When most people think of sport psychology, they think about what is typically referred to as mental training. The purpose of mental training is to better prepare athletes psychologically and emotionally for the rigors of sport practice and the demands of competition. Increasing motivation, building confidence, managing competitive anxiety, and improving focus are common areas [...]
As a rule, triathletes, whether competing in sprints, Olympic distance, 70.3s, or full Ironmans, aren’t usually known for their reluctance to put in the hours of hard work necessary to achieve their sometimes awe-inspiring goals. To the contrary, many triathletes are hyper motivated and often must be held back rather than pushed forward. At the [...]
You might think that a sport psychologist wouldn’t be interested in technology or hard data. Aren’t we supposed to be into mind stuff like thoughts and emotion? Well yes, psychology is very much about the psyche. At the same time, you may not realize that the data that comes out of a modern endurance-sport watch [...]
I was honored to have been invited to be interviewed on Nike's highly popular "Trained" podcast. In the interview, I discuss the power of mental training to sports performance, the benefits of sports on young people, the status of youth sports in today's sports culture, and the impact of sports on girls.
It’s hard to believe that it’s already October. For the World Cuppers (and even some FIS athletes), the race season is only a few weeks away and, for most racers, only a few months away. What I consider Phase I of the ski racing prep period is over. Hopefully, the summer was devoted to building [...]
One of the things I love most about being a triathlete is the range and intensity of emotions our sport evokes in me. Doing triathlons is like living life with the volume turned up. There is something about triathlon that peels away the layers of our emotions and causes us to feel them in their [...]
Performance slumps are one of the most common, yet mysterious and frustrating, phenomena in triathlon. Typically viewed as unexplained drops in performance, slumps are a source of concern for triathletes and coaches alike. Despite its visible place in the collective psyche of the triathlon community, little is known about the causes or cures for performance [...]
Breathing may be the most under-rated tool in your mental toolbox as a triathlete. In fact, you may have never even thought about your breathing in your tri-life at all because it is something that you do without conscious thought every moment of your life. Breathing is, of course, essential for living. It supplies your [...]
In Part I of my two-part series exploring the powerful impact that routines can have on your triathlon efforts, I explained why routines are so important to every aspect of your training and racing. I also showed you how you can begin using routines in your conditioning workouts where the simpler environment enables you to [...]
Episode #44-Prime Sport Challenge is the last of four episodes that will explore what is preventing you from committing to mental training and how you can develop a comprehensive mental training program to support your athletic goals. Ultimately, just like with other aspects of your sport, you have to decide how important the mind is [...]
