What Is Mental Performance Training?

An athlete’s mental skills and internal processes powerfully impact their behaviors and external outcomes.  Mental training is strength and conditioning for the mind that optimizes athlete well-being and performance by teaching athletes mental strategies.  Mental performance training equips athletes with the mental skills they need to conquer the mental barriers that hinder them from consistently performing at their highest level.  The ability to stay poised under pressure, manage thoughts and emotions, maintain consistent confidence, focus on the right things at the right times, get in “the zone” and quickly bounce back from setbacks are all mental skills that enable an athlete to maximize performance and fulfill their potential.

• Address deep-rooted psychological issues
• Diagnose mental illnesses or mental health issues
• Serve as a quick fix for an athlete’s performance struggles
• Signify that an athlete is weak, incapable or mentally unstable (actually the opposite is true!)

It’s been said that sports are 90% mental right?  However, the mental game is THE MOST neglected part of sports training – even though it’s the most impactful.  Many athletes struggle to manage the typical demands of sports that lead to: performance anxiety, fear, self-doubt, decision-making under pressure, hesitancy after returning from an injury and the inability to consistently perform their best.  Mental performance training empowers athletes to focus on the right things at the right time and confidently have command over their minds in stressful and hostile environments so they can skillfully navigate the daily challenges of sports and life.

So, to answer the question, you need mental training because sports are mental!

As performance level increases, division of skill shrinks. At the elite level, what really separates the good from the great is their ability to prepare mentally and execute well under pressure.

If you’re looking for that X factor, that tide shift that will turn your team around, you can try different drills or change up the pace of practice to keep your players on their toes. You can adopt a different warm-up routine or switch up your captains, etc.

But chances are, mental training will make the biggest impact.