TIP OF THE MONTH
May
Practice Mindset vs. Game-Time Mindset...Get in the Zone!
In sports there are two mindsets that are crucial to an athlete's development and performance. During practice, we really stress the importance of proper technique and mechanics for each skill. This is the time when it's crucial to use your "learning mind" so you can absorb what we're teaching, analyze your performance and make changes when necessary to achieve a desired outcome. This is the time when you should be ultra aware of your body movements and critical of your execution, especially when breaking a bad habit or modifying a technique.
However when game time comes, you need to switch gears to a different frame of mind in order to achieve optimal performance. The "performance mind" is not over-critical and does not analyze every movement, as this can be a hindrance to your performance. When you hear of an athlete being "in the zone", they are clear-headed and relaxed...not over-thinking. The "performance mind" is free of tension and self-criticism, and instead allows you to let go, relying on the fact that practice time is over and it's time to react using what you already know.
*The harder you train in practice in the right frame of mind, the better peace-of-mind you should be able to achieve during game time because you know you have done everything in your power to prepare for that moment.
For more on this topic, click on this link (scroll down for Peak Performance article):
http://www.peaksports.com/sports_insights_archives/dec_2007.html
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