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Athletic excellence is the goal of almost every professional and amateur athlete alike, but
most athletes equate excellence with physical skills and give little attention to the
mental aspects of the game. Without doubt, it is the mind that holds the determining
factors over all of our performances and behavior, and so it is for the athlete. He
who masters the mind, masters the sport.
Hypnosis in sports gains national attention as a recent Wall Street
Journal article (February 11, 2002) brings recognition to the field of hypnotherapy. Bronze medal Olympic
champion Adam Malysz utilized hypnosis in his ski jumping: "And before ascending the ramp and lurching
down that icy slide in the 90 meter event, he descended an imaginary staircase-20 slow deep steps
into a trance."(1)
What can be accomplished through mastering the mind? One of the most important things you
can accomplish is to eliminate negative thinking and replace it with focusing on the
positive aspects of your game. That which you focus on expands in your life…and so it
is with sports performance. Negative thoughts pertaining to your performance skills
must be eliminated in order to promote further development. Control and focus of
emotions can provide an unlimited reservoir of energy from which to draw during a
competition. Once you learn how to focus quickly and easily, outside distractions
evaporate and you will be able to stay within yourself and within your game to reach
your highest level of potential.
Robert Fargo, a hypnotherapist who works with athletes at his clinic
in Winsor, England says, "What hypnosis does is it takes the champion's best performance and makes it
available 100% of the time."(2)
Hypnosis is not a magic wand that when waved turns a talent-less athlete into a
superstar. It can however, amplify an athlete's natural talent and abilities. Through
hypnosis we help athletes become more motivated, determined, focused, positive and
disciplined in their training. Also through this process, concentration, coordination
and technique can improve as well.
So...hypnosis can play a major role in helping athletes prepare themselves mentally for any
performance. That preparation could include methods designed for:
- Overcoming self-doubt
- Mental success rehearsals
- Positive self suggestions
- Rapid healing from injuries
- Increasing self-confidence
- Increasing motivation and determination
- Increasing concentration and focus
- Eliminating negative thinking
- Reducing performance anxieties
- Deserving to succeed
- And more!
The goal of hypnosis in sports is to help athletes achieve
their personal bests by developing the mental attitudes necessary to perform consistently at
high levels. Although the methodology may differ from one hypnotherapist to another the
principles are the same. In order to excel at sports an athlete must have:
- True Focus
- True Self-Confidence
- True Understanding
If an athlete utilizes these three principles in their sport they will be successful in any
competitive environment.
But can hypnosis help me get in the "Zone" during
my competitions? For most people, being in the "zone" is a time when the conscious mind
steps aside and allows the subconscious mind to control the body. If it’s happened once then
it can be repeated, as this is a skill that we can further develop and enhance through hypnosis.
We specialize in Sports Performance Enhancement and have
worked with many amateur and professional athletes including tennis players, golfers,
fencers, wrestlers, weight lifters, football players, basketball players and more.
Isn’t it time you took your game to another level?
Notes:
1. Barry Newman, Berry. (2002, February 11). The Key to Ski Jumping? Never Think About It. The Wall Street Journal.
2. Gains, Paul. (1998, December 29). Vital Signs Performance; For Athletes, Better Focus With Hypnosis. Health and Fitness
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