1. UNIT I Physical Toughness
Sports Psychology
UNIT I
Physical Toughness

2. Analyze Your Self Pick your main sport
What are your Strengths
What are your weakness

3. Know Yourself
Sometimes the hardest thing for athletes (and people) to do is to analyze and admit their weaknesses.
Elite athletes know that they need to look inside themselves (introspection) to become better athletes.
1. Divide and Conquer
2. Be analytical, NOT judgmental

4. Divide and Conquer
First you must examine your sport before you examine yourself.
Ask yourself:
What fundamentals / skills do I need?
Strength
Flexibility
Endurance
Speed
Etc.
Examine where you are strong and where you need work.
Elite athletes perfect their strengths and isolate and attack their weaknesses.
Don’t let problems from one area affect other areas

5. Be Analytical, NOT Judgmental
When isolating your weaknesses you cannot be distracted or affected by the negative emotions that sometimes accompany sports (anger, depression, fear, etc.)
You must approach your weaknesses like a scientist in that you see yourself ‘objectively’.
Elite athletes never make any excuses for their weaknesses. They isolate and attack!
“I have learned the most from my mistakes, I just wish I didn’t make them as often.”
- unknown

6. Be Analytical, NOT Judgmental
Tips to help you isolate and attack your weaknesses:
NEVER say: I suck at _____
Instead say: I need to work on _____
Everyone makes mistakes, it is how you handle them is what makes the difference.
Personal Negativity only hurts your progress.
1. Point out what the root of your weakness is.
2. Identify the step to help you fix it
3. DO IT!

7. Inside – Out vs. Outside-In Training
The mind and the body are connected
Inside-Out: The Mind affects the physical
Ex. Think it and you will do it
Outside-In: Physical affects the mind
Ex. The more in shape you are the more confidence you have.
Getting Physically Tough includes:
Improving your general fitness
Looking and acting the part
Rest and nutrition

8. Physical Fitness
Why is physical fitness important to sports psychology?
Confidence
Ability to endure physical and emotional stress
Your body and mind are inter-connected.
Strong Body, Strong Mind
All sports demand these same fitness priorities:
The “Core”
Cardiovascular Endurance
Muscular Strength
Flexibility

9. The “Core” The core consists of your:
Abs
Lower Back
Hip flexors
Gluts
It is the central component to all physical movements.
Stability
Power
Strength
Posture
Others?
The difference between being average and great athletically can be broken down to “core” strength.

10. Flexibility
The more flexible an athlete is the better he/she will perform.
Hip and core flexibility is the most important aspect in every sport.
Flexibility can also help release stress (mental and physical)

11. Flexibility Static vs dynamic Stretching Why and When
Static is stretching and holding it for a long time
Good to make you more flexible .
Dynamic is taking muscles through a continuous motion
Good to reduce injuries
Why and When
Injury prevention
Improved flexibility
Stretching Before
YES NO
Stretching After

12. Cardiovascular Endurance
Fitness level of your heart and lungs.
How efficient does your body transport oxygen to the rest of your body.
In order to increase your cardiovascular endurance your need to train in your Aerobic Training Zone (ATZ) for 2-4 days a week for at least mins.
Importance of Cardiovascular Endurance:
Confidence to endure stress (physical & mental)
Ability to train longer and harder
Allows you to break through barriers at the end of competitions
i.e. the 4th quarter / last mile

13. Cardiovascular Endurance
Max Heart Rate (MHR)
220- (your Age)= MHR
Hitting the Aerobic Training Zone (ATZ)
(MHR)x .08= High End
(MHR)x .06= Low End
Sample training
Basic Cardio for non-endurance athlete
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
10-20 min warm-up (light jogging, Stretching)
30-40 min run/bike/swim
Monitor heart rate
Stay in your ATZ
10 min stretching

14. Muscular Strength
Muscular Strength will allow you to general force in the expectation it will translate to improved play.
The basic principle most strength programs follow is called the “adaptation principle:”
Exposing the muscle to stress (weight lifting) will cause physical changes in order to adapt or cope.
The Adaptation principle can be applied by:
Increase weight
Increase repetitions
Decrease rest time
The main goal of muscular strength is NOT to bulk up but get stronger.
In males bulking up will happen naturally through the bodies testosterone.
In females it is virtually impossible to “bulk up” due to the lack of testosterone.

15. “Act the part and you will become the part”
- William James
There is a strong link between your physical actions and your emotions.
You can control the chemical neurotransmitters that are create in the brain.
Ex. If you act sad and depressed you will become that way, like wise if you act confident and composed then you will ultimately feel that way.

16. “Fake it to make it” The behavioral signs of confidence include:
Walking with your head up
Walk with bold, deliberate steps
Good posture
Making eye contact with people (teammates, opponents, friends, coaches etc.)

17. Body Cycles
No matter your skill level, all athletes need to be “well recovered” in order to compete at their highest level.
The three main body cycles we will cover are:
Training Cycles
Sleep Cycles
Nutrition

18. Training Cycles
Elite athletes know that when you train hard you actually tear the muscle and break it down for it to be built back up.
Do NOT train the same muscle groups every day because your body will not be able to recover and therefore you are then damaging your muscles.
If you train in the same workouts over and over again your body adapts and will not build and grow.
Elite strength coaches cycle their athletes workouts in Macro (Yearly) and Mini (Monthly) workout cycles to optimize peak muscular strength and growth.

19. Sleep Cycles
Sleep is the most important aspect of any athletes routine.
Elite athletes need at least 8-10 hours of continuous sleep per night if they want to restore their bodies and perform at peak levels.
REM (dreaming stage) plays an important role in preparing an athletes mind for competition.
It is also important that your sleep patterns stays the same every night.
Your bodies needs a constant circadian cycle if it is going to compete its full potential.
Myth: the sleep you get the night before competition is the most important.
Myth: “sleeping in” the day of the competition is beneficial
Myth: It is alright to get 10 hours of sleep even if it is not continuous.

20. Nutrition
Athletes burn significantly more calories than the average person.
In order to fuel your body athletes need to eat more.
Carbohydrate Myths:
Low Carb diets help athletes loose weight
Simple Carbs are good for bursts of energy before a contest
Protein Facts:
Eating lean protein 30mins. – 1 hour after working out increases your bodies growth hormone.
Eating the morning before a competition increases your muscles endurance.

21. Water (Hydration)
The most important thing an athlete can do is drink plenty of water.
If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated
Your urine will tell you if you are hydrated or not
Clear = Good
Dark and cloudy = Bad
Sports Drinks?
Most are high in simple carbs. (sugars) And do not help before a practice or competition.
However, they have been proven to help athletes during and after a competition

22. Female Athletes Many female athletes tend to lack Iron and Calcium
Iron deficiency can lead to anemia which reduces the amount of oxygen to your muscles.
A calcium shortage can lead to weak bones.
Taking multi-vitamin/mineral supplements are considered the best way to counter these shortages.

23. Quote Application
“Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy, but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril." General Sun Tzu
(“The Art of War”)