1. PERIODIZED MENTAL TRAINING PROGRAMS: ADVANCING MENTAL TRAINING FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Bernie Holliday
Center for Enhanced Performance
United States Military Academy

2. MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING: THE GOOD NEWS…
META-ANALYSES & RESEARCH REVIEWS
WHEN DONE CORRECTLY
MAKING IT PERSONAL
THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL – WHEN MST IS TAILORED TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE ATHLETE AND TEAM

3. MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING: GOOD IDEA, BAD EXECUTION
BAND-AIDS AND QUICK FIXES
BROKEN MAGIC WANDS
A WIDE VARIETY OF SHINGLES TO CHOOSE FROM
SCARY WEIRDNESS
SPINELESS
BAND-AIDS – VERY REACTIVE IN NATURE – SHORT TERM PROBLEMS – DIFFICULT TO FIND LONG-TERM CHANGES SO ATHLETES GIVE UP ON IT

4. MY INTRODUCTION TO PERIODIZATION…

5. THE NEXT EVOLUTIONARY STEP IN MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING…
Bridging the gap between physical and mental training
Periodization as a MST backbone
Understanding
Acceptance
Utilization
Integration

6. THE K.I.S.S. APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING PERIODIZATION
BORN IN EASTERN EUROPE
SYSTEMATIC AND PROACTIVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES
TRAINING CHANGES AS NEEDS CHANGE
TYPE OF TRAINING
VOLUME OF TRAINING
INTENSITY OF TRAINING

7. MST PERIODIZATION: A THREE-STEP APPROACH…
BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE TEAM’S LONG-TERM TRAINING CYCLE
MATCH MST SKILLS TO MEET THE SPECIFIC DEMANDS DURING EACH TRAINING PHASE
SYSTEMATICALLY MANIPULATE THE VOLUME AND INTENSITY OF MST DURING EACH TRAINING PHASE

8. MST PERIODIZATION: STEP #1
GET TO KNOW THE LONG-TERM TRAINING CYCLE, SPECIFIC TRAINING PHASE GOALS, AND THEIR DEMANDS
Peaking
Competitive
Preparatory
Base

9. MST PERIODIZATION: STEP #2
MATCH MST SKILLS TO MEET THE SPECIFIC DEMANDS DURING EACH TRAINING PHASE
Peaking
Mental readiness
plans
Competitive
MST
skills
Preparatory
tools
Base
Foundation

10. MST PERIODIZATION: STEP #3
SYSTEMATICALLY MANIPULATE THE VOLUME AND INTENSITY OF MST DURING EACH TRAINING PHASE

11. VOLUME AND INTENSITY Volume Intensity Amount of mental training
Emphasis on mental training tool development
Intensity
Difficulty of skill
Complexity of skill
Specificity of skill
Consequences of failure
Emphasis on mental skill development

12. PURPOSE OF STUDY… IS PERIODIZED MST EFFECTIVE?
DEVELOPING MENTAL SKILLS
INCREASING USAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MST SKILLS
IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
ENCOURAGE A “PLAYING TO PLAY GREAT” MASTERY-ORIENTED MINDSET
ENHANCE TEAM COHESION

13. PARTICIPANTS

14. INSTRUMENTS

15. DOES PERIODIZED MST ENHANCE THE ACQUISITION AND USAGE OF VARIOUS MENTAL SKILLS?
Test of Performance Strategies
64 items
5-point scale per item
Practice and Competition
Self talk
Emotional control
Automation
Goal setting
Imagery
Relaxation
Activation
Positive thinking (competition only)
Attentional control (practice only)

16. Sport Confidence Inventory
DOES PERIODIZED MST ENHANCE THE ACQUISITION AND USAGE OF VARIOUS MENTAL SKILLS?
Sport Confidence Inventory
Trait self-confidence
13 items
9-point scale per item

17. DOES PERIODIZED MST IMPROVE PERFORMANCE?
Performance Profiling procedure
Individualized performance profiles
Athlete selected 8 critical performance skills
Each skill is rated from 0-100%
Athlete self-ratings
Coaching staff ratings of athlete
Overall performance profile score
0 – 800

18. THE PROGRAM… THREE MONTHS SPRING TRAINING SEASON
TEAM WORKSHOP EACH WEEK
INDIVIDUAL MEETING EACH WEEK
FOUR DATE COLLECTION PERIODS
PRE-PROGRAM
MID-PROGRAM 1
MID-PROGRAM 2
POST-PROGRAM
FOUR TOURNAMENTS DURING THE FINAL MONTH

19. MST PERIODIZATION: STEPS 1 & 2
Peaking
Recovery Routines
Between-Point Routine
Pre-match Plan
Mental Readiness
Plans
Competitive
Teamwork Factors
Focus and Concentration
Self-Confidence
Mental
Skills
Preparatory
Self-talk, Imagery
Relaxation, Energization
Goal Setting
Mental training
Tools
Base
Motivational Orientation
Awareness Training
Attitude of a Champion
Foundation
skills

20. MST PERIODIZATION: STEPS 1 & 2
Developed during pre-season collaborative planning meetings with coaching staff
Tailored to coaches’ feedback regarding team and athlete needs at various training phases throughout the spring season
Carried out during weekly team workshops and individual meetings

21. MST PERIODIZATION: STEP #3
MST volume and intensity were regulated during individual meetings
Adherence to periodization crossover principle
Personal needs sometimes trumped periodized skill development

22. Mental Skills Usage
12% increase in mental skills usage during competition
9.3% increase in mental skills usage during practice
11% increase overall

23. Specific Mental Skills Usage During Competition
23% increase in automaticity during competition
17% increase in relaxation during competition
14% increase in positive thinking during competition

24. Specific Mental Skills Usage During Practice
16% increase in goal setting during practice
16% increase in relaxation during practice
15% increase in automaticity during practice

25. Self-Confidence
6% increase in trait self-confidence

26. Performance Profiles 23% improvement in athletes’ self-ratings
15% improvement in coaches’ ratings of athletes

27. POST-PROGRAM INTERVIEWS…
Personalization is key!
During the fall season, for every hour of your competition…
16 minutes playing
44 minutes spent between points
Goal setting improves performance by at least 5% for most athletes
2003 record of 5-13
2003 record of 10-8 with 5% increase
Love affairs with goal setting
Everything was tied into their long-term goals
Weekly goals aimed at skill development and long-term goals
Individual meetings were more helpful than group meetings
The girls appreciated “My time”

28. WOES AND OH NO’S… This all sounds great. Can you start tonight?
On-the-fly assessments
No true multiple-point baseline
Single-subject, repeated measures, multiple baseline, case study, blended quantitative-qualitative thing!
Descriptives for this presentation
Lack of a more systematic regulation of intensity and volume
No control group
Wed. address by Martens

29. LESSONS LEARNED…
Periodization is an effective framework for delivering MST programs, but is it more effective than other service delivery methods?
Periodized MST contributed to performance improvements, but to what extent?
Personalizing to the team, individualizing to the athlete, and goal setting contributed to the program’s success

30. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Happy
Halloween!!