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 …