"The Champions Mind"
Want to improve your athletic performance without working out more, then get this book by Jim Afremow. I almost did not want to review this book since it has so much solid and practical advise for improving the mental side of athletic performance.
Every chapter is backed by research and he includes exercises to practice every performance tip.
I first became aware of this book when I read an article in Self magazine about pro golfer Michelle Wie. She talks about how the principles in this book have helped her game.
Some of the topics covered include:
Self talk
Self confidence
Focus
Breath control to calm down or pump up
Dealing with anxiety
Positive affirmations
Champion leader
Pure-race and post race routines
Dealing with mental errors
Focus on what you can control
I read this book at the beginning of my triathlon season this year. I have been able to bounce back much better after a bad race than I have in the past. One of the things I worked with on my coach in the last year was focusing on the things I could control.
One of the things my coach does is pre race planning and post race analysis. After every race she has taught me to ask three questions that Afremow also discusses in this book:
What did I do that was good?
What needs to get better?
What changes should I make to become my best?
The goal is always to learn from experience, not repeat mistakes, visualize success and improve performance.
Afremow states his goals for any athlete using the skills outlined are to:
Train with passion and purpose
Achieve victory through variety in training exercises
Believe they are worth the time it takes to exercise
Find support and encouragement
Break work into manageable pieces
Keep an exercise workout calendar
Treat themselves like a champion
There is a mental toughness quiz to assess strengths and weakness. Then you can decide which of the strategies will be your top priority.
The book is well worth the time of any athlete looking to improve performance.