ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 30, 1996 TAG: 9607300007
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
The nerves of waiting to perform would be enough for most of us to deal with, but over the past couple of weeks, we've seen Olympic athletes cope with a lot more.
Gymnasts had the distraction of simultaneous performances by competitors. Participants in the men's 100-meter race had two false starts before the real event was run.
The athletes have trained their minds as much as they have fine-tuned their performance techniques, however. Did you notice the many swimmers wearing headphones, or the closed eyes and deep breaths of performers as they focused their minds?
The same centering or focusing tactics will work for all of us who want better performance, says sports psychologist John Heil.
Heil is a specialist in sports psychology and pain management with Lewis-Gale Clinic. He also is a competition fencer and was a sports psychology consultant with the U.S. women's foil team through the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. And, he's chairman of the United States Fencing Association Sport Science and Technology Committee.
Preparing for any competition must begin far in advance and include building psychological skills, Heil says.
"Everyone wants to be very good, but how willing are you to work or excel?" he asks.
So here, from the expert, are some tips for all of us whether we plan to climb a mountain, run a marathon or just walk a mile a day.
* Set clear goals. How much time can you or are you willing to spend? And that doesn't just mean time spent building skills for your particular sport, but doing the general fitness and mental work needed to prepare for it.
* Make a written plan.
* Determine what would help you be better. What are the rough spots in your skills? Do a psychological inventory to learn the barriers to successful performance, keeping in mind that most physical barriers are usually psychological barriers, too.
"Ask yourself: 'Can I do this certain thing,'" Heil says.
* Get with your coach, be it a professional or a friend and make a plan for dealing with the skill area that is causing anxiety or fears. Heil suggests taking a complicated movement and break down into its key components.
* Mentally rehearse doing the "it," the thing you're preparing for, which could be meeting deadlines, speaking publicly or performing on stage, in a courtroom or on a criminal investigation.
"You can bring performance mindset to any arena," Heil says. "The real challenge of sports psychology is to take skills learned in a quiet setting to the busiest setting.
That's what contestants who wear headphones are doing; they're trying to create their own personal environment. Maintaining equilibrium is really important, the sports expert points out.
That means, also, that it's important for a young parent to maintain equilibrium in family life as well as in a sports' effort. Balance is important, Heil said.
If you're interested in trying to understand more about how to focus the mind, you might try a class in one of the martial arts, or read about or watch a video on them, Heil said. The possibilities can range from the slow motion gentle movements of tai chi to the faster karate responses.
You can reach Sandra Brown Kelly at (800) 346-1234 outside the Roanoke Valley, at 981-3393 inside the valley or through e-mail at biznews@roanoke.infi.net.ai
LENGTH: Medium: 69 linesby CNB