Sleep better to play better

Ongoing research out of Stanford University is continuing to establish the relationship between athletic performance and sleeping habits.  Sleep lab researcher Cheri Mah has now conducted studies with male basketball players and male and female swimmers for Stanford.  The results are conclusive:  more sleep for the athletes yielded better performance.  

The athletes were asked to compare their performance results during periods of normal sleeping habits with 6-7 week trial periods of at least 10 hours of sleep per night.  During the period of extended sleep, the athletes demonstrated improved quickness, speed, and reaction time.  Furthermore, they reported better moods throughout the day, reduced daytime sleepiness, and increased energy.

Said Mah of her research:  "These results begin to elucidate the importance of sleep on athletic performance and, more specifically, how sleep is a significant factor in achieving peak athletic performance."

Some tips for sleeping better for better performance:

Make sleep a part of your regular training regimen.

Extend nightly sleep for several weeks to reduce your sleep debt before competition.

Maintain a low sleep debt by obtaining a sufficient amount of nightly sleep (seven to eight hours for adults, nine or more hours for teens and young adults).

Keep a regular sleep-wake schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same times every day.

Take brief naps to obtain additional sleep during the day, especially if drowsy.

Read the whole report from Science Daily here.

Alcohol use in the NFL

High profile alcohol-related incidents involving NFL players seem to be becoming more and more common; just ask Cedric Benson, Odell Thurman, and Adam Jones.  But, given the substantial body of negative health and professional effects alcohol abuse poses, why would such high profile professional athletes engage in such behavior?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has proposed one possible source contributing to the problem - the advertising and alcohol policies of the NFL teams themselves.  Judge John Burlew recently summarized the problem in a hearing related to linebacker Odell Thurman's alcohol related arrest:  "The allegations are that you had a legal substance—alcohol—in your body, a substance which they advertise and get money from, millions of dollars a year from."

In summary, the CPSI proposes that the NFL hypocritically punishes its players severely for alcohol related incidents while simultaneously profiting from beer advertising and sales in the stadiums.  They propose a complete ban of alcohol related sales and advertising at NFL games.  The root of the CPSI's concern is that young sport viewers could possibly view athletics and alcohol as inherently related, and be more likely to develop alcohol problems.

But why could alcohol abuse be more common among professional athletes?  Is it more common at all among pros than other populations?  Some reasons for alcohol abuse among high profile athletes can include:

Stress - athletics can impart extreme physical and psychological stress, and alcohol could be used as a form of "escape"

Social situations - any new athletes who enter into an established culture of drinking are likely to engage in the same behavior

Modeling - young athletes may be more likely to abuse alcohol if it becomes associated with role model athletes - an association which both increased alcohol advertising during sporting events and media coverage of athletes and alcohol may lead to

A healthy education of young athletes about normal and responsible behavior around alcohol, and demonstration of healthy behavior by parents, are both key to preventing youth alcohol abuse.

Read the whole CPSI report here.

Sport Psychologists advice spurs Maryland to NCAA title in Field Hockey

Maryland was defending back-to-back national titles a season ago when the school hosted the field hockey final four.  There was just one problem:  The Terrapins hadn't made the tourney.  The experience was not a pleasant one for the team.  

However, the coach credits the asssistance of sport psychologist Joel Fish.  Primarily, his worked involved re-establishing and fortifying team camaraderie and unity, which had been lost after a slow start in which some focus had been lost as players also competed for national teams.  

Maryland coach Missy Meharg described her teams performance: "Our girls played very mature mentally.  They didn't allow anything to unsettle them."

Read the whole report from the Baltimor Sun here.

Burnout - A Cautionary Tale

Rewind several months. Elena Delle Donne was the nation's top women's basketball player, prepping for the upcoming season at national power UConn, seemingly the world at her feet. Fast forward to now - Elena has quit the UConn team, resigned her scholarship, enrolled at Delaware, and walked onto the volleyball team, a sport she played for the first time last year.

Why? In a word, burnout. Elena personally admitted she was burned out and fed up with basketball at 18. Perhaps the Delaware volleyball coach, Bonnie Kelly, said it best: "Adults need to pay attention. It’s a problem in youth sports. These kids are burned out. From 12 to 18, I bet Elena can count on her hands the amount of weekends she didn’t have anything to do related to sport. She’s missed the opportunity to be a kid.”

An all-comsuming focus from a young age on athletics, to the detriment of other activities, can lead to burnout among youth athletes. Outside pressures, including those from parents and coaches, can cause burnout - as can internal pressures from self-driven athletes.

In Elena's case, perhaps it's interesting to note that she received her first college scholarship offer in the seventh grade.

Read the whole New York Times article here.

Physically strong = emotionally strong?

Elevated to astronomical social heights, seen as role models and heroes, and paid handsomely for their efforts, professional athletes rarely give us an insight into their personal lives. Not so with Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Delonte West, who recently went public regarding his battles
with a mood disorder and depression. Said West, "I removed myself from the team so I could get myself together so I could not be a distraction to the team and what we're trying to accomplish here. For a while, you feel like a weaker man because you've got to raise your hand and ask for help. But I found out over the last week that made me a stronger person."

The key point here is at the end. Sometimes, counseling and sport psychology are viewed with a negative stigma and the belief that those seeking the assistance of a counselor are weak. However, this is not the case, and in West we can see that seeking and finding help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Read the whole article from Philly.com here.

Parent behavior in youth sport – nightmare vs. reality

Media coverage in recent years would make us think that violence and aggression among parents in youth sports is the norm, not the extreme. A simple google search for violence in youth sports will return hundreds of stories detailing such incidents. Certainly, such violent behavior among parents and family members is out of line and not the normal baseline for spectator behavior.

But what does parent behavior and comments actually look like? Athletic Insight, online sport psychology journal, has published a new study detailing the actual content of parent comments during youth athletic events. Their research, reviewing over 2,000 comments by over 100 parents, showed that 52% of observed comments were positive, while 32% were negative and 16% were neutral. Comments which were viewed as negative were those which were scolding, sarcastic, and instructional/correcting in nature. Some examples of these comments include “let’s see some hustle out there,” “Suck it up,” or “throw it to first”.

The study gives us an outline of the frequency and content of negative comments and behaviors – so what are some positive behaviors parents of young athletes can use? SPINW has compiled a list of positive traits for parents and coaches of young athletes below.

-Encourage, but don’t force – encourage children to play sports, but don’t force them if they really don’t want to.

-Set limits on participation – base participation of children on their physical and emotional readiness. Doing too much can lead to injury or burnout.

-Set goals – help children set realistic goals for performance.

-Winning isn’t everything – keep your child’s focus on having fun and giving their best effort, not winning at all cost.

-Let the coach coach – when a child is at practice or a game, parents should let coaches do their job, and avoid giving advice or criticisms.

Read the whole article from Athletic Insight here.

Music in Sport

A sidenote of Michael Phelps' utter dominance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were his ever-present headphones just before a race. What he was listening to was the topic of some discussion, and it turns out it was an assortment of Lil Wayne, Jay Z, and others (Yahoo Sports has the scoop on that).

But what is it about music that can lead to better athletic performance? Does it even help? Do athletes use it? A sizable body of sport psychology research shows that the answer to these questions seems to be yes.

Research has many interesting points about music and athletics. It seems that music can affect sport performance by: modifying arousal and motivation levels, reducing perceived amount of exertion, increasing focus, and elevating or lowering rates of physical movement.

In fact, the online journal Athletic Insight gives us some interesting research regarding NCAA athletes and their use of music for enhanced performance. The study demonstrated that athletes used music for four reasons:

1. To control arousal levels before and after competition

2. To improve mental focus

3. To control mood before competition

4. To build a sense of team and camaraderie

For example, many athletes commented that they used upbeat, fast-tempo music to increase their arousal level immediately before competition. But, participants also noted that in the hours leading up to competition, slow music was extremely helpful to take their mind off outside stressors, relax, and concentrate on what they wanted to do at game time.

Read the rest of the fascinating study from Georgia Southern University here, and let us know what you think! As a reader, coach, or athlete, do you listen to music for any of the reasons above? Does it help, or not help? What songs are particularly helpful? Share your thoughts by commenting to this article.

Using the On-and-Off switch: NFL players and everyday life

NFL football, sometimes called our "gladiator sport", is without a doubt the most violent sport in mainstream America today. It's easy to think of hard-hitting gridiron warriors like Brian Dawkins, Ray Lewis, and Shawne Merriman as modern day gladiators...but we forget that's only for a couple hours on Sunday. How does that switch get flipped to be fathers, husbands, and regular people for the other six days of the week?

Here's what some athletes said, as covered in an NYT article from Super Bowl XLII:

“You have to have two personalities, one for football, one for your daily life.” - Clem Daniels, ex-Raiders running back

"Once you get on the field and put the helmet on, it’s like a whole other animal. Really, I like to think of it like my mask, not really as a superhero or anything like that. Once I put that mask on, I don’t know, it’s like controlled violence.” - Kawika Mitchell, Giants linebacker

"Football is a violent sport. It is a sport of: ‘Who gives up first? What can you do to make your opponent give up or not want to play?" - Kareem McKenzie, Giants offensive tackle

So what happens when the switch can't be turned off, or the athlete doesn't know how? One possibility could be a rash of violent behavior - see the Cincinatti Bengals. Another possible consequence of not knowing how to get out of game day mode could be burnout. Some tips for avoiding burnout:

1. Set short term goals - short term goals can both provide a positive sense of accomplishment and build long-term motivation, providing for context and positive momentum in training. It helps us stay grounded and focused, and avoid 'getting lost' in training

2. Learn self-regulation skills - Skills such as relaxation, imagery, or goal setting can help ward off burnout. Burnout usually involves sport eclipsing all other aspects of life with negative consequences all around, and good self regulation can moderate the stress involved in intense athletic performance and training.

3. Keep a positive outlook - When training and performing, try to keep focus on what you can control and improving your skills. Concentrating on outside criticism or factors which can't be controlled (i.e., "I can't believe the ref made that call!!") can lead to excess stress and burnout down the road. Try having a good source of social support (close friend, teammate) to help keep your focus positive.

Read the whole New York Times report here.

Anxiety and its Consequences

All athletes, performing at all levels of competition, are familiar with feelings of anxiety and arousal. Whether it's a small child with a dry mouth before their first basketball game or Greg Oden's first step onto the court for an NBA game that actually matters, everyone experiences some degree of anxiety relating to competition.

How can anxiety influence us during competition? Several theories have come out of sport psychology research over the decades. One theory of particular note was pioneered by British psychologist Graham Jones. His theory was simple: That our perception of how our own ability to control our anxiety, and our ability to control outselves and our surroundings, determines the anxiety's effect. If an athlete feels they are in control, and that anxiety is manageable, than this level of arousal will likely lead to superior performance. However, the opposite can have negative consequences.

Another theory which has been well demonstrated in research is Yuri Hanin's Individualized Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF). In a nutshell, Hanin posits that every athlete will have a different amount of anxiety or arousal which can lead to their ultimate performance. For example, one athlete may compete well at relatively low levels of arousal but not when extremely anxious or "pumped up"; alternatively, another athlete may perform poorly when unaroused but very well in high anxiety or tension situations.

So now that we know about anxiety, what can we do about it to maximize our performance? Check out Peak Performance's guide to controlling and managing our anxiety. They have five key points for maximizing effectiveness:

1. Establish your 'winning feeling'

2. Centering

3. The five breath technique

4. Thought stopping

5. Letting go

Read more

Archery Psychology

British paralypians, in search of Beijing gold, worked with sport psychologists for the duration of their stay in the Paralympic Village. The British paralympic archery team has trained with sport psychologist Katherine Bond for the last three years. She draws from her experience in rugby, golf, and soccer to hone the skills of the archers. Bond says of her stance on sport psychology: "It's about making that one per cent difference, and leaving absolutely no stone unturned in the quest for excellence. Sport psychology has the potential to contribute to helping athletes get the very best out of themselves."

Read the whole report from the Midworth and Petworth Observer here.

A Young Man's Journey

Vince Young had it all: the perfect NCAA National Championship game, top NFL draft pick, excellent rookie season. This season, the storybook career came to a screeching halt, amid a knee injury, booing fans, declining performance, a police search, and allegations of the danger of self-harm. As speculations about what went wrong run rampant through today's TMZ-infused sports media, one thing seems clear: The transition from instant success to struggling young QB was difficult. The San Diego Union Tribune's Jerry Magee makes a valid point: "For persons to become depressed should be expected in an environment in which the pressures are as acute as they are in the NFL." It seems likely that the stress of struggling in the spotlight, along with booing fans and the mental and physical consequences of a serious injury, became overwhelming.

And we're left with more questions than ever about psychology in the NFL. Why wasn't there more support for Vince Young? Why did it get to the point that Titans coach Jeff Fisher alerted the police, concerned for Young's safety and state of mind? Perhaps Magee is right when he asserts that "Young should have been conferring with a therapist in the hours after a football game's conclusion."

Where do you come out on the Vince Young story? Should the NFL do more? Should Vince Young just 'man up', as sports pundits would assert, and play through the tough times? Are there enough mental health resources for today's young professional athletes?

Check out the rest of Magee's column on mental health in pro sports here and let us know what you think.

The Knee Shot Heard 'Round the World

By now, we've all seen and heard the news...



Tom Brady is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Enter backup QB Matt Cassel, who until Sunday hadn't started a game since high school. What could be the mindset of the Patriots and their new QB, and how can it be improved? We turn to an interview with Boston University sport psychologist Leonard Zaichkowsky, in BU Today, for some answers.

On advice for Matt Cassel:

"If I had to make a recommendation, I’d say you’ve got to be yourself and keep it simple. As you get more and more repetitions, you can go beyond simplicity."

On how to handle Brady with the team, now that he's hurt:

"I think the single most difficult thing he’s going to have to adjust to is that it’s difficult for coaches to include injured players in all of the team activities and preparation. I don’t know the culture of the Patriots, but one of the things I recommend to all teams is to try and work injured players in, so they’re actively involved. That’s the hardest part."

Check out the rest of the BU Today report.

Friend vs. Friend

2008's Beijing Olympics are generating some new terms for us in the world of sport psychology. Two of them are "frenemies" and "chumpetitors". What is a frenemy? Put simply, a frenemy is the combination of friend and enemy, while chumpetitor is a fusion of chum and competitor. Frenemies competing against each other in Olympic events is common, especially when athletes from the same country train, room, relax, eat, and study together. Oh yeah - they compete against each other, too. For examples of frenemies from 2008, see Michael Phelps vs. Ryan Lochte, Nastia Liukin vs. Shawn Johnson, and Kirsty Coventry vs. Margaret Hoelzer.

What is the psychological effect on competition of going all-out against a frenemy? According to Harvard Medical School sport psychologist Richard Ginsburg, "Pushing each other to the limit can be seen as a way to honor the friendship, as opposed to a way to challenge or undermine it." In other words, seeing your best friend in the lane next to you in a swimming meet can serve to inspire both to greater heights of athleticism. Of course, the trick is to remain the best of friends outside of competition.

Read more about frenemies and chumpetitors in Linton Weeks' NPR column here.

Does the color of our jerseys really matter?

Yes, it does, according to recent German research. Their research demonstrated that referees in tae kwondo judge matches in favor of competitors wearing red uniforms. Furthermore, the differences in scoring were not negligible - athletes wearing red were awarded 13% more points than those wearing blue. The researchers also speculated on the impact of their research on other sports. For example, wearing red may be a disadvantage in soccer, where red cards are a negative penalty. Conversely, wearing red in martial sports such as tae kwondo may be advantageous for a competitor, as red is a color commonly associated with aggression.

However, Andrew Elliot, University of Rochester psychologist, has a different opinion on the matter. It's not that referees judge in favor of athletes wearing red, but that the color red may trigger subconscious impressions in other competitors and lower their performance. In summary, their is no favor given to red wearers - the opponents of those wearing may simply red perform worse.

What do you think? If you are an athlete, have you noticed an effect on the level of competition due to the color of your jersey or the opponents? Any fan of mainstream refereed sports knows conspiracy theories holding that home teams and star players receive preferential treatment. Comment below with your own experiences!

Check out the whole report on the study from US News and World Report.

SPINW Webinars

After the sucess of our first round of mental game training webinars, SPINW wants to hear from you! Let us know which topics interest you the most. Anything in the field of sport psychology is open, from visualizations to positive self talk to goal setting.

Contact us at info@spinw.com.

Massachusetts Pending Sport Psychology Legislation

Concerned by chaotic behavior of student athletes during competition, Massachusetts is pending legislation to implement a pilot sport psychology program in schools, the online journal Athletic Business reports. Seeing a connection between on-field disruption (complaining to refs, poor sportsmanship) and off-field problems (addictions, violent tendencies), the bill would provide funding for generation and distribution of a sport psychology textbook with courses on goal setting, positivie thinking, visualization, and other topics. The goal of the program would be to teach student athletes mental tools which can improve their lives both in and out of athletics.

Of course, there are two sides to the story; the cost of the program is undetermined, and it's even been criticized for making a "science experiment" out of youth athletics.

On the flip side, the director of the nonprofit GetPsychedSports.org defends the bill by saying, "How do you argue against teaching self-control to children?...Sports psychology has already been proven to help kids play better."

Where do you come out on the issue? Could a sport psychology handbook for youth athletes be helpful? Is it too much for younger competitors? How expensive would be too expensive? What influence do behaviors by professional athletes have on youth?

Read the whole article here.

Not Your Typical Team

What comes to mind when we think of sports teams? Of sports where teams have specific plays they run? Obviously, football, basketball, hockey...teams where athletes working together as a group under the guidance of a coach perform towards a certain goal. What doesn't come to mind is NASCAR. NASCAR? And not the cars or drivers either - the pit crew.

When a car comes into the pit, timing is everything. The car must be prepped correctly and quickly. Greg Miller, Red Bull Racing's pit coach, trains his teams minds and bodies to be ready for the pressure and intensity of a race. Their concentration and team-building exercises include football, cycling, juggling, yoga, tai-chi, and canoeing. Just like other athletes, they watch tape of previous game performances. Miller even mixes in motivational films like Rudy and documentaries on John Wooden. And remember all the plays that pro sports teams run? Miller's team has over 60 of them detailing different pit scenarios.

Read all about the team from the Hampton Roads Pilot here.

Positive Behaviors

Sport Psychologist H. A. Dorfman has a simply theory - behavior shapes thought. Athletes who can shape their behavior can shape their thoughts and discipline their minds. What does a well disciplined mind look like? It is free of doubt, fear, and anxiety.

Dorfman has worked the most with pitchers in baseball. How does a pitcher who trains his mind through his behavior operate? He pitches aggressively, aiming for strikes whether the count is 0-2 or 3-1. He walks confidently, head held high, whether he's just struck out the side or given up a three-run homer. If the body demonstrates an attitude long enough, the mind will begin to adopt it. By acting fearless and in command, the mind will begin to think that way too.

Check out the whole article from the New York Times here.

Six Steps for Power Performance

If you're looking for some easy, simple steps you can use to improve your mental game, you've come to the right spot! Men's Health Magazine online has generated a list, compiled by sport psychologists and researchers, of six simple tools anyone can use to strengthen their mental game. They are:

Sponge Up The Pain
During workouts, instead of blocking pain and discomfort, be aware of it instead - that way, you'll have no physical surprises during performance.

Dream The Feeling
Daydream about the way performance feels, whether it's hitting a baseball or mile 20 of a marathon. Imagining the proper form helps us build neural connections between mind and body.

Do Not "Do Not"
Telling ourselves what "not to do" only conjures a mental image of it, and can produce the very result we fear. Instead, focus on what you want to do through visualization and positive self-talk.

Feel Your Form
During performance, focus on thinking about how it should feel, not a strict list of commands to the body. Focusing on the right feel of a motion helps us have a smooth, even form, while thinking of a specific list of steps and bodily motions can get in the way of a fluid mind-body connection.

Have A Plan
Practice your routine and plan for competition before hand - visualize your performance and get comfortable with the venue. Doing this enhances comfort and can lower pre-competition anxiety.

Squeeze Out Stress
Muscles can tense up during nervousness in competition. Try progressive muscle relaxation before competition to ease nervousness and increase blood flow - contact SPINW for some progressive musle relaxation tips!

See the whole Men's Health article here.

New from SPINW!

SPINW's next mental game webinar is Sunday, March 16th at 7 pm. Keep checking ourwebsite, spinw.com, and this blog for more information, or email us at info@spinw.com. Sign up for the course at our website or by emailing info@spinw.com.