Essential Training Topics
San Diego Figure Skating Communications
a non-profit educational organization
Athlete Physical & MentalMental Training
Any skills training program is only effective when there is a commitment and belief on the part of the athletes. The following must be in place for any training program to be successful -
mental training prepares athletes for competition by mitigating or if
possible, eliminating the
anxiety involved performing in extremely stressful situations. One of
he primary considerations is to help athletes concentrate on the
Trainers attempt to have athletes learn how to manage & contain anxiety so they can
A prominent mental modeling
system was developed by Dr. Terry Orlick (2000) based on his
experiences and interactions with athletes. The model features seven
key components of what he calls the Wheel of Excellence.
There are two central components of the wheel that form the model's core - Commitment and Belief.
spokes of the wheel that guide excellence contain five elements that
contribute to an individual having the ability to achieve commitment
and belief. These five elements include.
training program. With a solid framework in place, the next task then becomes deciding which elements to focus on during the implementation of the program's framework in place and deciding which
elements should be the primary targets for implementing the training program.
This assessment process involves two key steps:
A. Assessing the needs of the athletes
B. Determining the psychological demands of the sport.
Mental training helps to relieve some of the stress involved in a competitive environment. Besides the pressure of the competition, athletes also can encounter stress and pressure from managers, coaches, teammates. fans and parents. The rigorous schedules and expense on a family can create additional emotional stress that could affect their performance. The purpose of mental training is to alleviate some of the stress.
Psychological trainers to help an individual improve their mental
toughness to withstand the demands of the
competition and help them focus on their priorities. Part of the
process is uncovering any fears that might be standing in the way of
find ways to address those fears. Through mental training, athletes can
gain confidence, composure, and control of their lives.
The following internet links have been gleaned from personal communications
combined with information from public institutions and athletic organizations/
associations that have a web presence with information concerning team and
individual sports programs:
All materials are copy protected.
The limited use of the materials for education purposes is allowed providing
credit is given for the source of the materials.