"Think
like a winner"
Hitting peak physical condition is one thing, but you'll need to train
your mind to go that fraction faster, run that extra mile or squeeze out that
one last lift. The world's top sports psychologists reveal how.
Train your brain
One of the latest trends in sports psychology is neurolinguistic programming (NLP). This brand of psychology has taken the best bits from other theories and fused them into a powerful mental tool. Sports psychologist Andy Barton (www.thesportingmind.com) uses NLP to enhance the performance of athletes from a wide range of disciplines.
One of the key concepts in NLP is that the mind can be trained - that you can replace negative thought patterns with positive ones. If you see yourself missing a penalty or slicing a golf drive, that's exactly what you'll do; instead, Barton suggests using the technique of visualisation to imagine a positive, successful outcome.
'If you visualise something
going well, it's an instruction for the mind to follow,' he says. 'Conversely,
if you imagine performing badly, your mind takes that as an instruction and
that's what will happen.'
Barton helps his clients see, hear and feel the experience of, for example,
playing their best ever round of golf. 'If a golfer hasn't hit under 100 before
and gets nervous when they're close to it, I get them living that experience
on a sensory level,' he explains. 'They can then feel as though they've actually
experienced it, so they lose the nerves when they're playing for real.'
On the most basic level, visualisation is within everyone's grasp. Simply imagine yourself scoring that penalty as vividly as possible - how it feels, what you hear, how you send the keeper the wrong way. Repeat this over and over until your mind expects this to happen. Your chances of scoring in a real game are suddenly a lot higher.
Another key NLP technique is setting goals. We all want a thunderous first serve, to run a three-hour marathon or finally reveal that hidden six-pack. But, as Barton explains, simply having some vague, unrealistic notion of wanting to do better is nearly useless.
'Goal-setting is the first port of call for any amateur,' he says, 'Andy they must be positive, specific, achievable goals. So for a golfer, it's not "I don't want to keep hitting the rough," but "I want a handicap of 15 int the next year." Or for a tennis player, "I want to get 60 per cent of my first serves in within six months."'
We're allowing for the fact that you have a bit of talent at whichever sport you love. Add a little effort and plenty of practice and one goal will follow another until, according to Barton, you'll be invincible. He may be exaggerating, but perhaps that really is the power of positive thinking.
Dan Roberts
