Working out with Tory Tolson is fun. He will joke with you that it is “Woozy Wednesday…” (How is that motivating???) He seems generally serious but will quietly rock out to whatever pop song (old or new), or show you pictures of his latest giant snowman creation (see picture above). You won’t catch him ever being boastful, but this [...]
Truth be told, when I first began working out with Ryan Morrissey at PEAK, I think I initially felt like he was "nitpicky." Did it really matter if my feet were perfectly place such that I was standing over the arch of my foot, engaging my glutes and my core? (The answer is "yes"... it actually did matter). I [...]
A World Championship ahead and World Class people helping along the way...
The Reaching Ahead “Dirty Dozen” Mental Training Program is a year-long monthly Webinar series focused on the following skills (as outlined on the US Sailing Blog). It is a flexible, affordable way to gain a sailing-specific mental performance foundation.
To reach the next level in your chosen sport, there is, of course, the old manner of simply "training harder." Clearly this approach works to an extent. But think of the times when you had your best performances. Were you trying hard? Probably not. The media often refers to these peak performances as functioning in "the zone"; physiologists and [...]
You’ve run shuttle and you’re sliding into your boat at the put-in. The water level is about what you expected and you can see the entry to the first rapid, remembering that you need to start left and then cut right after the big hole. You feel confident and quickly get on the water so you can experience some [...]
Downhill mountain bikers have “a higher threshold for adrenaline and fear,” says sports psychologist Julie Emmermann. Other PhDs say mountain bikers should “have their heads checked,” “pray,” and “not fall off.” And some say that fear simply isn’t a factor, only fun. Achieving optimal physiological arousal, the psychologist’s phrase for “getting psyched up,” is a big part of the [...]
Every sport has its own unique mental components. In a sport like golf, we control the pace of much of the action, but in a sport like freestyle skiing, with its aerials and moguls, the pace is so fast that skiers are that much more at the mercy of the mountain. They have to accept what is coming their [...]
Martial arts training develops key areas of athletic fitness: strength, speed, agility, flexibility, and stamina. This is especially true of modern Taekwondo, with its noted emphasis on kicking. But did you know that martial arts training is also a good way to become a better skier? A major conditioning factor in martial arts is that training tends to be [...]
Ever try being assertive, but feel like you’re ineffectively going in circles? Some struggle with being more assertive because what they believe is assertiveness is accompanied with guilt. And so they avoid being assertive until they “just can’t take it any more.” The pressure cooker releases and the argument with their (spouse, friend, mother, father, boss, whatever) is ugly. Sometimes they [...]
Wade seemed to be having a rough day. This kid normally dominated our Opti practices, winning the favored end with ease, exhibiting almost flawless boathandling, and sailing clean. But today he was starting late, sometimes from the unfavored end, and he was spinning for hitting marks. And yet he had a smile on his face as he overcame a [...]
Human Kinetics just published a new book, “Assessment in Applied Sport Psychology,” edited by Dr. Jim Taylor. I’m excited to have contributed Chapter 10, “Applied Psychophysiology: Using Biofeedback, Neurofeedback, and Visual Feedback,” collaborating with a world class team of authors (Dr. Sheryl Smith, Dr. Melissa Hunfalvy, and Dr. Pierre Beauchamp). I think my colleagues in the field, and those [...]
Think of a goal that you’ve been working for lately or that you’re about to go after. How about all those New Year’s resolutions? Do you know why you want it? In other words, what’s your motivation? Do you simply love what you’re doing, or is there a reward you are pursuing? Being clear about what motivates you can [...]
What do you value? It's an important question to ask yourself often. When you figure out what matters most to you, it can help guide what you do, even when you're at your lowest. Values help you make big things happen and little things along the way too. In identifying what you value, consider aspects of your life now [...]
Goal setting can be a useful tool in many arenas. Experts say that 90% of the time, setting specific and challenging goals leads to better performance than “do your best” goals or none at all. Goals can direct attention, mobilize effort, increase persistence, and help you form good strategies. Famous sports figures such as Olympian Michael Phelps have achieved [...]
