INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING

INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING Damon Burton & Bernie Holliday University of Idaho

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • What is Mental Skills Training (MST)? • How important is the mental side of competition? • What factors would increase or decrease your motivation to actually use mental training?

WHAT IS MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING? • Most athletes develop mental training tools and skills through trial and error. • MST’s goal is to enhance the development and automation of mental training tools and skills through a comprehensive and systematic program. • Good MST programs speed up and enhance the development process, ensure that performers develop more fully, perform at a higher level, enjoy sport more and transfer these skills to all other areas of their lives.

WHY MST IS IMPORTANT • Have you ever “played down” to a lesser-skilled opponent’s ability level? • Have you ever choked at a critical point in a game or match? • Have you ever thought about non-sport-related activities during practice or competition? • Have you ever skipped a workout because you didn’t feel motivated, energized, or focused?

WHY MST IS IMPORTANT Preseason Season Postseason

WHY ATHLETES AND COACHES DON’T USE MST • Lack of knowledge about MST and sport psychology • “You have to be confident!” “Concentrate!” and “Relax out there!” • Belief that mental skills are innate and unchangeable • “That Bernie’s just a head case under pressure” • Lack of time • Buying into all of the MST myths…

MST MYTHS • MST is for problem athletes only • No more than 10% of athletes require clinical services • MST is for elite athletes only • Youth athletes to professionals • Athletes, businessmen, actors, performers, musicians, and surgeons use MST • The “magic wand” myth • MST doesn’t work and isn’t useful

DOES MST WORK? • Elite performer research • Anecdotal reports from athletes and coaches • Intervention studies • Weinberg & Comar (1994) • Vealey (1994) • Meyers, Whelan & Murphy (1996)

CATEGORIZING MST TOOLS AND SKILLS • goal setting • imagery • self talk • relaxation and energization • motivation • energy management • attention • stress management • self-confidence Mental Training Tools MENTAL SKILLS

3+ PHASES OF MST • New School… • Education • Acquisition • Practice • Implementation • Skill-transfer strategies • Performance • Less-learned skills break down under pressure and old habits resurface • Old School… • Education • Concentration lecture… • Acquisition • Concentration activities… • Practice • Automate concentration performing activities daily • Problem:Athletes had trouble integrating MST into competition

WHO SHOULD PERFORM MST? • Sport Psychologist • Problem(s): • Coach/Exercise Leader • Problem(s): • Athlete • Problems(s):

WALKING THE WALK: IMPLEMENTING MST PROGRAMS • When to begin… • Ideally, off-season or preseason • More time to learn and automate new skills • Less pressure to win • How long… • First exposure for 3 to 6 months • Then, lifetime commitment

WALKING THE WALK: IMPLEMENTING MST PROGRAMS • Needs assessment • Oral interviews • Complete MST inventories • Performance profiling • Beware the “canned” MST program! • Identify critical mental skills and mental training tools for each individual athlete • Provide vision and long-term goals

WALKING THE WALK: IMPLEMENTING MST PROGRAMS 4. Develop systematic practice routine and schedule 5. Develop and implement the MST program based on previous steps 6. Systematically evaluate and revise MST program • Develop a strategy to monitor progress (e.g., logs, etc.) 7. Reward goal attainment regularly

SOME COMMON MSTIMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS • Lack of conviction • Sell, sell, sell! • Lack of time • Coaches must commit time • Lack of consultant’s sport knowledge • Learn, learn, learn! • Lack of follow-up • Plan for and schedule 2-3 follow-up meetings prior to implementing MST programs

INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING