mental skills handbook

7/28/2019 Mental Skills Handbook

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Mental Skills HandbookSecond Edition - Shannyn J. Gillespie Editor

For the USA Wrestling women freestyle resident athlete program held at the U.S.Olympic Education Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University


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Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Mindset of a Champion 4

Self- Talk...Building a Winning Dialogue 5

GOALS 7

GOALS II 8

How to Develop Visualization Skills 9

Motivation Exercise 10

Centering 11

Acting 12

Early Season Evaluation 13

Stress 14

Training Journals 15

Rituals for Preparation 17

Sources of Distraction 18

Preparing for a Match 19

What Do You Need? 20

PERSISTENCE 21

Post-Match Evaluation 22

Shadow Wrestling 23

Appendix Training Journal #1worksheet 24

Appendix Training Journal #2worksheet 25

Appendix Problem Solving Self Talkworksheet 26

Appendix Post Match Evaluation worksheet 27


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USOEC Women Wrestlers,

At the highest level or Olympic level, the difference

between Olympians and Olympic Champions ismeasured sometimes by tenths of seconds or mental

lapses of less than a blink of an eye.

This packet of resources, written by various authors,

was put together to help, aid, and strengthen your

psychological and mental skills to give you the

advantage to excel.

The information below will help you if you believe it

will help you and you are committed to mastering the

mental aspect of sport.

You must condition your mind just like you conditionyour musclessome say the mind is a muscle

Much of our time is spent on the track, in the weight

room, and in the wrestling room.

Not much time is spent on honing and developing the

psychological advantage.

Until now


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Mindset of a Championby Doug Reese

How does a Champion think?

What makes him different from the rest?

Listed below are the qualities and characteristics of a true champion. Plug into these

truths and make your way to the top!

Be Coachable. Learn everything you can, be a sponge. If you don't understandsomething ask! Gain all of the knowledge you can about the sport.

Train Hard. It is in practice where champions are made. Practice is preparation forcompetition. Give it all you've got-all the time. Only by going hard will you be

ready for the challenges that you will face when it really counts. Be the first one

at practice and the last one to leave.

Be a Leader. You don't have to lead with your words, lead by example.

Don't Make Excuses. Learn to accept responsibility for your actions.

Develop a Positive Attitude. Believe arid you will achieve. A positive attitude-justone little spark can fan a flame through a whole team! Be the spark!

Train with Selfishlessness. Be a team player. Sacrifice for the good of the teamand your teammates.

Go Hard. Always give 100 percent of what you have.

Wrestle with Enthusiasm. Get excited; be fired up! Enjoy what you are doing.Wrestle with passion. Wrestle and train every moment like it is your last

opportunity.

Wrestle Smart. Keep a narrow focus. Do your job with intensity andconcentration. Don't lose site of your goal.

Act like a Winner. Wrestle with class-even during the tough times. A champion

wrestles to win regardless of the opponent or the situation (time, score, etc.)


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Self- Talk...Building a Winning Dialogueby Beasey Hendrix cont.

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The key to using this method is to practice. Learn to think the thoughts that would firstenter your mind when you hit a negative situation; then, practice shifting to your solution

dialogue. Once you have completed this first assignment, you are on the road to

understanding how to plan and implement a winning approach.


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GOALS

by Shannyn J. Gillespie

A goal is something we want to do which we have not yet done. A broad example of an

academic school goal is telling your self you will do better than you did last time on your

homework or test. A more specific example of an academic school goal is telling yourself you will get a particular grade or score on your next homework assignment or test.

A good way to set and realize a goal is to write down what you want, how you are goingto accomplish this, when the goal will happen, and why you want this goal. An example

from the above academic school example is: writing down what grade you will get,

writing down the steps it will take to get there, when you will get this grade, and why youwant this grade. This means if want an A on a test or homework, you would write down

how you will get the A grade, when you will get the grade, and why you want this grade

(examples are reading homework every night 3 times, studying extra by reading

flashcards, and staying after class to discuss with your teacher what grade you are trying

to get and how they think you can do this).

Learning how to use goals, like anything in life, takes time. This means if you start todayyou should expect to see results in timenot the very next second or even day. Goals are

committed plans that have a very easy to follow progression like the steps of a ladder.

This means you should not expect to get to your goal by skipping rungs on the ladder orjust wishing and dreaming. You must write down what you want, how you are going to

do it, when you will get it, why you want it, and work hard in order to reach your goals.

In order for you to reach your goals, you need to learn and master the basics of your

event. This means if you want an A on you test or homework, you must be able to read

or write or add/subtract/divide/multiply. If you have not mastered the basics yet, youshould ask for additional help at every moment until you can read, write and do basic

math.

You can use all of the above words to form goals for every part of your life. Examples

are: wrestling goals; practice goals, skill goals, tournament goals, attitude goals, strength

goalsthe list is endless and infinite!!!

Your Goals Should Be SMART

Specific- saying you will do better is less specific than saying I will get a

specific grade Measurable- increasing work by repetitions, minutes, hours, or days

Attainable- not so easy is takes no work to do or so hard you cannot do it

Realistic- flying in the sky like a bird is not realisticit is fantasy

Timely- date when you will accomplish your goal


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How to Develop Visualization Skillsby Doug Reese

What is Visualization?

Visualization is also referred to as guided imagery, or the process of creating a scene in the

athlete's mind of what they want to happen. An athlete will create images, like pictures or movies,that recreate their best performances, or they will envision a desired outcome. While imagining

these scenarios, the athlete will actually imagine every detail and the way it feels to perform justthe way they want.

These images can be visual (images and pictures), kinesthetic (how the body may feel), orauditory (the roar of the crowd). Using the mind, an wrestler can call up these images over and

over, enhancing their skill through repetition or rehearsal, similar to physical practice. Withmental practice, minds and bodies become trained to actually perform the skill imagined.

Both physical and psychological reactions in certain situations can be improved with suchvisualization. Such repeated imagery can build both experience and confidence in an athlete's

ability to perform certain skills under pressure, and in a variety of possible situations. The mosteffective visualization techniques result in a very vivid sport experience in which the athlete hascomplete control over a successful performance.

Guided imagery and visualization can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of an athlete's

training. In a world where sports performance and success is measured in one hundredths of asecond, most athletes will use every possible training technique at hand. Many, to gain that veryslim margin use visualization.

How to Develop Visualization and Imagery Skills

Imagery and visualization are the main ingredients for success. Visualization, with the of useimagery, is thinking and seeing yourself perform positively and successfully in all situations:whether it is in the classroom, at training or in a competitive realm. The following are techniquesto follow, remembering that these are learned skills that take practice. Visualization and imagery

development varies with each athlete, depending on his or her commitment to the process.

Visualization and Imagery Techniques

1. Visualize from your "mind's eye" or as you would see it.

2. Visualize with as many of your senses as possible. Utilize all your seven senses.Try to recreate as many feelings and muscular stimuli with each visualization as you can.

3. Visualize as many times during the day as possible-when you get up, before training, aftertraining and always before you fall asleep.

4. Visualize all the various situations that you will be facing.

5. Visualize those skills that are most difficult for you. It is important that the images are asperfect as possible, include as much of the physical feeling of doing these techniques as you can.

6. Repeat each image in your mind as many times as possible. Utilize every opportunity to

reinforce neuromuscular patterning.


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Centeringby Beasey Hendrix

Centering is a focus/refocusing technique that allows athletes to recover composure and

to redirect focus. It is promoted as a basic stress control technique.

The Idea Behind the Method

Sports psychologists tell us that it is important for the athlete to "stay in the present." Wecan't control the future, nor the past, so thinking about these time frames can cause

anxiety and stress. Yet, many athletes place themselves in the past by dwelling on what

has happened. Others jump to the future to worry about what might occur. Both of these

situations can negatively affect performance.

Centering helps you "stay in the present" by helping you concentrate on your body and

your breathing. This allows you to focus on things other than stress, bad calls, whathappened, or what will happen next in the competition. The mere act of thinking about

your breathing changes your focus from the negative or anxiety-causing event, to thepresent task. This kicks out the negative and helps you regroup your thoughts.

How Do I Center?

Focus on breathing a slow, steady stream of air in through your nose. Feel the air enteryour lungs and settle into the center of your body. Blowout through your mouth while

thinking a key work or phase that helps you to refocus on what you need to be doing.

Some athletes choose to think, "What do I need to do now?" Others say, "Center." Someeven close their eyes and envision a successful move. You can develop your own key

word or phase. Just make it one that has meaning to you.

How Do I Learn this Skill?Centering can become automatic if you practice it enough. Center yourself after flurries,

a break in the action, or a time out. Teach yourself to use every break to regain focus by

centering. Train yourself to control your thinking by using this centering skill as yourcue. Invoke that automatic refocus.

When Do I Apply this Skill?Center any time you have a pause in the action. Simply take your breath and repeat your

key word to refocus on your goals. When centering becomes automatic, you will be

almost "machine-like" in your response to competition situations.

What Will Centering Do for Me?Once you learn this skill, you will notice a definite change in the thinking patterns youuse in your competition. You will spend less time thinking about problems and more time

focusing on solutions. You will have less stress, and you will enjoy more success. You

make the call. If centering is something that will benefit you in competition, then practice

it daily until you master the skill. It is a simple and effective way for you to control yourperformance self-talk and focus.


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Actingby Shannyn J. Gillespie

What if you want to be a champion? What if you want to look like a winner? What if

you want to feel like the best? Why not act that way until you really are? It may seem

odd to trick your brain into believing one thing but it works. You may be unconsciouslyacting anyway but in a way that is dis-empowering (taking away vital energy and

power). Why not act in a way that will empower you?

You can act is if you feel proud, confident, happy in many ways. One way to portray

confidence is to keep your head up and shoulders back. This body language usually

makes everyone feel better. Ever notice when you feel sad or depressed how youshoulders are hunched over and your head is down coincidence? Your brain interprets

this as sadand you may feel more sad or depressed if you continue this way.

Another way to when you are uncertain is to mimic what a champion would do. Ask

your self what a champion would do in this situation? Champions always seem to havethe right answersand your brain knows what a champion would do. Even if you arenot a champion yet, your brain can act is if it was and you will feel like a champion. If

you are not sure what a champion would do, act how you think a champion would

act...again, you will feel more like a champion.

Ever notice how you are breathing when you are tense or timid or happy or sad or

motivated? You can control your breathing when you get tense and act like you aregetting ready for another great performance. Controlling your breathing (and becomingaware of how this effects your emotions) will help you control your mind. Act as if you

can control your breathing and notice the difference in your body and mind.

This idea can also used in practice or during warm-ups or anywhere. Instead of going

through the motions in warm-ups, act like you are warming up for the Olympic Finals.

Instead of just wrestling matches in practice, act like you are wrestling in the WorldChampionship Finals. This will put you in a different state of mind and change how you

view your practices...thus, getting more out of practices.

Winners, champions, the best, and successful people often develop confidence by

constantly challenging themselves. If they make a mistake, they often chalk it up as a

learning experience. Rather than beat themselves up when they falter, they simply say,Well, now I know that approach will not work for me and try a different approach. This

ability to use every experience as a learning moment separates winners, champions, thebest, and successful people from the average. You can act just like them until you are

they.

As you notice what the successful people are doing, take mental notes. You may act this

way in the future.


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Stressby Beasey Hendrix

Stress can be a friend or foe. Too little stress and you will be under-aroused and not be motivated to

perform. Too much stress and you will be over-aroused, and you may panic, thereby harming your

performance. Either way, your ability to perform suffers.

Over-activation (too much stress) is the major problem that most athletes experience, and it makes sense. If

you are performing in front of a crowd, against good competition, you see the competition as a challenge.

This offers many opportunities for stress to develop. Often times this stress becomes too much.

Two Types of Stress

Stress can be classified into two different types. One is called "state stress," and the other type is labeled

"trait stress." State stress is caused by a situation or event. Trait stress is caused by a person's personality or

thinking style. It is common for athletes to experience situational stress. As a matter of fact, a little stress

helps you. It gets you warmed up and ready to go! The problem starts when you have so much stress that it

begins to overtake your planning and causes you to have a shift in focus to inappropriate topics and

concerns. Many athletes actually begin to worry about their worrying!

Physical and Mental StressStress shows itself in two ways in the athlete, physical and mental stress. In physical stress, the athlete

begins to "feel" nervous. The signs are cold hands, butterflies, and jumpiness. In mental stress, the athlete

starts to have negative self-talk or doubt. Either of these situations can become the focus of your attention

and interfere with the ability to perform.

Where Stress Comes From

Stress comes from you! Yes, you produce it, so you can control it. Now, that may sound a little strange.

Many things cause stress: boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, coaches, parents, lack of money, school, big

competition, etc. Stress comes from all sorts of things in our lives. Research has shown that some people

are bothered by certain situations, while others have no problem in the same situation.

Nothing is particular causes stress. Stress is caused by how you perceive an idea, requirement or

expectation. It is really in how you interpret the event or situation.So any stress you feel is caused by how you are looking at the situation. It is coming from your picture of

how things should be, and what you think needs to be. By placing such values on an idea you begin to

produce tension, stress, anxiety, or pressure.

Another common problem with athletes is that we are always looking into the future, wondering about what

will happen. We have no control over the future, so it can make us worry about the uncertainty. This builds

stress. You can see as athletes we have a great opportunity to build a lot of stress into our lives.

What You Can Do

What can you do if you feel too much stress?

Understand that you are making the stress.

Step back and identify what you are stressing over.

Look for situations to that specific problem (what do I want to do about it?)

Get to work on the solution.

If there is not an immediate solution, then tell yourself to let it go.

Refocus on an idea or thought that will help you.

By understanding that you are in control, you are a step closer to actually being in control. You have the

power, so use it!


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Training Journalsby Olympic Champion Steve Fraser

Any elite or world-class athlete will tell you that keeping a training journal is an absolute

must if you want to make the most of your training. Detailed record keeping that reminds

you of exactly what you did during training on a certain day, week, or month allows youto make a judgment on works best for you.

Almost all the advantages of keeping a training journal come from regular comparisons

that you are able to make by logging and tracking day-to-day workouts, diet, attitude, etc.

A journal lets you chart the peaks and valleys of your performances. You may think that

you will never forget a particular event or practice, but could you remember the exactworkout the day or weeks before, that prepared you for that peak performance?

A training journal is also a great place to record the results of competitive events. Byjotting down the name of the event, who you competed against, and the outcome, you can

compare your accomplishments from event to event, from year to year.

Your Personal RecordBecause each athletes training needs are different the information recorded in a journal is

completely up to the individual. Your training journal should be just that yours. Sportsphysiologists, athletic trainers and coaches as well as former Olympic medalists agree

that there are several areas any athlete involved in a serious program should include in a

journal.

Daily Workout

For each day of training note the time of day, and a description of the workout session.

Specify the type of exercise and how you felt before, during and after the trainingsession. Also note, the intensity during each workout session and the number of sessions

that day. Record the number and length of rest Intervals during the session. Record, too,

if you are recovering from illness or injury. Note the time of day of your training. Youcan compare early morning workouts to afternoon sessions, for example, to see if the

time of day influences how well you train or how you feel.

Weight FluctuationsRecord your weight faithfully each day. It will tell you a great deal about your training

program. Weigh yourself before breakfast. This is your "real weight." Then weighyourself before and after practice to see how much water loss you are experiencing - and

to gauge how readily you regain water weight.

Sleep PatternsNote the ease of falling asleep the night before, and how well and how long you slept. Jot

down any changes or disturbances in sleep patterns as well as the total hours slept each

evening.


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Training Journalsby Olympic Champion Steve Fraser cont.

InjuriesHow you recover from an injury can be documented in your journal, and can be used as a

reference for future injuries. Regular record keeping will show what type of treatment

was used for a particular injury. How long did it take for a complete recovery? Was

complete rest or moderate exercise the way you rehabilitated? A journal will help youtrack the cause of injuries more easily, too. For example, if a knee problem develops for

no apparent reason, a journal will allow you to look back over your activities for previous

days for clues. Recovering from any illness such as a cold or the flu also should be notedin your journal. Frequent illnesses may indicate a low resistance to germs and

infections as a result of stress or overtraining.

Supplementary TrainingAll supplementary training should be recorded and monitored. If you are weight training

for greater muscular strength, note the amount of weights and repetitions, or weightresistance machines used in your training. When running or cycling is part of your

program, record the distance and time (speed) for each workout.

Common Journal PitfallsThe most common pitfall of keeping a regular journal is to record too much information.

Keep only information that is important to you and your training program. Don't become

bogged down with recording trivial details or more data than you need. Stick to jottingdown only the few important details. Otherwise, you may tire altogether of keeping any

notes.

Looking Back...The greatest benefit you will get from keeping a training journal is the ability to look

back over past weeks, months and years. You might not have to recall the difficulty, onceyou are through a particularly tough training period, but flipping back through the pages

in your journal will remind you of just how hard you have worked. If you really believe

that keeping a journal will improve your athletic performance, you will find time to keepit and learn from it too.


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Rituals for Preparationby Beasey Hendrix

Warming Up

Most athletes understand the idea of warming up. A warm up allows the body to activate and

become aroused. It helps the athlete become physically prepared. But many athletes go abouttheir warm up in a haphazard, unplanned way.

Warm up should be a period of getting into optimum readiness for competition, can become a

moment of lost opportunities, or even worse - a time 'of stress and anxiety. '

Order from the Chaos

Warming up can offer a time for mental preparation, planning strategies, tactics, and even stresscontrol. During your warm up, you can accomplish many things that will help you in your

performance.

But how can you be sure that you warm up properly and cover all of your needed concerns? By

developing a ritual, or a specific way of doing things. We all have special, customized ways ofdoing things. By organizing and following through with your special procedures, you develop acomforting system of preparing for competition.

What Do You Need?

It is easy. You just need to get things organized in a comfortable sequence. What do you like todo to get ready? Think about it, and then repeat the same routine every time. Use your ritual totransform... from anxiously waiting competition, to being well prepared and ready to go.

Design Your Own Ritual

Take a few minutes and decide exactly what you would like to do. Get it in your mind what youwant to do, what you need to do, and when to be ready for your competition. Layout a plan in astep-by-step fashion; then practice it. Many athletes like to listen to music as part of their ritual.Some listen to easy listening music to relax and calm them down prior to competition, and others

like to get pumped up. Just decide what you need to get you ready.

Your Ritual is Your Friend

Use your ritual to prepare yourself for competition. Get lost In your preparation. Everythingbecomes automatic as you go from step to step. No outside worries or concerns. Just focus on

your goals, and get your mind and body ready. By entering your ritual, you retreat to acomfortable place, one that you are familiar and comfortable with. No matter where you are, youcan enter this "place" where you feel good, and you know what is happening. Use your ritual tocue yourself to get Into your zone.

Final Thoughts

There are many things an athlete can do to help control stress and to prepare yourself forcompetition. The development of a pre-competition ritual will' help you control stress, and yet

prepare you for the demands of competition. Take the time to determine what you need, design adefinite ritual, then use it. By ritualizing your pre-competition tasks, you help yourself shift Into

automatic, you become comfortable with where you are, and you stop worrying about unneeded

concerns.


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Sources of Distractionby Doug Reese

Distraction Management

Distraction for the athlete can come from a number of sources, both internal and external,

such as:

The presence of loved one you want to impress '

Family or relationship problems

Media - photographers, interviewers, cameras, heat from lights, etc.

Teammates and other competitors

Coaches who do not know when to keep quiet

Under performance or unexpected high performance

Frustration at mistakes

Unjust criticism

Poor refereeing decisions

Changes in familiar patterns

You can prepare for and deal with all of these sources of distraction!

Coping with DistractionCoping with distractions and minor irritations is mainly a matter of attitude - you can

either dwell on them or blow them up out of proportion to their significance, or you canaccept them and bypass them. If you waste mental energy worrying over a trivial

problem, then this is energy that cannot be spent maintaining good technique (hence

preserving physical energy). Over long events or competitions, this wastage of mental

energy can seriously damage your performance.

What is worth remembering is that when you are distracted, you lose concentration andmake a mistake - YOU HAVE NOT LOST YOUR SKILLS. All you have lost is your

focus.

The following points may help you deal with distractions:

Remember that although events may be beyond your control, your reactions toevents are entirely controlled by you.

Think positively - recognize little irritations - and let them go...

Know you can perform well despite distraction.

Prepare for and expect more distraction at bigger events.

Expect other competitors to be more nervous at big events - use your ability toresist stress and distraction as a competitive advantage.

Develop a refocusing plan and practice using it when you are distracted.

Learn how to change bad moods to good moods.

Sleep and rest more before big events so that you have more mental energy todevote to distraction, mood and stress control.


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Preparing for a Matchby Beasey Hendrix

Wrestlers at the top level of expertise have already enjoyed tremendous success in the

athletic arena. Most of you know how to prepare for a big match. For those athletes, keep

up the good work. You don't need to fix it if it-is not broken!

For athletes who want to know more about match preparation, research shows us thatthere are some commonalties among the most successful wrestlers. They appear to

loosely follow the same patterns of preparation and thought. I have compiled a series of

suggestions from this research and person experience with my athletes. Read over this

information...compare it to what you are presently doing, then affirm your preparationmethods or make some adjustments.

Pre-match NervousnessOne thing that shows up in interviews with our top wrestlers is the fact that most

wrestlers suffer from pre-match anxiety. This is normal. As long as this nervousness isnot overwhelming or causing you to have focus problems, then it is okay. In fact, it mayhelp activate you and keep you sharp, so, don't worry about a little tension.

Preparation Hints

Become self-centered. Focus on what you need.

Develop a plan of action based on what you want to do. (Plan a perfect match)

Understand that there may be developments in a match that are unexpected andeven unfair. Have a plan of action in mind for: bad calls, fleeing the mat,

stalling, or any other negative events.

Work to achieve that optimum feeling of readiness. Some athletes try to get reallypumped up for weaker opponents, and then try to calm down for a tougher foe.

Research tells us that the most successful athletes have an optimum arousal point.

They achieve a feeling of readiness that tells them-it's time! The roller coastereffect of getting pumped up, or of having to calm down is just too hard to handle.

Try to reach your special point of readiness each time.

Focus on the appropriate topics.

Rid yourself of any negative self-talk that may occur.

Hit your zone or flow state. Step on the mat. Become a wrestler. Clear your mind of outside concerns and

focus on your plan.

Perform.

Recover from any unexpected events. Use your Plan B.

Enjoy your performance.


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What Do You Need?by Doug Reese

Every Wrestler is Different

Every wrestler is different, they cut weight differently, warm-up differently, handle stress

differently, and wrestle differently.

It is important to the coaching staff that we treat each individual wrestler differently. Todo that we need to know what you need to wrestle your best. We need to know what each

wrestler wants and what they are thinking so that we can help put you in the best frame of

mind to perform at the highest level.

What type of warm-up do you want and do you need assistance?

What do you want before the match?

What do you want during the match from your coach in the corner?

Who do you want in your corner?

Do you want a scouting report on your opponent?

How much do you want to know?

Do you want an evaluation directly after the match (do you want to be left alone),or do you want to go over the match later?

What type of warm-down do you want?

How else can the coaching staff assist you?

What are your goals for this tournament?

It is important that all members of the team communicate their expectations and needs to

the coaching staff. We can be more effective as a team when we open and establish the

channels of communication. Remember the goal is to perform. Any way we can help youperform at the highest level, that's what we will do!


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PERSISTENCEby Shannyn J. Gillespie

This word means to keep trying when you think you cannot or when you do not feel like trying

anymore. When you do not feel like trying or think you can not try anymore, this is a fantastic time to

tell your self you can, motivate your self, and encourage your self that you are able and ready for the

job, task, exercise or what ever you are doing.

A clear example is when you fail a test or lose a match or try to do something and cannot seem to do

or get it rightand you keep trying because you know soon you will grasp the concept, understandthe problem, or get better because you did not give up and you kept trying.

One way to be persistent when you do not immediately achieve a goal is to ask for assistance,instruction or guidance from a parent, teacher, or coach. Many of you already do this and that is good.

Some times you may get angry, upset, mad, or frustrated when you attempt to do something and you

do not succeed right away. This is the point when you must tell your self I can do this. This is also a

good time to ask someone like a parent, teacher, or coach what to do next time in order to succeed. It

is always better to try again after instruction, assistance, and guidancethis is the time when yourbrain is most ready to learn.

Here is something to think about: you will succeed and or learn if you keep trying.

Several examples are you learning to walk or talk or count or read or tie your shoe. Can you imagine if

all of you would have stopped trying how to walk or talk when you were very little? Babies have to be

shown or taught how to do nearly everything except being persistentbeing persistent is an innate,instinctive, or unlearned skill that helps babies survive and thrive. You possess or have the same skill

and it is to your advantage to fortify, strengthen, or become better at being persistent.

If you do not succeed the first time, you are about averageif you ask for assistance, instruction, &

guidance and then try again you are more likely to succeed and learn.

The times when you fall short of your goals is the time when you can learn the most and try again.

Giving all that you have or trying really hard or giving a maximum effort will increase your chances

of success in all areas of your life. You must do this all the time and soon a habit will be formed

because this will be the only way you know how to accomplish things or a task.

Sometimes we put too much emphasis or we focus too much or we think too much about winning or

losing or getting the highest grade or highest achievement. What we really need to do is focus on our

efforts or how hard we tried or how prepared we were. When we focus on working hard, trying hard,

and becoming as prepared, as possible, only good things will occur. Because we focus on the ideasthat will make us better, regardless of the outcome or the grade or the achievement, we will teach our

brain that being prepared, trying to do our best, and working hard is much more important than

anything.

You and I can always try harder. You and I can tell when we are giving it our all. You and I canbecome the best that we can be at all times when we step in the classroom or the wrestling room.

YOU & I CAN DO ANYTHING WE SET OUT TO DO!!!


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Post-Match Evaluationby Doug Reese

Who did you wrestle?

How did the match go?

What went well?

What didn't?

Analyze why?

What would you do differently next time?

Were you ready to wrestle?

Physically?

Mentally?

Weight?

Was your preparation in line with what you need to do?

Ritual okay?

.Perfect match plan?

What areas do you need to strengthen?

Was your preparation in line with what you need to do?

Ritual okay?

Perfect Match plan?

What areas do you need to strengthen?


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Shadow Wrestlingby Shannyn J. Gillespie

This form of exercise combines mental and physical aspects while giving the wrestler a

cardio workout as well.

Many of you probably have seen or heard the term shadow boxing. But what actually isshadow boxing? Shadow boxing, the term, is derived from boxing ones shadow. Sense

you can rarely see your shadow, one has to imagine boxing a shadow.

How does this benefit wrestlers? This benefits wrestlers because we can use this same

technique using our wrestling skills. This is a lead up imagery skill that many can apply

right away and receive benefits.

What makes this technique more effective is to also imagine the other senses i.e.

auditory, kinesthetic (feeling of touch). You can actually use your mind to hear thecrowd or your coach or your opponent or yourself. You want to make the experience as

real as possible to prepare your mind for upcoming competitions. It is also a very good

idea to imagine how it feels when you shoot and your opponent sprawls or you sprawl

and what your opponents grasp feels like. Again, making yourself aware of your sensesand imagining exactly how they occur prepares your for match like situations.

It may not seem like much, but shadow wrestling for 6 minutes really does give you agood cardio workout. It may be hard to stay in position initially for 6 minutes. So, you

may need to work up to this plateau. You can get in your stance and: take shots, sprawl,

back step, back arch, arm spin, firemans carry, inside trip, head lockthe skills are

limitless. You can also feel the mat underneath your feet, feel your opponents grasp,hear the ref blowing a whistle, & hear the noise and chatter of the arena.

Your mind is powerful and will do what you tell it to do.


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Training Journal#1What I did today to become an Olympic champion! Day___ Date___________________________________________________________________________

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What I did today to become an Olympic champion! Day___ Date___

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What I did today to become an Olympic champion! Day___ Date___________________________________________________________________________

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What will you do habitually to become an Olympic Champion?


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Training Journal #2Date_________ Time Awoke________ Hrs. of sleep________ Time to bed_________Meals (food type): Breakfast___________________________________________________________

Lunch_____________________________________________________________________________

Dinner____________________________________________________________________________Training Activity____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________How did I feel today? ________________________________________________________________

What did I learn today?_______________________________________________________________

What should I do different? ___________________________________________________________

MY #1 goal________________________________________________________________________

General Comments____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Date_________ Time Awoke________ Hrs. of sleep________ Time to bed_________Meals (food type): Breakfast___________________________________________________________Lunch_____________________________________________________________________________

Dinner____________________________________________________________________________

Training Activity______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How did I feel today? ________________________________________________________________What did I learn today?_______________________________________________________________


MY #1 goal________________________________________________________________________General Comments__________________________________________________________________

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Date_________ Time Awoke________ Hrs. of sleep________ Time to bed_________Meals (food type): Breakfast___________________________________________________________

Lunch_____________________________________________________________________________

Dinner____________________________________________________________________________

Training Activity______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How did I feel today? ________________________________________________________________



MY #1 goal________________________________________________________________________

General Comments__________________________________________________________________

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Date_________ Time Awoke________ Hrs. of sleep________ Time to bed_________Meals (food type): Breakfast___________________________________________________________

Lunch_____________________________________________________________________________

Dinner____________________________________________________________________________Training Activity____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________How did I feel today? ________________________________________________________________


What should I do different? ___________________________________________________________MY #1 goal________________________________________________________________________

General Comments__________________________________________________________________

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What will you do habitually to become an Olympic Champion?


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Problem Solving Self-Talkworksheet

What are some common problems that might occur during your competition?

What have you thought in the past?

What do you want to say now?

List your predicted problems, and the self-talk you can use to combat them.

Problem_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Solution_________________________________________________________________

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Problem_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Solution_________________________________________________________________

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Problem_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Solution_________________________________________________________________

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The key to using this method is to practice. Learn to think the thoughts that would firstenter your mind when you hit a negative situation; then practice shifting to your solution

dialogue. Once you have completed this first assignment, you are on the road to

understanding how to plan and implement a winning approach.


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Post-Match Evaluationworksheet

Who did you wrestle?______________________________________________________

How did the match go?_____________________________________________________

What went well?__________________________________________________________

What didn't? _____________________________________________________________

Analyze why?____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What would you do differently next time?______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Were you ready to wrestle?__________________________________________________

Physically? ________________________________________________________

Mentally? _________________________________________________________

Weight?___________________________________________________________

Was your preparation in line with what you need to do?___________________________

Ritual okay?_____________________________________________________________Perfect Match plan?_______________________________________________________

What areas do you need to strengthen?_________________________________________

Was your preparation in line with what you need to do?___________________________

Ritual okay?_____________________________________________________________

Perfect Match plan?_______________________________________________________

What areas do you need to strengthen?_________________________________________

mental skills handbook

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