Written by- Aryan Gupta
Edited by- Ananya Julka
We bring to you the first episode of the series, Hustle,Hit and Never Quit!
“So, in a ‘meeting’ when Kapil Dev said
we must win, we all thought he had gone mad, ‘Beat the West Indies?!’
With their batsmen and four fast bowlers whose
names we don’t want to remember? And this idiot says we will win?"
In those days, India didn’t have the
facilities or the assistance needed to win a world cup. But the Kapil Dev never ceased to lose faith in his teammates. He planned meticulously
and always kept the team’s spirits high.
But how was he able to achieve this
feat? How could he never lose hope when everyone else on the team was tempted
to?
The answer may lie in ‘sport psychology’.
According to the American Medical
Association, Sport Psychology addresses the interactions
between psychology and sport performance, including the psychological aspects
of optimal athletic performance,
the psychological care and well-being of athletes, coaches, and
sport organisations, and the connection between physical and psychological
functioning.
It is an interdisciplinary field involving psychology, biomechanics, physiology, and kinesiology.
We all know
how athletes have to undergo physical training. That is something we can
call “physical conditioning”. But the arena of sport psychology focuses on the “mental
conditioning” of an athlete. This is arguably, equally important for an athlete
to achieve optimal performance.
But the techniques practised in sport psychology aren’t exclusively for athletes. We can also use them in our daily lives to achieve our goals and improve our stress management. Some of you may have practised these intuitively without you even noticing it. So, after reading this piece, we hope you absolutely continue with the habit and also learn something helpful: -
1. 1. Converting the anxiety into
excitement- The next
time you feel nervous before an important test or a presentation, tell
yourself, “I am not nervous, I am excited!” This works because both anxiety and
excitement are states of high arousal. But while the former is a negative
emotion which can hamper your performance, the latter is a positive emotion
that helps you face the challenge head on.
Usain Bolt, a sprinter who needs no introduction, is always
seen doing a comical dance routine before a race. By doing this, he effectively
converts his anxiety into excitement.
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| Usain Bolt doing his comedic dance routine |
2. 2. Cherishing the support you receive – An athlete no matter how talented,
needs support from the people working with him/her. Here, we can see how the Indian cricket
team could achieve the unthinkable by cherishing each other’s support and teamwork.
Summed up in the words of Michael Jordan-
And this doesn’t only apply to team sports. In 2019, Kenyan long distance runner, Eliud Kipchoge broke the two hour marathon record. But, he didn’t do this on his own. On the day of the event, he had help from 41 pacemakers and the support of his fans who came to cheer him. He knew he would do better with their support.
Who can support you in your life? Always ask for their help and value their feedback.
3. 3. Mental Imagery- Almost all Olympians practice the technique of visualization for positive mental conditioning. This involves taking all your senses into account to imagine how you would want to feel and perform on an important day in your life. According to the runner Dina Asher-Smith-
4. 4. Positive self talk- Be encouraging while you talk to yourself. Athletes often say, “ I can do it!” or “I got this!” . This increases confidence and reduces anxiety. Talking to yourself positively has a far greater effect on your performance than you would want to believe.
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| Quote by Muhammad Ali |
5. 5. Stay focused in the moment- To stay focused in the present moment,
many athletes are seen practising breathing techniques, even just before the game. This helps you remain focused on that moment
rather than getting caught up in worrying about the consequences of your action.
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| LeBron James meditating during a game |
So, the next time you have an important interview, a test or a presentation, you can use these techniques to channel your energy and achieve your goals. Effectively managing your emotions is the key to success for everyone, whether it be a world class athlete, a student or a working professional. The above mentioned techniques not only help you achieve success but also handle failure .
It is this appeal that makes sport psychology an emerging field
in the arena of psychology. Professional sport psychologists are increasingly
being hired by countries to accompany athletes to tournaments and assist them
during their training.
We hope you enjoyed reading this piece. Do let us know about
your thoughts on this.
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