Sport psychology and performance

Sport psychology, an important part of athlete well-being, focuses on how mental strategies can boost athletic performance. Specific techniques to aid athlete psychology, such as building team cohesion and boosting confidence, have been shown to have positive effects on performance, while factors like anxiety can hinder it.

Pressure training in sport

Athletes often face psychological pressure from competition, which can impact their performance. Pressure training, which introduces competition stress during practice, has been shown to be an effective method for helping athletes develop coping skills and better manage stress in sports.

Perfectionistic traits and distance running

In competitive sports, understanding how to achieve peak performance is crucial. This study found that athletes with perfectionistic traits performed better in a 10K run and a half-marathon, indicating that a drive for perfection can enhance results in distance running.

Music and sport performance

Listening to music while exercising is a popular habit among athletes, offering benefits for both performance and motivation. Its effectiveness can vary based on individual music preferences, with some evidence suggesting a significant impact on performance.

Self-esteem in sport

Self-esteem plays a crucial role in both daily life and sports. This study finds that athletes in individual sports generally exhibit higher levels of self-esteem compared to those in team sports.

Perfectionism in high performance athletes

Many high-performance athletes scrutinize their own performances and often aim for perfection. A recent study delved into how perfectionistic athletes view success and failure in sports. Through interviews and season-long diaries, researchers found that an athlete’s ability to deal with failure depended on the type of perfectionism they exhibited.

Heart rate variability in athletes

In sports, there are various measures for athlete psychology, with heart rate variability (HRV) becoming an increasingly popular method of measurement. Different factors such as stress, overtraining, and performance have been found to impact HRV, thus influencing athlete psychology.

Perfectionism in high performance athletes

Many high-performance athletes scrutinize their own performances and often aim for perfection. A recent study delved into how perfectionistic athletes view success and failure in sports. Through interviews and season-long diaries, researchers found that an athlete’s ability to deal with failure depended on the type of perfectionism they exhibited.

Positive effects of social support on stress adaptation

Stress can significantly impact an athlete’s well-being and sport performance, but social support from teammates, coaches, and support staff can positively influence how athletes perceive and adapt to stress. Recent research shows that for social support to produce positive effects, having a shared social identity and the knowledge and expertise to provide sufficient support is…

Psychological skills training program for para athletes

Researchers from the University of Windsor have developed a free, fully accessible, self-paced, online Psychological Skills Training (PST) program, specifically designed for Para athletes. PST has been shown to enhance athlete confidence, motivation, and satisfaction within sport. This program is free for Para athletes to access via www.learnpst.com. Check it out!