Archive for October, 2007

Yesterday four men were gored during the running of bulls in Pamplona, Spain. But if you think the risk of serious injury failed to keep hundreds more from running with the 1,300-pound (600-kilogram) behemoths again today during the city’s famous multi-day festival, think again. What it is that drives some to embrace extreme risks,...
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Podium Sports Journal delivers the best of applied sport psychology and provides coaches and athletes with the practical mental conditioning tools and techniques necessary to achieve peak performance including important skills related to motivation, goal setting, competitive drive, overtraining, anxiety, anger, concentration, visualization and imagery, leadership, teamwork, coaching, recovery from injury, eating disorders, substance...
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Academic motivation as a predictor of academic performance for college athletes has been debated in the literature. This study examined the utility of academic and athletic motivation as a key variable in predicting academic performance among 211 college athletes at a Division I institution in the Midwest. After controlling for background characteristics, results revealed...
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Relaxation is of great importance to any athlete striving for peak performance. Relaxation skills can help athletes reduce mental (self-doubts, worry, etc.) and physical anxiety (nausea, shaking, etc.), while increasing concentration and performance. Relaxation techniques can be used prior to competition or, if practiced enough, during competition. There are many techniques for keeping cool...
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Anger from frustration or failure can have a negative effect on performance. For example, a soccer player who has been held by an opponent might become angry and attempt to retaliate by taking a swing at the opponent. Retaliation causes an automatic shift of attentional focus from the game to the opponent. As a...
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Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton may be the man driving the McLaren car to victory, but it’s a New Zealander who has orchestrated that success through Hamilton’s brain. Auckland-born neuroscientist Dr Kerry Spackman has been working with Hamilton since 2004. Based in London, Spackman provides a programme for the world’s elite athletes which...
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WHEN Padraig Harrington won the Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie last summer, he instantly gave the credit to his psychologist. Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is another who puts his success down to positive mental attitude as much as God-given talent. Jonny Wilkinson would never contemplate approaching a penalty without his now familiar, two-handed pre-kick...
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Imagery involves mentally rehearsing aspects of your performance. It allows you to practice in your mind before you perform, and to see yourself perform at your best. The skilled use of imagery helps you clear your mind of distractions, think positively about what you are going to do, and be fully prepared for your...
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Surfersvillage Global Surf News : – - Sydney, Australia – - Renowned Performance Psychologist and Surf Psychology pioneer Richard Bennett, released the latest edition of his seminal book “The Surfer’s Mind: The complete, practical guide to surf psychology”. Celebrating with a soulful dawn ceremony at his local beach this morning, Richard shared his feelings...
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Lecturers mike Boyd of CSUF and Mi-Sook Kim of UCSF studied amateur skateboarders to find out whether they match a profile that characterizes successful Olympic athletes known as the Iceberg Profile. Some 68 skateboarders were paid $2 each to participate in the 2000-01 study. Boyd and Kim found that skateboarders, who are both task-oriented...
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