“IT’S NOT SO MUCH THAT THERE’S SOMETHING GOING WRONG. IT’S LIKE PART OF WHAT THEY [THE NATION’S TOP OLYMPIC ATHLETES] DO TO GET READY FOR THE COMPETITION SEASON.”
“ Sean McCann, Ph.D. (Full time sport psychologist hired by the Unites States Olympic Committee)
Secrets from the six sport psychologists on the USA Olympic staff:
Q: How do Olympic archery shooters prepare for the distraction of a boisterous crowd?
A: Dr. McCann urges them to listen to iPod files of crowd noise during workouts.
Q: How do Olympic runners recognize their pre-competition anxiety levels?
A: Dr. Bauman offers them a useful analogy. Car tachometers measure an engine’s revolutions per minute (RPMs) by illustrating idling, cruising, and redlining levels. Bauman explains how the tachometers provide a visual lesson in inefficiency, wasted energy, and the need to cruise rather than redline.
Want more secrets?
You can find them in Rebecca Clay’s excellent article, Gold-medal psychology: Sport psychologists are helping elite athletes prepare for the 2012 London Olympic games.
Interested in working with Elliott or one of our SPINw consultants? Email info@spinw or call 1-888-885-5570
