Self-talk is a valuable tool, one of the most effective methods of instilling self-confidence. Talking to yourself, despite being the first sign of madness, is also capable of improving performance. Self-talk is used by most elite sportspeople to instil confidence, increase motivation and to help them to ‘get into the zone’. It is accepted that […]
Everybody working in the field of sports knows that one critical factor to develop and perform is to get in the zone. The zone is that state in which one feels optimal to perform. He/she feels confident, free in mind, looking forward to the challenge, in short everything that’s needed to perform the best that […]
Understanding the psychological components that help with optimal athletic performance is a key priority for applied sport psychology. One factor that has been examined since the 1980s is flow which defined by Cziksentmihalyi as “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so […]
Sportspeople often talk about being ‘in the zone’, but I’m sure many are unaware of what this actually means. The zone in question to give it it’s full title is the ‘zone of optimal functioning’ or when an athlete performs to their absolute maximum – has the perfect game. That is why it is the […]