Progression In The Development Of Mental-Training Skills

Positive Environment

Emotional Control

Attentional Control

Development of Strategies

Application of Skills and Strategies

Positive Environment

• Plan for long-term involvement in sport
• Offer multiple incentives
• Set goals
• Develop team harmony
• Communicate effectively

Develop Emotional Control

• Understand activation, how it affects performance and how it relates to emotional control (i.e. U-Inverted theory)
• Develop energizing skills
• Develop relaxation skills

Develop Attentional Control

• Understand attentional control
• Develop concentration
• Develop visualization
• Develop refocusing

Developing Pre-competition & Competition Strategies

• Understand concept of IPS
• Identify IPS
• Develop a pre-competition strategy to evoke and maintain their IPS
• Develop a competition strategy to evoke and maintain their IPS

Applying Skills & Strategies

• Emphasize individual programs
• Encourage athletes to use visualization
• Incorporate mental-training skills and strategies into practices
• Continually evaluate skills and strategies in competitions

Periodization Of Mental Skills

Periodization Of A Mental Skill

Development of the skill in a quiet setting

Incorporation of the skill in sport specific situation (Specific application)

Refinement of the skill in training and in preparatory competition

Integration of the skill in strategies of competition

Use of the skill in competition to achieve ISP

Example: Visualization

Visualization concept

Development

Specific application

Refine

Maintain

Some of the mental skills:

1. Visualization

2. Concentration

3. Self-Talk

4. Relaxation

5. Energizing (activation)

Integrating Mental Training Into The Periodization

The design of the mental-training component of the yearly training plan should parallel that of the physical, technical and tactical training component. Objectives of each component - including mental training - should be closely parallel with the general objectives of each period/phase.

Objectives Of Each Phase Of Training

Period/Phase	General Objectives	Mental-training objectives
Preparatory
General	Develop basic technical skills and general fitness	· Evaluate mental skills · Learn basic mental skills in quiet setting
Specific	Perfect technique and basic tactics, develop sport-specific fitness	· Adapt and practise mental skills in sport-specific situations · Use mental skills to help attain training objectives · Refine mental skills
Competitive
Pre-competitive	Make training competition specific, raise intensity	· Develop and practise focus plan* · Use focus plan* in simulations · Maintain basic mental skills
Competitive	Maximize competitive performance	· Evaluate and refine focus plan · Use mental skills to prepare for specific opponents and competitions · Use mental skills for stress management
Tapering	Regenerate in preparation for main competition	· Use mental skills to aid regeneration and lower stress
Transition
	Get active rest, maintain training gains	· Do recreational activities to maintain fitness and prevent staleness · Evaluate program

* A focus plan is a combination of pre-competition and competition strategies.