Mental Health and Performance: Dr. Tim Herzog and US Sailing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsuZMcNudSU&feature=youtu.be
Crossing the Sport Career Finish Line
Like it or not, all sport careers eventually end. Age, injury, family decisions, or other factors will determine how your competitive athletic career will end or be adapted. Like many athletes, especially elites, you may feel that the transition is abrupt. Your life and identity may revolve around sport. Your loss may cause emotional, financial, or personal challenges that [...]
Growing Up Well-Rounded: Developing a Multidimensional Identity
“Who am I?” “Who do I want to be?” These are questions commonly asked by adolescents as they work to form their self-identity. Between pre-teen and young adulthood, life is riddled with decisions regarding paths and roles. Young people may find themselves identifying as a “kid”, “a student”, and a “friend” during this time. Some pursue sports, music, or [...]
Letting Athletes Take Charge
Taking ownership over training, development, and performance can help athletes feel more in control, boosting their enjoyment and motivation. For athletes to feel more in control, it requires cooperation with parents, coaches, and trainers, sometimes sharing ideas (once) and sitting back while young athletes make what may feel like good or bad choices... resisting urges to intervene. Obstacles to [...]
Physical Injury, Mental Pain
Emotional pain from your injury will typically heal once rehab is complete. When emotional changes trickle into life outside of sport, lasting beyond rehab, you may be showing signs of greater mental health concerns. If you’re struggling with mental health issues post-injury, you are not alone. Frances Altick, a professional and NCAA tennis champion struggled with intense depression, anxiety, [...]
Mental Imagery and Injury: Using your mind to heal your body
You’ve probably heard of mental imagery for performance training. This well-researched technique enhances performance by “practicing” technical skills (in the mind’s eye) and simulating environments to boost familiarity in specific contexts (e.g., a soccer field in France, a sailing venue in Tokyo, or a basketball court in the next town over). Imagery also improves motivation, reduces competitive anxiety, and [...]
Emotions: The Mental “Ouch” from Injury
Athletic injuries can take a toll, not just on the body, but also on the psyche. For some athletes, their identity revolves around their sport; being injured can lead to feeling lost and big questions such as “Who am I?” Why are your emotional reactions to injury important? The body is attached to the brain and the heart. In [...]
Phases of Physical Training
Recently, I asked Tory Tolson for a quick breakdown of the phases of training so I could better understand our both out process and our desired outcomes and goals. Here's what he had to say... Phase 1 He said that typically "Phase 1" would be ‘Corrective Exercise’ where we work to improve individual-specific muscular imbalances that are evaluated in [...]
Dynamic Training with Tory Tolson
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 [...]
Athleticism and Mental Toughness Begin with Awareness
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 [...]
Re-becoming an Athlete
A World Championship ahead and World Class people helping along the way...
Act Quick! Mental Training for Sailing
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.
Goal-Setting in the 21st Century
I am working with many clients these days on goal-setting. That, by itself, is not a big switch. We still focus on SMART Goals. We focus on setting process goals that are within one's control. The switch is that we're using a really cool tool called "Goalscape." You can see it pictured below. With Goalscape, we're able to prioritize [...]
The Art of the Ooch
Surfing and planing a dinghy in waves is exhilarating and fast. High school and college sailors know that to make your boat take off, you must learn the art of the ooch. Ooching serves two basic purposes: Getting the boat surfing or planing and keeping it there. The principle is simple. The crew acts like a spring: when the [...]
What is it that makes family teams successful?
We put the question to Tim Herzog, a top sailor and coach who has studied group dynamics, and here is what he told us: It is no surprise that some of the best teams consist of spouses, siblings, or even multiple generations. Good relationships serve as the foundation for a successful team because of solid communication over the team's [...]