Is training harder and longer the only aspects that make a great athlete? It is inarguable that most athletes and coaches place a major emphasis on physical practice, partially or completely neglecting the mental aspect of training. A good athlete is one who wholesomely addresses every aspect that entails a game, and these include both physical and psychological training. Enhancing your mental skills while training is important because an athlete does not get into a competition with an open head. For this reason, e nhancing a Mental Skills Training Program (MST) or Sports Psychology Program (SPP) is important because it allows the trainees to get into a competition bearing the “proper mindset.”
Almost every employee spends time doing all the physical preparations necessary to achieve the best results. However, very few prepare for the needed mental conditions. If you are interested in being a highly achieving and successful athlete, then, you can no longer treat your mental wellbeing as an afterthought. With the science of sports evolving over the years, athletes and coaches are starting to embrace mental skills as part of overall sports performance.
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Specific Things to do as Part of your own MST
There are a couple of mental skills that you can do when performing the MST program. The main areas of skill focused on include:
Motivation
Be aware of the benefits and rewards expected after participation in sports. This will help keep one motivated throughout the entire training and sports period.
Understand that most of these benefits are not dependent on the outcome but participation.
Be ready to endure difficult and strenuous moments even when the benefits are not realized immediately.
Attitude
One should understand the fact that attitude is a matter of choice. Then, a successful athlete should seek to choose a positive attitude at all time.
A successful coach and athlete should see sports as a chance to compete against themselves and not against others and to be a better person.
Setting achievable goals
SMART goals are a great mental skill for successful athletes and coaches.
It is important to remain committed to these goals and to the demands that come with the same.
Self-talk
Positive, realistic self-talk is a great way for an athlete to maintain self-confidence at all times.
Self-talk involves talking to oneself just like one would talk to a best friend. It is very helpful in the regulation of behaviors, feelings, and thoughts during competition.
Key Objectives
The objectives of mental skills training (MST) program include:
To prepare the coaches and athletes for a consistent performance while training and during the actual competition.
To help those involved to refine their mental approaches and also make it possible to overcome any obstacles that may prevent optimal performance.
MST keeps the individuals well-equipped to deal with unexpected events and other pressures that may arise while training or during the actual competition.
MST helps to improve the overall sports experience for the individuals.
Foundational Skills Enhanced by MST/SPP
Foundational skills form the basis on which all the other athlete’s psychological skills are developed. These foundational skills that are enhanced by MST/SPP include:
Commitment
It is important that the athletes, coaches, and the team remain committed to the game while training and even during the actual competition. Commitment is crucial because it ensures that the individuals do not back out even when the going gets tough.
Motivation
Just like commitment, motivation is crucial especially when it comes to a sports team. The athletes could be promised a certain benefit or reward for their participation. A good motivation strategy is one whereby the reward is not based on the outcome but mere participation.
Self-Confidence
The first step to winning a game is believing that you are well-equipped for the same. This is where self-confidence comes in.
Self-esteem
Self-esteem helps an individual to believe that there are the best, even when there are others who are seemingly ‘better’ than them.
Methods/Skills Used in the MST/SPP
Goal setting
Goal setting is the first mental skill that is applied to the MST/SPP program. It includes both short and long term goals. Setting SMART goals helps the athlete to perfect all the practice pieces through the process goals. Performance goals allow the athlete to a boundary point for their achievement during a competition.
Imagery
Imagery incorporates both internal and external performances, where each session focuses on achieving optimum performance. The athlete imagines himself performing every needed skill correctly, and this helps them develop a session that is competition-specific.
Relaxation
Relaxation helps the athlete to focus on their feelings, and it helps eliminate muscular tension. This technique is especially important during a warm-up for a major competition. Upon perfection of the relaxation technique, the athletes should be in a position to keep track of their emotions.
Schedule for Implementation
Goal setting
To set a goal for an athlete, it is important to consider their current performance, and their capabilities, which determine what he can achieve. Once the capability is determined, then a goal that is SMART can be set.
Imagery
Imagery techniques are used hand in hand with psychology to boost relaxation. The schedule of imagery comes about mainly through observation. When an athlete observes another one performing a certain skill, then they can be able to imagine themselves doing the same.
Relaxation
Relaxation involves taking deep breaths and meditation. This process equips and prepares the athlete to participate in a competition.
Elevator Message
Besides the physical skills training that is so tightly held on to, mental skills training is also very essential. It is a great way to keep the athlete prepared for practice sessions and the competition itself. The perks of MST is that it teaches the athlete certain crucial skills such as motivation, commitment, and discipline among others.
