Depending on whom you talk to, whether they are a coach, player, or sport statistician, you will hear that the mental component of sport performance ranges anywhere from 10 to 90%. In fact, because of the difficulty with measurement, establishing an exact percentage is impossible. But even if a fraction of one's performance can be attributed to their mental preparation, wouldn't it be worth improving? More and more athletes are noticing significant improvements in their performance following their efforts to elevate the mental side of their game. There are a number of techniques that athletes use to strengthen that component of their performances. This article introduces you to some of the more popular and proven methods for improving one' s mental preparation. It is up to you to select which techniques would be of most help to you and your athletes and then research these exercises further.

Imagery

When using mental imagery athletes will visualize themselves performing a skill or competition event flawlessly. This mental image should be as detailed as possible. It is therefore imperative that they use all of their senses to build as complete a picture as possible of the situation they will be practicing or competing in. They should work to block out any outside distractions; they may want to start this process by using a dark and quiet area allowing them to concentrate on the relevant cues they are creating in their mind. An effective image will cause the athlete's body to activate the same nerve impulses and pathways that will be used in a 'live' performance. The effects of this technique can be quite remarkable. There are a variety of techniques that involve the use of imagery:

• Mental practice: used for a specific event or movement.
• Mental rehearsal: used for a complete athletic performance. The athlete must create as detailed an image as possible, and visualize themselves performing flawlessly in a game environment.
• Mental review: used to recount the occurrences of a past performance. It is important to learn from any negative aspects, yet move past them to focus on positive results.
• Self-affirmation: use imagery to improve self-confidence by imagining successful performances.
• Stress relief: used to relieve high stress levels by helping athletes relax during an ideal situation/performance.
• Parking: athletes use imagery to remove the negative thoughts associated with errors that were just committed.
• Cueing: the use of imagery to instigate desired reactions to various stimuli.

An athlete's arousal level has a direct effect on their performance. However, there is not one level of arousal that is ideal for all athletes, all sports, or all of the situations one will encounter in a particular sporting event. Different athletes will achieve optimal arousal through different means, and each athlete will require a specific level of arousal to maximize their performance. Also, athletes will require different levels of arousal to best perform various skills within their sport.

For example, a basketball player will require a low level of arousal when they are shooting free throws. They should have no anxiety when stepping up to the line to knock down some crucial shots. Their confidence should be high, and because of the closed environment their focus can be significantly narrowed from what it would be in a 'live' ball situation. A basketball player on offence will need a higher arousal level, as the situation requires them to be more active, yet they still must be able to run the desired offence effectively. A basketball player's arousal level will increase even more once they are asked to play defense.

If an athlete's arousal level is too high for the given event they may become too anxious and begin to worry too much about the results rather then focus on the required task. Muscles also tense up as anxiety increases, thus making precision movements more difficult to perform. For example trying to make a long pass when over-aroused will often lead to poor results. On the other hand, if an athlete's arousal level is too low, they may lack the energy to perform a task, which requires the large muscle groups; for example, making the last-ditch sliding tackle to save a goal. Some techniques that will help athletes control their arousal levels are:

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): athletes undergo a series of mental exercises that will eventually lead to total body relaxation
• Short Version of PMR: used to immediately control relaxation and arousal levels for specific situations
• Reading Your Body: the athlete will learn to recognize cues which inform them of readiness for competition
• Alternative Relaxation Methods: athletes are able to relax the body and focus their attention to breathing cues, imagery cues, etc.
• Pre-Competition Pump Up: used to raise arousal levels to desired performance levels

Goal Setting

Goal setting is an extremely effective motivational technique. Through goal setting athletes are now able to work towards achieving specific and beneficial results. However, to be a successful tool, goals must meet the following criteria:

• Specific: Athletes and coaches should make their goals as detailed as possible; including quantitative measures can help individuals set specific goals.
• Self-Controlled: Make sure that the attainability of the goal depends upon the effort and performance of the athlete. The ability to achieve an objective should not be determined by circumstances that are beyond the athlete's control.
• Measurable: Goals should be measurable, or there is no way of guaranteeing whether or not they were achieved.
• Challenging: Goals must require athletes to work hard to achieve their goals. If an athlete can reach an objective too easily, the positive feelings that are associated with reaching a goal will be diminished.
• Achievable: Athletes and coaches must set up objectives that they will be able to attain. If not, all of the work and struggle that was put forth to reach the goals will seem irrelevant and unworthy of repeating.
• Time Related: Goals should be set up with a specific time frame in mind. Both short and long term goals should be established to keep athletes motivated over the course of a season. As soon as an objective has been achieved, a new one should be established.
• Dynamic: Take all-possible circumstances into account when establishing goals; when necessary, some adaptability can be planned for.

Conclusion

I hope this brief introduction to some of the components of mental preparation will encourage you to begin implementing drills and exercises that specifically target the mental realm of sport competition. Do not try to overload yourself or your athletes with too many new exercises at one time, whether they are physical or mental exercises. Too much new information too soon will have a negative effect on performance. Athletes must master one drill at a time, and coaches should structure exercises and practices so that athletes are able to gradually become more proficient as they build upon previously learned skills.

I would suggest giving athletes one mental preparation to work on over a one or two week period. As a coach, you should discuss the process they are going through to ensure that they are on the right track. Your job as a coach is to guide your players through refinements in the exercise, or ask them to add components to the procedure they are using. Once the athlete begins to see performance results, they will begin to seek out more exercises that will help them improve their ability to compete.