Your Competitive Edge

Athlete's Audio: Streamlining the Visualization Process

..."For the next 15 minutes of so...it's mental training time..."

This is typically how the run-focused audio prompts begin voiced over by Bob Kinnison-the voice behind Athlete's Audio.  As simple a line as that might be, I find it to be a helpful in cueing a relaxed athlete get into their performance zone while seated in the comfort of their own home/dorm room/airplane seat, etc.

Some of you may have been already introduced to Bob through this interview posted a few months ago. Working in conjunction with practitioners all over the country, a series of sport-specific pre-recorded imagery exercises were created. As a practitioner, I find this concept very helpful and time-efficient. As much as I'd like to do so, it takes time and equipment to create quality recordings to provide to athletes. 

One of my favorite things about the AA series is that my mental training has been enhanced by using the exercises. While I nurse a bum leg, I'm able to visualize my run mechanics as I would like to see them in real life. I'm even able to feel the emotion of a late surge in a race and the recording provides prompts to review racing tactics and common scenarios in distance running. As the literature states-our brains see images as if they are actually present and happening. 

Some athletes I work with agree that these exercises are effective and time-efficient:

"These are really neat-you are basically coached the whole exercise but you provide the pictures in your head". -college swimmer.

"This taught me how to use imagery and helps me picture my performance". -HS athlete.

While imagery is just part of a complete mental game-athletes audio provides a helpful tool. I will likely use more of this in conjunction with athletes I see needing a "workout from the neck up". 

Thank you athlete's audio for providing the images. 

For more, see athletesaudio.com or contact Adrienne L.  for more info. or to set up an appointment. 

Athlete's Audio Interview

Interview 1 0f 2 from December, 21, 2011 with Bob Kennison of Athletes Audio.  Also featured at athletesaudio.com. Enjoy!

 

 

"Parental Pressure": A Two-Way Concept?

....According to an new study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, there  may be.

This post looks to dissect this article in a more user-friendly manner in order to dial in on what may be some of the best directions parents can go in terms of successfully supporting their young performers. O'Rourke and Colleagues (2011) took a look at a fairly large sample of youth swimmers and provided them with questionnaires on the perceived behaviors of their respecitve parents and athlete reactions based on these behaviors.  Given that I work with a substantial number of swimmers and swim parents at my practice in The Woodlands, I had to give this article a thorough read...

Before getting to the findings, something I found interesting about this article is that the term "parental pressure" is used with a more open connotation; it is examined as both negative (as one typically would associate parental pressure) and positive. Interesting concept, don't you think? 

A common topic in research yeilding consistent findings is negative parental pressure (NPP). Obviously, this can result in a range of effects, from competitive anxiety, burnout, underperformance, and a learned fear of failure. NPP occurs in what experts call an "ego climate";meaning that success is often defined by terms of outperforming others and winning. Mistakes are seen in an ego climate as negative and sometimes punishment results because of them. When too much emphasis is placed on how an athlete performs instead of how much they improve, enjoy, and master a given set of skills, they run the risk of never achieving their true potential. 

What has not received much attention is the notion of positive parental pressure is analogous to encouragement and pushing a young athlete to be their own best performer, versus practicing and focusing on beating others, times, and placements. I myself tend to view this as more of 'guidance' rather than 'pressure'. According to my own interpretation, these parents are quite invested in their young athlete's success; but take an approach that is more in the athlete's best interest and emphasize growth and enjoyment. This type of parental pressure occurs in what is often called a "mastery climate" which is an environment where effort, enjoyment, are emphasized and mistakes are viewed as chances to learn and grow.

Could there be times when a little "positive" pressure is a good thing-such as when a young basketball player asks to skip practice following a bad game?  Results of the study found the definition of "parental pressure" to be a behavior pattern of complex processes that differs along a positive-negative continuum depending on environment, amount, and perceptions of the young athlete.

The researchers found lower levels of anxiety in those athletes who's parents were considered "high pressure/high mastery" and "high pressure/low ego" (meaning high emphasis on learning and self-direction). Fancy terms aside-across all groups, it was those parents who were high in mastery orientation and low on ego orientation that resulted in greater enjoyment and lowest anxiety over time in their young athletes. 

How can this be put into practice? Some typical characteristics of positive sport parenting include the following:

• Avoidance of punishment for mistakes and losses.
• Comparisons used in a constructive manner; emphasizing individual improvement and not against other competitors or teammates. each athlete develops at their own rate.
• Encouragement and investiture in the child's success with a sensitivity to "how much is too much".
• Willing to provide a "push" when needed, for example: making sure the young athlete keeps their commitment to their team and season, even when they'd rather sleep in.
• Ask their children what they learned following practices and competitions.
• Emphasize and model themselves the enjoyment of sports.
• Remember each individual athlete is different-know which approach produces best, most consistent results.

In short and with definitions of "pressure" aside, parent approaches that allow their athletes to improve without fear of failure, letting their parents down, of losing creates higher instances of success and lower overall levels of anxiety in and out of the sport context. Call it what you want, for a young athlete to continue to enjoy their sport with minimal anxiety levels, proper emotional support and direction are necessary.

Source: O'Rourke, D., Smith, R., Smoll, F. & Cumming, S. (2011). Trait anxiety in young athletes as a function of parental pressure an motivational climate: Is parental pressure always harmful? Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 23 (4), 398-412.

The Company You Keep

“I think she and I are going to push each other to that next level.” Top US distance runner Shalane Flanagan, talking about training partner, Lisa Uhl (formerly Koll). See full article below. 

So- the simple fact hit me this morning while traversing the dark suburban streets with my new Tuesday running group-" I'm getting faster". I was confident in this self-assertion and I owe a lot of my recent improvements not only to a solid training plan, but to a new, faster group of runners to train with.  It is no coincidence that workout and race times have dropped since pairing up with faster runners each week. After 10 months of solo training and so-so results, it was time to put the pride aside and "train up" with those who push me; who can beat me. Being an (admittedly) ego-driven athlete, this was a big step out of my current comfort zone. 

For many athletes, there comes a time when it becomes increasingly difficult to reach your goals without reaching out to others. As for me, sometimes this takes getting out of your comfort zone and pushing yourself more than you usually would do on your own. There is some risk of getting initially more fatigued or  even "left behind" intially, but the benefits often outweigh the preceived risks of training with those more skilled or experienced. This sometimes means getting beat initially, or repeatedly, but in the process of getting beaten-something happens-you become better. A better competitor, a better athlete, and perhaps a better individual.  Do you think Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake would be as fast if he didn't train with Usain Bolt? Stick around long enough with good company, and you may find yourself improving more and faster than you originally imagined and enjoying the process of doing so. 

Training among athletes whom help you elevate your game has offers a number of benefits:

• On perhaps the most basic level,  this is another way to bond and socialize with others in your sport. Training with those more experienced often have a lot to offer in terms of lessons and tips for becoming more successful in your respective sport.
• Role modeling, as allude to above is highly effective in athletic development. Find and train with others displaying characteristics and skills you aspire to develop or sharpen. 
• "Playing up"-when challenged, we tend to acquire the skills we normally wouldn't when training and competing with those at the same level or lower. 
• Increased mental toughness and self-confidence. Most of us learn that we can actually survive working harder to initially stay with more formidable training partners. 
• The chance to influence and push others as well-it's not a one-way street! (see article)

Hopefully you can have an enlightening and confidence-boosting experience like the author has. When seeking out others to train with, think of how good you want to become, then find others better! 

Enjoy the journey.

For more, see: http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2011/02/oregon_track_field_shalane_fla_3.html

The False Start Heard 'Round the World

 

August 28, 2011, Daegu, South Korea-IAAF World Track and Field Championships (photo from The Guardian.uk)

The men's 100 meter dash was set up to be Usain Bolt's (aka the world's fastest man) to lose. His two main rivals, fellow countryman Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay were unable to perform due to injury. Unfortunately even with Gay and Powell's absence, a likely lapse in focus and reaction time cost Bolt his World Title. The world's fastest man made a mistake and at this competition, ended up losing to himself. 

There were other factors at play, according to "The Science of Sport" a favorite blog of mine maintained  by Ross Tucker and  Jonathan Dugas, first IAAF rulings of automatic elimination after one (vs. previous rulings of two) false start; then the possibility of Bolt sesning Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake flinch in anticipation  the next lane over. After watching the televised race yesterday afternoon and reading various press releases, I feel this race raises a number of questions and points of interest.

One thing that I must mention first is that ALL athletes make costly errors at some point in their careers, often more than once. Usain Bolt is no exception. If I were working with Bolt, I would likely first give him time to process the event, it is often necessary to deal with post-competition emotion naturally versus immediately "shaking it off".   Once the most intense parts of the experience pass,  proceeding with resillience-building is a plausible next step; shifting focus from the rare mistakes versus the whole body of positive work the athlete has accumulated. 

Some possible questions and implications from the event:

Was the IAAF wise in implementing the one-false start rule? What does it do for fans and competitors experiences? 

Was Bolt in his best focus as Blake's flinch may have triggered the false start? 

With his main rivals out, could this have played a factor in Bolt's intensity and preparation?

What can be learned from this negative experience, for both the athlete and those witnessing the start?

 

Bolt's reaction was intense and immediate. What does this mean as far as how he copes with the error and moves forward? 

We may never have definite answers to most of these, but it will be interesting to see how Usain Bolt responds psychologically. What is to be noted from this post is that no athlete is immune from mistakes or bad performances. It is an athlete's resilience after the negative experience that plays a role in determining future successes or disappointments.

 Men's 200 m heats begin on September 1st. 

For more info. see

www.iaaf.org

www.sportsscientists.com

 

 

Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, December 12, 1981- July 25, 2011

The the Winter Sports and athletic communities at large are reeling today with the news of the sudden passing of US Olympic Aerials star Jeret "Speedy" Peterson. The news of his suicide spread across blogs and news channels this morning and described the Olympic medalist as a talented but often disturbed character, who often found solace in sport, however ultimately succumbed to personal struggles yesterday. 

Peterson allegedly committed suicide just days after an arrest for an alcohol-related violation, according to  CNN.com's post. Peterson reportedly struggled with traumatic life events, depression, and substance use issues. Too often, issues of this nature in athletes are either minimized or overlooked, largely due to the socialization of athletes to be "tough", "shake things off", or "just deal with it". 

Sometimes, however, we need to be open and aware that athletes are not immune to mental health and personal struggles. Knowing this fact and how and where to get help are the first steps. Below are some key behaviors to watch for in athletes who may be in need of some assistance:

• Sudden changes in mood or reactivity, for example-a generally even-tempered athlete begins to become confrontational.
• Changes in appetitite or sleep patterns.
• Unexplained performance declines or missed practices.
• Social withdrawl or isolation.
• Substance abuse or misuse.
• Fatigue
• Loss of motivation or interest in sport or other activites. 

These are just some indicators for fellow athletes, coaches, and family members to be aware of. If these persist for two weeks or greater, a consultation with a qualified sports or clinical professional may be encouraged to assist the athlete in working through their difficulties.

In short, athletics doesn't exist in a vacuum and in my practice I believe that the whole athlete needs to be emphasized for lifelong well-being. Jeret Peterson will not soon be forgotten and the athletic and condolences go out to his family, teammates, and the rest of the Olympic community.

Also see:

http://www.teamusa.org/news/2011/07/26/u-s-olympic-committee-statement-on-jeret-peterson/43762

https://www.appliedsportpsych.org/files/Critical-Incidents-in-Sport.pdf

 

Pre-Competition Routines-When Sameness is Good

 

                The behaviors many runners display prior to the gun going off can range from absolute artistry to absolute absurdity.  Imagine somebody (or you are that somebody) who can only play successfully after tying their left shoe, then the right, then immediately checking the laces over one more time. I have a thing where I always pin my race bib to my singlet first-as straight as possible-then get out my shoes and put the chip slowly on my right shoe. When it comes to bigger races, like a points race or a marathon, my routine is a little more ceremonial.  The night before, and always right after a pasta dinner, the bib pinning and chip attachment commences: singlet-right shoe-try on-straighten. 

    Many individuals I know like to listen to a certain band or song before competing. Maria Mutola, a former 800 meter Olympian, would always listen to Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” before races, getting her in the “right mood” to compete. Before the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona Mutola’s response to finishing fifth was due not to fatigue or lack of speed, but to a relative lack of “pre race rituals and mental preparation”.  Swimmer Gary Hall, Jr. is another visible example, who always appears for races in a boxing robe and commences with his signature shadow box routine. Former NBA star Nick Van Exel would always say a silent prayer before pre-game intros.

                Obviously, these routines or rituals can be elaborate or as understated as you want them to be. What works for one will likely not work for another. I myself prefer something edgy and with attitude versus Bob Marley for racing. Routines may be brief or lengthy-involving multiple steps, for example a specific warm-up sequence or repeating a set of affirmations. In his article on the subject of routines, Josh Clark mentions that there is often something soothing and calming about having a go-to, predictable sequence of events before competing. A routine gives an individual a sense of normalcy and control in an otherwise anxiety or at the very least high-energy situation. It is in our best interest to remain some sense of calmness and relaxation, especially before longer events.

                In short, there really is no long way to formulate a pre-competition routine. You know you’re on to something when you feel that general sense of control and relaxation before and during big games or races, and that sense carries you on to achieving consistent satisfactory results.

Sources:

Clark, J. 2001. Pre-Race Rituals.

Ungerleider, S. 2003. Mental Training for Peak Performance.

 

 

All About Spring Racing

With the inaugural Ironman Texas event just over one month away, triathletes near and far are working through the last days of hard training and the emotions that occur in conjunction. I often get approached as to how one should manage race anxiety and the "what if's", and the attached article provides some quick tips and strategies (plus some buzz from local athletes in The Woodlands, TX thrown in) from yours truly and Dr. Greg Gibbons, physician and local multiple Ironman finisher. 

Enjoy and feel free to send your questions to alangelier@addwoodlands.com

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/living/article_a100bd73-d4a7-5b2d-a27e-858a9f7f3258.html

In other news, the last installment of "Total Performance Triathlon" lecture series goes down Thursday evening at 7PM at the South Regional Library on Lake Robbins Dr. in the Woodlands. Free of charge. 

A Case for the Value of Mental Fitness

  To pitch in the Major Leagues, there's no doubt about it that A.J. Burnett has talent, strength, and physical resolve. In an article released today in Fox Sports News, a crucial area of Burnett's game that is lacking is his mental toughness and positive self-beliefs. I thought I'd share today an example of how our performances are often guided by our thought processes. That being stated, I wonder what would happen if Mr. Burnett would start sliding in a positive statement or two before, during, and after his performances, regardless of the result

Link to the article/interesting read is here.

Total Performance Triathlon Seminar Series

To all Houston-area Triathletes: In preparation for Ironman Texas, Adrienne Langelier, MA and Stephen Clouthier, DC are teaming up to dial in on the mind-body aspects of triathlon and endurance sport. Each session is approximately one hour in length and looks at topics such as hormones, stress management, staying in the "zone", propriocetpive awareness, and many more. 1st session is at The South Regional Library in The Woodlands, TX from 7-8:30. It is also free of charge.

Let's get into peak shape both mentally and physically!

Download Total Performance Triathlon Series _3_ _2_