what we need to change.  Learning how to acknowledge the reaction is the secret…”I am getting frustrated” “My mindset is changing”, My heart rate is getting faster”, “I am getting quiet and shutting down”… Becoming mindful honors that space between stimulus and response and with practice the athlete creates positive reactive habits.

You're outCreating positive reactive habits helps the athlete stay mentally and emotionally centered.  The centered athlete performs at high levels consistently.  They connect to their sport with focus, determination, and passion.  It is hard to knock them off balance mentally and emotionally.  They learn how to stop being the victim to stressful events and approach challenges head on.  They build confidence and have a strong self concept.

Filed Under: Sports Shut Down and the Mental and Emotional Impact on Athletes Tagged With: Athletic Performance, building confidence, Mental Toughness, mindfulness, reactive habits, Sports Performance, Success

The Fall Season: Transition Time For Athletes

October 10, 2012 by admin Leave a Comment

By Robert B. Andrews MA, LMFT

Over the last few weeks I have seen quite a few athletes who are leaving for college for their freshman year.  Some are going to schools close to home here in Texas. Others are heading off to schools a long way from home like The Midwest, New England and the West Coast.

I am grateful to have been able to spend time with these athletes before they left. We spent our time together talking about their sadness around leaving home, family, and friends, their joy about starting a new phase of their lives, and anxiety about being on their own and trying to make their college team.

There are so many transitions going on with these kids.  Their lives as sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, and athletes are changing profoundly.

I decided to re post the article that follows because this is such an important time not just for athletes leaving home, but for any athlete, their family members, and friends.  I feel that this is a very valuable and necessary topic.

Making Transitions Can Be Stressful

Fall is a particularly busy time for me in my work with athletes. Football, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and many other sports start up and with this start up comes the stress and pressure of performing at higher levels. Athletes move up to higher levels of competition with each new season. Expectations of coaches, parents, and athletes are higher. The game moves faster, the ball is hit harder, tackles are more intense, athletes are bigger, quicker, and stronger, and required skills are more difficult to obtain.

Making these physical transitions in sports is difficult enough but when you add the mental and emotional transitions that are required it can be overwhelming for some.

Making the transition from junior high to high school, JV to varsity, high school to college, level 9 to level 10, 16 U to 18 U, or college to professional can be intense and stressful.

Increased stress and pressure from attending a new school, making new friends, balancing social life with sports, tougher academic requirements, leaving home and managing your own schedule, finances, and social life, or managing the complicated life of a professional athlete make it easy to see why so many athletes struggle during this time of transition.

The psychological warning signs of this struggle can be increased anxiety, moodiness, irritability, poor grades, withdrawal or isolation, depression, frustration, and even experimenting with drugs or alcohol. Physical symptoms can be an inability to perform skills that they have mastered in the past, poor overall performance, trying too hard to “get it right”, trying to please coaches, parents, or scouts, “choking”, or struggling with what used to be easy and fun.

ChokingThese warning signs or symptoms are cries for help. The athlete is saying “HELP! I am struggling and I don’t have the tools to make it through this difficult transition”.

Many athletes have to face the embarrassment of not performing up to the expected standards that they and others have of them. It can be humiliating to go out practice after practice, game after game and struggle. What was once fun and a source of confidence is now eroding confidence and creating self doubt.

Helping athletes prepare for these times of stress and self doubt and teaching them the life skills necessary to make a healthy transition is critical.

In addition to teaching valuable life skills, I use “the theory of the bigger box” to help athletes during these difficult times.

Remember when you or your kids were young and you had to face a transition like moving from elementary to junior high, or junior high to high school? You had left behind a very safe and familiar environment. You new your way around the classroom and campus, you knew the teachers, schedules, and required routines. You were familiar with this “box”. You knew where the top and sides of the box were, and the shape of the box. But on some level you were ready to move on to a bigger box. You were pushing up against the sides and ceiling of that box. You had grown so much that it was uncomfortable and your were ready for a bigger challenge.

The bigger challenge, moving up a grade, playing on a more talented team, moving up a level, requires leaving behind the familiar “box” and stepping into a “bigger box”. You have to deal with the overwhelm of not knowing your way around the box. You have to learn where the sides and top of the box are all over again. There will always be an initial feeling of anxiousness, overwhelm, even shock. It is normal. And as you acquire the tools and skills to make the adjustment to a bigger box things begin to calm down. Confidence is restored and performance on all levels of life returns to a high level again.

You're outLearning how to communicate effectively, set healthy boundaries, say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no, time management, getting adequate sleep, eating well, balancing social life with school and sports requirements, and learning how to “recharge” your mental and emotional reservoir are important tools that will help make these times of transition easier.

Life will continue to hand us bigger and bigger “boxes” to transition into. Graduation, getting a first job, getting married, and having kids are all “bigger box” events. If you start learning important transitions tools early on it makes it easier to recognize, adapt, and grow in response to these challenges.

I have worked with many athletes who have gone off to college or tried to make it in professional sports and have come back home because they did not have the tools required to make these difficult transitions. Coming back is never an easy transition and many struggle profoundly. They are confused and lack direction.

Do your young athletes a favor and provide them the resources they will need to acquire the life skills to help them adjust and thrive.

It helps them learn how to avoid pain and suffering and build character and self confidence. Traits that will take them far in life and in sports.

Filed Under: Sports Shut Down and the Mental and Emotional Impact on Athletes Tagged With: Athletic Performance, Athletic Pressure, Fall, Transition

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Overcoming Mental Blocks in Sports

What Happens When A Season Disappears? Drug and Alcohol Issues And The Sports Shut Down

A Parents Guide to the Sports Shut Down

Cancelled Seasons and the Mental and Emotional Wellbeing of Athletes

Learning Styles and Effective Coaching: Empowering Your Athlete To Their Full Potential

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kierstincollins@tinssp.com
michaelheck@tinssp.com
andreaestrada@tinssp.com
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