Psychological Preparation for Sport Competitions

Stages of Psychological Preparation for Sport Competitions

• Psychological preparation involves teaching athletes necessary psychological skills and techniques for mental self-regulation prior to, during, and after competitions.

Phase 1: Long-Term Preparation

• Involves goal-setting, stress management training, confidence building, developing concentration, and training for dealing with unexpected circumstances/mental toughness training
• Goal-setting:
  • Goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound)
  • Both long-term and short-term goals should be set
  • Periodic evaluation and feedback should be provided
• Stress management training:
  • Techniques for managing stress and anxiety should be taught in advance
  • Includes "mind to body" and "body to mind" relaxation training, autogenic training, progressive muscular relaxation, deep breathing, imagery training, yoga, pranayams, guided meditation, and centering
• Confidence building:
  • Players gain confidence through successes encountered during sports training
  • Coaches should plan training to give athletes chances to learn, improve, achieve, and succeed
  • Use of frequent positive reinforcement, creating a motivational climate, and avoiding punishment
• Developing concentration:
  • Training for improving concentration through yoga, pranayams, meditation, and guided imagery
  • Practicing concentration exercises and routines, such as "yantras" and sport object manipulation
• Training for dealing with unexpected circumstances/mental toughness training:
  • Playing against senior or tough teams/opponents
  • Practicing on different surfaces and ground conditions
  • Playing in different altitudes and weather conditions
  • Playing under different lighting conditions
  • Playing outside one's comfort zone

Phase 2: Short-Term Preparation

• Stage 2: One month before competition
• Involves stress management training, imagery training, attentional control training, and arousal regulation
• Stress management training:
  • Relaxation exercises, deep breathing, yoga, pranayams, centering, imagery, and positive self-affirmations
• Imagery training:
  • Also known as mental practice/mental rehearsal
  • Helps athletes focus on the upcoming competition and mentally practice techniques, skills, and strategies
• Attentional control training:
  • Combining relaxation with imagery and concentration training to improve focus and confidence
• Arousal regulation:
  • Regulating arousal through relaxation exercises, "psyching up" strategies, and ensuring the player is in their zone of optimal functioning

Phase 3: Competition Phase

• Stage 3: Pre-Game Preparation (48 hours before competition)
• Involves mental preparation, relaxation, and focus on the upcoming competition
  • Keeping the athlete away from distractions
  • Ensuring a light and nutritious diet, proper sleep, and relaxation
  • Practicing imagery of past best performance and the upcoming competition
  • Positive affirmations and self-talk, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques
• Stage 4: Start of the Competition/Match
  • Focus on relaxation, concentration, and positive affirmations
  • Deep breathing, centering, and grounding techniques of mindfulness training
  • Imagery of past best performance and positive imagery of the upcoming competition
• Stage 5: During the Competition/Match
  • Common psychological problems faced by athletes during competition
  • Strategies for dealing with these issues:
    • Focusing and refocusing strategies
    • Trigger words for managing emotions, stress, and aggression
    • Positive self-talk and affirmations
    • Following "mantras" such as focusing on the present, enjoying the game, and giving 100%
    • Using positive task-focused coping skills for coping with difficult situations