Psychological Aspects of Peak Athletic Performance

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PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PEAK PERFORMANCE

• Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.
• Sierra Center for Peak Performance

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This slide show represents the visual elements
from a Continuing Education seminar presented in
Seattle Washington on October 26, 2000 at the
Tukwila Embassy Suites Hotel by Dr. Gary A. Beale
of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance.
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If we could engineer an ideal athlete, what
psychosocial personality characteristics would we
need to include to assure that this person would
be maximally productive?
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BASIC PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

1. Positive Self-Esteem
2. Success Identity
3. Sequential Analysis Skills
4. Self Discipline

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POSITIVESELF-ESTEEM
The recognition of one's own worth as a person
and a favorable attitude towards one's self
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SUCCESS IDENTITY
The ability to identify with the successes in
one's life and believing that a successful
experience is possible and likely
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SEQUENTIAL ANALYSIS SKILLS
The ability to solve problems through the
selection of alternative strategies
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SELF DISCIPLINE
Guiding ones own behavior from an
internal locus of control
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Thanks to Dr. Beale, I now have the tools of
mental focus and relaxation on my side!"David
Mannetter, Professional SkierPSIA Alpine
Demonstration Team
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THE PEAK PERFORMANCE CONCEPT

• An ideal state of mind exists for each of us
  that is conducive to our own best performance.
• We can learn what this state of mind is and how
  to bring it on.

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(In) my next world Powerlifting competition I
set the World record in the bench press. Thank
You Dr. Beale for the dream of a lifetime."
Tammy Dianda, World Champion Powerlifter
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When we ask the best athletes in the world what
they experience when they are performing at their
best, what elements do they report as being
present?
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PEAK PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
I. Mentally Relaxed II. Physically
Relaxed III. Confident/Optimistic IV.
Focused on the Present
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PEAK PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
V. Highly Energized VI. Extraordinary
Awareness VII. In Control VIII. In the Cocoon
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Have you experienced all or any of these feelings
when you were performing at your best? We all can
learn the skills needed to induce these types of
feelings when we perform or compete.
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"You were the first one to ever teach me about
visualization and relaxation, and it helped my
free throw shooting tremendously...I lead the NBA
in free throw shooting inOct. 1990" David Wood,
NBA
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What is the Peak Performance State?
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PEAK PERFORMANCESTATE

• The Zone, Flow State or Peak Performance
  State
• can be thought of as an altered state of
  consciousness.

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SKILLS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE IDEAL STATE

• I. Voluntary Relaxation
• II. Mental Rehearsal
• III. Cognitive Restructuring

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BASIC SKILLS NEEDED ENABLED BY
Voluntary Relaxation The Relaxation Response
Mental Rehearsal The Ideosensory Capacity
Cognitive Restructuring The Ideomotor Capacity
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End of Part I of III
Click here for Part II