Archive for September, 2007

The ability to focus allows you to maintain concentration over a period of time and tune-in to what you need to and tune-out the rest. There are many different factors to focus on while you are on your bike. Figuring out what cues to tune-in and which ones to tune-out can be challenging. To...
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The notion of training athletes to refocus during the down-time in sport can potentially result in improved performance (Loehr, 1994). Down-time refers to a break in the competitive action during the game. Examples of down-time include the time between pitches in a baseball game, between shots in a golf tournament, or between points in...
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“Mental preparation” is a term used by sport psychologists to describe the process found to be valuable for athletes in most sports. Because of the nature of weightlifting, being mentally prepared is, probably, more appropriate than most sports because of the nature of the event. Firstly, the competition is, essentially, a self centerd task...
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During his press conferences in the end of year Masters in Shanghai in 2006, Roger Federer finally explained the one major thing which turned his career around, from the early years when he regularly lost to the top players such as Lleyton Hewitt, who at the time was the number one player in the...
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Goal-setting is a common weakness for struggling athletes and a common strength for successful athletes. Do it wrong – or avoid it altogether – and watch your chances for success plummet. Do it right, and watch your motivation and self-confidence improve. For many athletes, it’s the key to enhancing performance. Many years ago, psychologist...
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The prominence of professional sports in America places athletes on the highest pedestal of celebrity, praise and respect. This cultural phenomenon gets replicated in college athletics in the form of big time Division I athletic programs. Often times, these programs incite the same excitement and feverish fandom as professional sports do – sometimes even...
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Often in training, athletes attempt to create an ideal environment for maximum strength. I mean, who attempts a personal best in a lift when they are fatigued? In fact, many “strength gurus” will tell you that you should not even lift weights if you are fatigued and should instead take the day off or...
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Fear; we’ve all felt it. When face-to-face with a mountain lion, or riding in the peloton, fear elicits the “fight or flight” response. It’s a source of motivation. When humans were a part of the food chain, fear motivated you to run like hell or fight for your life. In a race, it can...
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Injury is among the most challenging experiences you can face as a cyclist. When you’re injured, you almost certainly can’t ride in the way to which you’ve become accustomed, and you’re often not able to ride at all. If you were injured in a crash, your mental fitness may have taken a hit; perhaps...
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Can you guess what the following is adapted from? I spotted it instantly. Habit 1 – Be Proactive Great players take responsibility for everything that happens in their career. They take responsibility for their time and for making sure that every day they are working towards their goals. When you are proactive, you take...
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