The real test of confidence is how you respond when things are not going your way. I call this the Confidence Challenge. It’s easy to stay confident when you’re healthy and well-rested, have been training well, and the conditions are ideal. But an inevitable part of triathlon is that you will get over-trained occasionally, be [...]
Understanding your athletes is one of a coach’s primary responsibilities. Knowing players’ needs, what motivates them, and what is happening in their lives is critical to your work with them. This, however, is not an easy task. You cannot read minds and you are often responsible for a large number of players. Keeping track of [...]
Dancers have been training for many years and are now physically, technically, and psychologically ready for the performance. They have laid the foundation that will allow them to perform at their highest level. Now all that remains is for them to prepare specifically for the upcoming performance. The following is a compilation of various techniques [...]
One of the most difficult tasks for coaches from the development level to the professional tours is seeing that their athletes develop in a consistent and progressive manner. This process involves many decisions such as what is the appropriate level of off-season physical training, how much on-court training do they need, and how often should [...]
On the day of a match, the time you spend before your match is the most crucial period of match preparation. All of the hours of practice you spend on the courts may go for naught if you do not use your pre-match time wisely. What you think, feel, and do before a match will [...]
Dancers have been training for many years and are now physically, technically, and psychologically ready for the performance. They have laid the foundation that will allow them to perform at their highest level. Now all that remains is for them to prepare specifically for the upcoming performance. The following is a compilation of various techniques [...]
Triathlon is obviously important to you. You put a great deal of effort into your triathlon participation. Because of this, you put your ego on the line every time you get to the starting line. When you don’t perform well, you’re disappointed. This may not feel good, but it’s natural because it means you care [...]
Becoming a better tennis player is, at the same time, satisfying and frustrating. It is wonderful to learn to hit new shots or become more consistent. However, improving is a slow and difficult process. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to learning is focusing on the skills as you play. Typically, you will be thinking about the [...]
The roles of the dance instructor are many and diverse. The instructor must be a teacher, trainer, parent, friend, and a psychologist. This is a lot of responsibility for one person, and it takes considerable experience before an instructor is capable of fulfilling all of these roles effectively. Much time and energy has been spent [...]
One important technique dance instructors employ while providing instruction is reinforcement. Reinforcement, i.e., overt approval of desired skills, behaviors, and attitudes, can be used to increase self-confidence and motivation and to develop technical and physical skills. The goal and result of effective reinforcement is to increase the likelihood that a desired skill will be repeated [...]