Mental Fitness Resources
This is where you will find Mental Fitness Resources, Exercises and Race Focus Plans.
Collapsible content
Competitive Adjective Profile Self Assessment
Click HERE to access the Competitive Adjective Profile Self Assessment
Mental Fitness Guide For Coaches
Mental Fitness Guide For Coaches - HERE
- This document is a Mental Fitness Guide for Coaches. All coaches should review this document and utilize the following tools with their athletes.
QT2 Race Focus Plan 2017
Click HERE to access the QT2 Race Focus Plan
- This Race Focus document is given to athletes to reflect back on their race performance.
USOC Mental Fitness Exercises
Concentration
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Concentration Rating
Click HERE to rate your Concentration skills
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Exercise 1 Concentration
Click HERE to access Exercise 1 of Concentration skills.
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Exercise 2 Concentration
Click HERE to access Exercise 2 of Concentration skills, Focusing under Pressure.
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Exercise 3 Concentration
Click HERE to access Exercise 3 of Concentration Skills, Establishing a Refocus Routine.
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Read 1 Dimensions of Attention Style
Click HERE to gain an understanding of the four different types of attention and learning about your own strengths and areas to improve are the first steps toward developing concentration skills.
USOC Mental Training Skill 5 - Read 2 Dimensions of Attential Style
Click HERE to gain an understanding of the m advantages and disadvantage of each type of attentional focus.
Confidence
USOC Confidence - Exercise 1
Click HERE to complete Exercise 1 of Self Confidence. Learn how to Raise Your Self-Confidence Awareness
USOC Confidence - Exercise 2
Click HERE to complete Exercise 2 of Self Confidence.
One way to build your confidence across situations is through the use of competition simulation. Some athletes do this by creating situations in practice that mimic their competitions. This may include having spectators watch you perform, and/or official or judges present, wearing your competition outfit, and practicing a routine exactly as you would in competition, from start to finish. Performing successfully in competition conditions will translate strongly into positive, confidence-building thoughts.
USOC Confidence - Exercise 3
Click HERE to complete Exercise 3 of Self Confidence, Success Log.
USOC Confidence - Self Rating
Click HERE to complete a Self Rating of Sport Self-Confidence questionnaire.
Energy Management
USOC Mental Training Skill 4 - Energy Management Assessment
Click HERE to Rate Your Own Energy Management Skills.
USOC Mental Training Skill 4 - Energy Management Exercise 1
Click HERE to complete Energy Management Exercise 1.
USOC Mental Training Skill 4 - Energy Management Exercise 2
Click HERE Energy Management Exercise 2, “Finding the Correct Energy Level” .
Athletes have a great advantage if they know what energy level works best for them. We know, from research and practical experience with elite athletes, that they can be over-energized which leads to nervousness, muscle tension, or over-aggressiveness. We also see athletes who simply can’t get fired up enough to focus all their energies on a performance. One way to picture the correct energy level is to use the example of a thermometer. Too low, you may not be warmed up enough to compete your best; too high, you may not be able to focus enough on the job at hand.
USOC Mental Training Skill 4 - Energy Management Exercise 3A
Click HERE to complete Energy Management Exercise 3A, Gaining Control of Your Energy Level - Relaxation Exercise” .
Do you have a sure-fire way to get relaxed in just a few seconds? If not, you can! This exercise has been used by hundreds of athletes to become quickly relaxed. It needs to be practiced (especially when you are feeling too nervous) for good control of this skill. If you have a different exercise that allows you to control your body at your biggest competitions, you don’t have to change. However, this technique has helped athletes stay calm before Olympic medal performances. This brief relaxation exercise only takes 10 seconds.
USOC Mental Training Skill 4 - Energy Management Exercise 3B
Click HERE to complete Energy Management Exercise 3B, “Gaining Control of Your Energy Level–Energizing or ‘Psych Up’ Techniques”.
Goal Setting
USOC Mental Training Skill 1 Goal Setting Exercise 1
Click HERE to complete Goal Setting Exercise 1, “Moving Beyond Outcome Goals to Process Goal Setting” .
Setting only outcome goals like wining, however, will not change behavior because outcomes are not totally within your control. Process goals keep your focus on things you can impact and control.
USOC Mental Training Skill 1 Goal Setting Exercise 2
Click HERE to complete Goal Setting Exercise 2, “Setting Short-Term Goals”.
USOC Mental Training Skill Goal Setting Exercise 3
Click HERE to complete Goal Setting Exercise 3, “Setting Challenging But Possible Goals”.
Research has shown that tough goals push you further, but we also know that athletes don’t believe goals that are too unrealistic. Try this exercise to see if your goals are both challenging and realistic.
USOC Mental Training Skill 1 Goal Setting Rating
Click HERE to complete the Goal Setting Rating questionnaire.
Imagery
USOC Mental Training. Mental Imagery Exercise 1
Click HERE to complete Mental Imagery Exercise 1, “Imagery Sensory Checklist” .
This exercise is designed to help you integrate your sense into your imagery. As you create each of the following images in your mind, rate your ability to do so based on this scale:
USOC Mental Training. Mental Imagery Exercise 2
Click HERE to complete Mental Imagery Exercise 2, “Imaging Sport Skills”.
USOC Mental Training. Mental Imagery Exercise 3
Click HERE to complete Mental Imagery Exercise 3, “Competitive Situation Imagery”.
USOC Mental Training. Mental Imagery Exercise 4
Click HERE to complete Mental Imagery Exercise 4, Controlling Outcome”.
The key to imagery as a performance enhancement tool is not just to make vivid images but ones that you can control---making what you want to happen, occur.
USOC Mental Training 2 Mental Imagery Rating
Click HERE to complete the Mental Imagery Rating questionnaire.
Injury Guides
Acute Stress Disorder
Click HERE to learn about Acute Stress Disorder and how it can impact our athletes.
Adjustment Disorders
Click HERE to gain a better understanding of the Adjustment Disorders and how it might impact our athletes.
Coping with Catastrophic Injury
Click HERE to gain a better understanding of Coping with Catastrophic Injury.
Imagery for Injuries
Click HERE to read and learn about specific Imagery for Injuries.
POMS Rating Scale
Click HERE to complete the POMS Rating Scale questionnaire.
SP6015_M5_A3_Oilar_R
Click HERE to view the SP6015_M5_A3_Oilar_R, learn how to evaluate certain beliefs, emotions and reactions of an athlete.
The Effects on Cognitive and Relaxation interventions on Injured
Click HERE to learn about The Effects on Cognitive and Relaxation interventions on Injured athletes.
Mental Preparation
USOC Mental Prepration - Exercise 1
Click HERE to complete Mental Preparation Exercise 1, Exercises To Develop Your Mental Preparation Skills.
Competition Reflections: How do you start developing a routine that will work for you? Begin with the end result in mind. You need to identify how you need to think and feel to perform your best. Then identify what to do to get you into this ideal mindset. It is helpful to refer to past experiences to find what works for you. Respond to the questions from this Competitive Reflections Form to get started on developing a mental routine that will work for you.
USOC Mental Preparation - Exercise 2
Click HERE to complete Mental Preparation Exercise 2, re-Competition/Competition Preparation Worksheet.
USOC Mental Preparation - Self-Rating
Click HERE to complete the Mental Preparation Self-Rating questionnaire.
Self Talk
USOC Mental Training Skill 3 Self Talk-Exercise 1ab
Click HERE to complete the Mental Training Skill 3 Self Talk-Exercise 1ab, Thought Stopping.
USOC Mental Training Skill 3 Self Talk-Exercise 2
Click HERE to complete the Mental Training Skill 3 Self Talk-Exercise 2, Competition Preparation.
USOC Mental Training Skill 3 Talk-Rating
Click HERE to complete the Mental Training Skill 3 Talk-Rating questionnaire.
Sticking With It
Daily Mental Training Log
Click HERE to complete the Daily Mental Training Log.
Many Elite Athletes keep a daily, written log of their activities as a way to help them focus more systematically on all aspects of their training. Such planning can include physical practice in addition to mental skills practice. You can gain many benefits from writing what you do each day including: developing a better sense of how you spend your practice time, knowing where improvements are coming from, and increasing your motivation to keep working.
Monthly Mental Training Log
Click HERE to access the Monthly Mental Training Log.