MENTAL PLANS

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MENTAL PLANS
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• Questions of interest

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What are mental plans?
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MENTAL PLANS

• Systematic mental strategies to help athletes
  perform their best by attaining, maintaining, and
  regaining a Flow Mindset.

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What are the benefits of mental plans?
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BENEFITS OF MENTAL PLANS
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What is a Flow Mindset?
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THE FLOW MINDSET
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ULTIMATE IMPACT OF FLOW MINDSET

• Put mind on automatic pilot
• DONT THINK! . . . JUST REACT!
• Play In-The-Moment.

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Why do we want a Flow Mindset?
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Does a Flow Mindset always result in a Flow
experience?
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What are the different types of mental plans?
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TYPES OF MENTAL PLANS
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PRIMARY MENTAL PLAN STRATEGY

• One plan for practice
• One plan for competition
• Make practice more like competition
• Make competition more like practice

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Mental Preparation plans
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PURPOSE OF MENTAL PREPARATION PLANS
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MENTAL PREPARATION PLANS
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MENTAL PREPARATION PLANS
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Mental Performance Plans
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PURPOSE OF MENTAL Performance PLANS
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PERFORMANCE PLAN ALTERNATIVES
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3 TYPES OF MENTAL PERFORMANCE PLANS
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STANDARD Competitive PLAN FOR 1500 METER RUNNER

• Chunk 1500-meter race into 3-7 meaningful parts
  (e.g., start, first 400 meters, middle part of
  race, last 400 meters)
• Develop goals and action plans for achieving them
  during each race segment
• Identify cue words that trigger correct focus
  during each race segment (e.g., race start--
  explode push, let it flow!)

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400 METERS RACE PLAN
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PURPOSE OF PRE-PERFORMANCE ROUTINES

• Create consistent, high-level performance
• Used for repetitive, self-paced tasks.
• Promote FM
• Focus, confidence, and trust (automaticity!) so
  performance becomes better and more consistent.

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COMPONENTS of PRE-PERFORMANCE ROUTINE

• Energy management
• Remove unwanted tension
• Adjust your arousal to its optimal level
• Confidence Cue
• Thought Cue
• Positive, stress-free, productive mental attitude
• Feelings Cue
• Imagery to experience successful performance
• Execute skills automatically

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Standard Pre-Performance RoutineTOM AMBERRY FREE
THROW ROUTINE

1. Relax your arms and legs by taking several deep
   knee bends while clinching fists and shaking them
   out and set feet square to the free throw line.
2. Bounce the ball 3 times using the inflation hole
   as a focus cue while bouncing the ball
   deliberately.
3. Put your thumb in the channel with your index
   finger pointing at the inflation hole while
   boosting confidence by imagining the perfect
   shot.
4. Elbow in the shot pocket while imagining perfect
   touch and feel throughout the shot.
5. Use an initiation cue such as cocking your wrist
   to automatically initiate the shot by bending
   your knees while keeping your eyes on the target.
6. Repeat cue word nothing but net.
7. Execute automatically, following thru completely
   with your hand in the cookie jar.

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BETWEEN-PERFORMANCE ROUTINES

• Sports with regular breaks in the action.
• Employ a 3-step process use down time to
  productively deal with previous performance and
  effectively prepare for upcoming performance.

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3 STEPS FOR BETWEEN-PERFORMANCE ROUTINES
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STANDARD INTERACTIVE SPORT PERFORMANCE PLAN

• Beginning of each quarter or half
• End of each quarter or half
• Against the press (situational)
• After a run of points

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BACKUP INTERACTIVE SPORT PERFORMANCE PLAN

• When officials make a bad call
• When opposing fans become rowdy
• Following a turnover or major mistake
• When the coach yells at you
• When opponents get a run of 3 or more baskets

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Mental Recovery plans
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PURPOSE OF MENTAL Recovery PLANS
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When might you need a mental recovery plan?
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WHEN YOU MAY NEED MENTAL RECOVERY PLANS
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What are possible mental recovery strategies?
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MENTAL RECOVERY STRATEGIES

• Initiation cue (e.g., clap your hands)
• Relax physically
• Identify new goals
• Counter negative thoughts and develop a
  constructive perspective
• Image new objectives
• Trust bodys ability to execute automatically

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Implementing and Evaluating mental plans
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IMPLEMENTING MENTAL PLANS
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EVALUATING MENTAL PLANS

1. Did you stay focused on your process and
   performance goals?
2. Did you develop and maintain a Flow Mindset?
3. State in which you perform best rather than feel
   best or most comfortable