Distractions are the enemy of success…  Learn how to eliminate bad calls, bad images, and other distractions that stop you from achieving your goals.  Focus helps you reach your potential by streamlining your ability to keep your eye on the prize of success.

The Psychological Skill of Focus, as the above video and intro point out, is one of the keys to successful execution of most physical & mental skills.  To be certain, what ever you focus on, you get.  To illustrate that point, here are 2 examples:

• A referee gives you a bad call and you are unable to let that distraction go
• A coach says something that upsets you and you are unable to let that distraction go

In both examples just given, you (or any athlete) has the power to concentrate on the tasks at hand i.e. primary goals and process to complete goal(s).  If the distractions are not “let go”, the distractions become the primary focal point (the new primary goal) and are likely to be the sole concentration point of you or any athlete – which makes it much more difficult to accomplish the original primary goal because the distractions interrupt the process of achieving or pursuing the original goal.

Letting go (which could be an entire video itself) is a way to re-focus on your main goal and not let any distraction affect you negatively.  To let go, in this case, means to ignore the distraction as if it did not occur.

The opposite of not letting go (again, in this case), is to let negative vibes, ideas, things distract you from your primary goals or tasks to be executed or completed.

In other words, the distraction itself (whatever it may be) becomes your focus, primary goal or task, & mission.  Many times, when the distraction becomes the new goal, athletes tend to become mentally & emotionally upset, off their game, or less motivated (or a combination of all…).

After listening to the above audio blog (and viewing Blog 9: PST: Focus), you may be better equipped to eliminate distractions during your performances.  I say ‘may’  because it is always your choice – which is largely based on your motivation to learn, develop, & grow using tools like this High Performance Training blog to master your emotions, mental state, & mind…

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Become a leader in the classroom and become a leader in life.  These audio notes give strategies on how to develop a dynamic character that is contagious and will help you flourish.

This blog is more suited for college and beyond students or student athletes looking to enter college at some point.  Most of the information in this blog will help all students if they plan to pursue excellence with regard to building their character.

This is the final blog that specifically focuses on High Performance Training outside of the training arena and it is as important as all of the sport training blogs for the reasons below.  Primarily, there is life after sport and many students will be in sport for a short time.  Secondly, lessons learned from sport or training can be carried over and used in other parts of life i.e. work ethic, persistence, commitment, planning, etc.  Finally, most students will prosper if their lives are balanced with learning (then applying) how to do well, at the highest level, everywhere.

The last sentence suggests that it is vital to become good, then great, in many areas to be successful in sport, school, & in life; plus, it is equally important to balance training, studying, social activities, sleeping, & free time to ultimately achieve your goals at the highest level.

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This compilation of audio notes, combined with Blog: 23 • Studying for Sport, is sure to help any student who consistently applies these study strategies.  Studying is a skill YOU can master!

 

The above audio notes give more practical information regarding putting the pieces of the study strategies puzzle together – to more effectively master subjects.  Prior to executing successful study strategies consistently, we all must have other parts of our lives together. Some parts of our lives that could be positively adjusted and or productively adapted for change are fundamental organization, time management, goal setting (and achieving), going to all classes, & getting to know your teacher better.

Just like Blog: 23 • Studying for Sport, this blog gives many more study strategies that will help most everyone gain an advantage in the classroom and then in life.  The idea behind many of the techniques & strategies given above, is to create a system for studying that will enhance more effective habits to learn.  Learning (then applying the knowledge learned), is one of the keys to a successful life.  Once this learning system is in place, you & I have now have a High Performance Training plan for studying.

This video gives strategies for high school students & college students.  If both study strategies are used, it is possible to build emotional or psychological skills (mental skills) like confidence & self-esteem.  These 2 skills, I argue, are important for most parts of your life.

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The below 31 minute compilation of audio notes, from Professor (Prof.) Claude Olney’s superb Where there’s a will, there’s an “A” video series, will help those students who are motivated to fortify their study skills.

 

I’d be remiss if academic study strategies were left out of this High Performance Training system.  To that end, over 72 academic study strategies are given in the first 6 minutes of the above video.  Not only does Prof. Olney recommend strategies for college students, he also suggests study ways & means for high school plus middle school students in the second & third segments above.

This information was first brought to my attention way back in high school when this video series was heavily marketed.  Then, in college, I noticed the same sort of commercials being played on television.  To my demise, I did not recognize the benefit of these techniques until later on in life when I began to teach students the finer points of wrestling as a coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center.

Not only did I recommend these academic study strategies to the student athletes I was coaching, this same information was also given to my children as they entered middle school.  I also use many of the study strategies, techniques, & tactics to this day whenever it is a must that I learn, master, & apply most principles I must teach.

If only you use 1 of the techniques that Prof. Olney recommends, you will be more effective regarding building your base of a High Performance Training game plan.

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This first discussion about self-talk covers the basics.  This video will assist athletes, coaches to become more aware of how to consistently & productively apply this fundamental psychological skill.

One way to think of self-talk is to use either of the next terms in place of self-talk: self-coaching or self-instructing.  With these two terms, it may be more clear on how or what you might say to yourself.  Most effective coaches & instructors give very precise phrases or words while teaching and/or motivating.

Another term that is equally similar could be self-teaching.  This term suggests that you might be teaching yourself how to do or act or be.  This could mean what you are teaching yourself, through your own words, will have an impact on your next thought or action.

Finally, self-talk can either be spoken aloud or mentally.  How you use your self-talk is going to be up to you.  It may make sense to practice both ways to see which is more effective for you.

The above video gives you many suggestions and recommendations that will likely be productive if you believe they will work – and you work them.  You will become better at most things in life if you have a very effective plan – and you act on the plan i.e. you execute the plan.

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In this video learn how to help athletes psychologically and physiologically consistently become ready to have their best athletic performances based on the annual plan.

Excerpt from Coaching Wrestling in the 21st Century

This term helps athletes psychologically and physiologically become ready to have their best athletic performances based on the annual plan. Simply put, athletes will peak for competitions in a high performance training plan that is based on a periodization of training model. This means that you as coach must implement plans that monitor training and taper athletes at the right time so they are rested, fit, and mentally ready.

Tapering, a form of recovery, implies reducing the amount of training volume over several weeks (or a month) while also enhancing or maintaining fitness. Here’s an example of reducing volume of training in a mesocycle via a taper:

Mesocycle III taper example
Week 1 live wrestling in minutes: 57
Week 2 live wrestling in minutes: 45
Week 3 live wrestling in minutes: 36
Week 4 live wrestling in minutes: 30

Note: the live wrestling in minutes is the total volume for each week.

Tapering is similar to a recovery week except that it is a longer time period of reducing the volume of training in a progressively, exponential manner. The idea behind the taper is to reduce the fatigue built up from a high performance training plan while also maintaining or increasing fitness. When this is done, a peak in performance is possible because the fatigue from months of training has been reduced based on the fitness fatigue theory.

Because most wrestling teams compete weekly, if not by-weekly, it is difficult to peak for every competition. So, one alternative is to train through many tournaments or competitions and peak for a select few competitions. This implies tapering likely 3-4 times per year so fitness is not diminished significantly. If coaches taper more than 3-4 times per year, it is unlikely the athletes will peak that many times due to variables like under-recovery, reduced amounts of training/fitness, psychological fatigue, and too many competitions.

Another alternative is to have “real” competitions once per month or so and have training matches in the wrestling room. Training matches allow for a high performance training model that minimizes fatigue and maximizes training. The result of focussing on peaking and tapering athletes for 3-4 competitions per year allows the athletes enough time between each event to fully recover and be extremely motivated for state, national, and international competitions. I had success with this alternative at the USOEC where many of my athletes went on to win championship medals at all levels nationally and internationally.

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Emotional intelligence, emotional control, & emotional discipline are all forms of managing your energy.  When this energy management skill is applied consistently, you control your destiny.  The below video gives you more ways & means to apply the skill of energy management.

In the above video, 2 strategies are given to help you or anyone productively deal with the anxiety, nervousness, and/or real or imagined anxiety or nervousness at a compettion:

1. Self-talk example with imagery
2. Self-talk with written down goals & review

These examples will help if the intention of a motivated user is to get help, overcome their fears (anxiety or nervousness) and used consistently.

The challenge I have witnessed, is many athletes try a strategy after practicing it maybe 1-2 times and expect their collective fears to be solved.  As is pointed out in How to use EGWF, many consistent hours of practice time must be applied to actually become better or closer to an expert in most endeavors.  Think about tying your shoe or learning to ride a bike or doing most anything with your non-dominant hand.  In the last example(s) you may have began to see that many things worthwhile take time, effort, & persistency to master, learn, or apply.

Ultimately, all of the High Performance Training strategies may work if you or I want them to work, are motivated for positive/productive change, & use them consistently.

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How you use your energy affects your readiness state or consistent high performances during training and competitions. Learn the strategies to apply optimal energy levels on demand.

 

This is the fifth Psychological Skills Training video is the PST series provided by EGWF and coachshannyn.com.  And, at some point, many athletes may encounter moments when they are either too excited, nervous, or lethargic that negatively impact competition performances.  What then, could a coach do to counter these emotions or feelings?  What could an athlete do to prepare for this inevitable emotional outcome that does come up in competitions and training (especially if it is consistently negatively impacting competition performances)?

An answer is to practice using PST and or learn how to combat unwanted feelings or emotions during practice & competitions.  Throughout this blog and in these e-books, A sports science approach to coaching & Coaching wrestling in the 21st century, I  explain a model that all athletes and coaches can use to enhance high performance training which includes daily practice, learning, then mastering (among other ideas) psychological skills training.

The above video gives several examples of how controlling one’s energy levels could lead to more effective & productive training plus competition performance.  But what if an athlete or coach already has very productive energy management skills?

An answer to that question suggests that if you (or anyone) can get better at anything, should they?  Or, doesn’t it make sense to get better at most things in life and continue to progress by sharpening your blade consistently?  I argue that is what practice and training are for.  I also support the Tony Robbins idea of constant and never ending improvement in all areas of life whether it’s in the classroom, wrestling room, socially, or anywhere.

You (and I) are in control of our emotions, thoughts, & feelings which ultimatley can impact energy management in the most productive ways & means possible.  By learning the strategies suggested above in the video, you may have a better opportunity to understand then apply these psychological skills that give you a competitive edge.

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