Under Pressure: Mind Focus for Athletic Performance

Elite basketball players train their mind to expect success.  (Photo source: Express.co.uk)

Why is it that when the clock is winding down and the game is on the line only certain players want the ball in their hand?  How do some players rise above adversity while others forever fold? 

I wanted to share this exceptional article published by ESPN.  Although it does not mention hypnosis or the practice of visualization, it does discuss the all-important mental conditioning required for exceptional performance in high-level athletic competition.


Rise Above It or Drown:  How Elite NBA Athletes Handle Pressure
ESPN (May 2019)

Kevin Durant can relate. He was a sophomore at National Christian Academy in D.C. and a blossoming star after being relegated to mop-up duty the previous season.

"I wanted to see my name in the paper," Durant says. "But when the time finally came, I wanted it so badly, I robbed myself of the moment."

Durant's team was down by two to Montrose Christian (Durant would transfer there as a senior) in the final seconds of the game when Durant was fouled.

As he stepped up to the line, he was suddenly lightheaded. His adrenaline was on overdrive, and no one had taught him yet that a few deep breaths would be helpful.

"My mind was racing," Durant says. "'What happens if I miss? What happens if I make it? Will everyone love me?' You weigh the pros and cons. Nothing felt right. All I could think of was if I missed. I knew those feelings, and I knew I would drown in them."

Durant, who went on to become an 88 percent career NBA free throw shooter, knew the second he released the free throw, there was no chance of it going in. He was too focused on the wrong things.

"I was so upset with myself," Durant says. "You dream about those moments, but when you dream about them, you always make the shot. And it's never a free throw.  You have to work on making that small little tweak in your brain where your thoughts are empty and free. But you only learn that going through the tough times and the losses and the misses."

Whitman High School Athletes Give Hypnosis a Try

It is a class of alphas.  They walk the halls with confidence.  Each plays at least one varsity sport.  They all desire to make competitive athletics part of their college experience.

This past week I had the privilege of speaking at Walt Whitman High School to about 20 students about the power of visualization to improve athletic performance.  Called the “Whitman Athletic Leadership Team,” the class is taught by a physical education instructor and coach of the school’s varsity baseball team.

Here are highlights from my 50 minute presentation:

--I captured interest with two anecdotes about how visualization can empower exceptional athletic achievement:  1) Ray Allen’s dramatic three pointer during game six of the NBA finals last year; and 2) the incredible story of Vietnam War POW Major James Nesmith who improved his golf game by 20 strokes without stepping on a course for seven years.

--The talk then shifted to a definition of hypnosis and an overview of its meaningful applications for athletics, including stress management, self-confidence and injury recovery.  I presented each within the context of challenges that high school athletes face when preparing for and engaging in competition.

--The issue of confidence was of particular interest for the students, especially its importance when graduating to the collegiate level.  When everyone on the field is talented, skilled and physically gifted, mental fortitude often becomes the separating factor.  It helps players shine in key moments. 

--I then offered to take the kids through a brief hypnosis induction and, to my pleasant surprise, every student in the class volunteered.  I employed a couple of simple relaxing visualizations to create the right environment, and then helped each student capture a feeling of confidence in a post-hypnotic suggestion.

Although we were limited by time and a classroom environment during a school day is far from ideal, I think each student came away intrigued by hypnosis and its use by athletes.  

Equally important, they have a deeper appreciation for the role mental strength and focus plays in achieving success – in sports and in life.

NBA coach Phil Jackson used mediation and hypnosis for his championship basketball teams.

Tiger Woods employs hypnosis for mental focus on the course.

Positive Visualization Helps Athletes at All Levels

NFL coach Pete Carroll employs visualization to help his players succeed. (Photo: BleacherReport.net)

My 9-year-old son is a heck of a basketball player.  One of the best in his house league, he was selected to play on an all-star team that competed in a youth tournament hosted at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland.
 

In their first game they faced off against one of the top U9 teams from the state of West Virginia.  The opponents were just as tall, just as athletic and more skilled.  It took my son an entire half to get over the shock of this level of competition and actually get comfortable on the court. 

Each rung of the competitive ladder requires an athlete to adjust in order to achieve success.  Plus, once a player reaches a high level of competition (i.e. travel teams, high school ball, college and (even) professional) the difference between win/loss becomes increasingly influenced by mental toughness.

That’s where positive visualization and hypnosis can help.  In an environment comprised of physically gifted and skilled equals, a mental edge is absolutely critical.

The NFL’s Seattle Seahawks subscribe to this.  Take a moment to read this article published by ESPN.com entitled Lotus Pose on Two.  It describes how coach Pete Carroll has integrated meditation, visualization and yoga into the team’s practice and preparation regimen to promote well-being and enhance performance.

NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson is also a believer.  In his book Eleven Rings:  the Soul of Success, he outlines the use of self-hypnosis by the Chicago Bulls to facilitate performance on the court and foster team cohesion.

During the past few years, I have shared self-hypnosis and visualization with a number of athletes as they have transitioned to higher levels of competition.  Additionally, I have taught hypnosis as a tool to manage injury recovery. 

I encourage you to keep an open mind when it comes to alternative approaches to athletic performance and success.