January 27, 2012

“Twenty seconds before a race, there’s absolute focus. The key thing is to achieve relaxation, but at the same time you've got to have this absolute total control. You got to find the balance between being totally ready to go and being really at peace with yourself, as well.
-Cathy Freeman, Australian track and field champion, Gold Medalist, 400 meters in Sydney 2000

When you're moments away from running a big race relaxation is essential. For many athletes the time leading up to the race is anything but calm. The lack of calm leads to scattered thinking.  However, without the proper focus the mind is open to stray thoughts.  These thoughts are often a potent combination of doubt, negativity, and uncertainty, Sounds like a good recipe for losing. The problem is the ability to relax in a clutch moment is not something that many athletes can do. The ability to consciously relax is something that high-level athletes learn early and perform often.  Look at MMA fighting legend Fedor Emelianenko before a fight and you’ll see what I mean about calm before an important contest.

Wait a minute! Didn’t the quote say you have to be ready?  You know, “totally ready to go”?  Before a big game we all want to be hot, hyped up and ready to rumble, right?! OK, maybe I’m overstating the case a little.  I’m seeing a bit of paradox here.  Let me explain.  My M.E.N.T.A.L. Games approach to coaching athletes employs some ideas I learned in the martial arts.  The Japanese martial arts are based in the practice of Zen Buddhism.  One of the central tenets of Zen is to be present or in the moment.  You can gain the ability to focus and be in the present moment by practicing relaxation.  A great way to relax is to focus on what's in front of you.  When the mind is focused in this way, the body relaxes easily.  With the absence of the muscular tension the body is free to do what it's meant to do. I know, it’s a bit confusing.

Zen is a philosophy that often involves contradictions.  Being relaxed and calm on the outside and yet inwardly ready to strike with a razor sharp sword was what the ancient samurai trained to be able to do.  Most of today’s athletes may not get their lessons from ancient spiritual practices but modern sciences like sports psychology have studied the best of the best across all sports and disciplines and found that the way of the samurai works.  The optimal arousal level for an athlete is somewhere between being completely hyped (active) and absolutely calm (passive).  If there is too much arousal it leads to muscular tension and a much slower race.  Not enough energy leads to a lack of speed and a snail-like pace. Only by have the right amount of energy and relaxation at the same time can an athlete run their best race.   Working with college level runner named Adrian a few years ago I am reminded of how he would produce a very high level of adrenalin to explode out of the starting blocks in a race.  He was a very fast starter but he tended to burn himself out and lose energy before the end of the race.  It was like running a marathon like it was one mile instead of twenty-six!  Explosive power is great but there is a point of diminishing returns.  Too much energy or adrenalin leads to poor performances period.  The adrenalin dump can result in getting gassed early, false starts and choking. Adrian learned how to find the right balance of energy and relaxation using the applied sports psychology tools that I describe later in this blog.

Think of the body as a machine for a minute and the excitement in your body as steam building up.  Machines can overheat and so safety valves and other self-regulating devices are built in when designing them.  In between matches “corner men” are able to get a fighter to attend to their breathing and lower their level of arousal in between rounds and that lets some of the “steam” escape.  Pressure and stress are all in the mind.  If an athletes thinks she is behind on points and in danger of losing the match she can use visual, auditory, kinesthetic or cognitive strategies to restore that optimal level of arousal. The fighter can look into the eyes of the trainer (visual), listen to the soothing cadence of the coaches words, practice deep breathing (kinesthetic or close her eyes and focus on a peaceful imagined scene (cognitive).  All of these approaches work to help an athlete release the right amount of “steam” and return to the game with the right amount of athletic arousal.

Control is essential to success in your sport and life.  Realize that it’s not an issue of all or nothing.  It’s both.  Embrace the opposites.  The body is like a thermostat and in the course of a match your energy goes up and down.  Know that you have tools to restore yourself to the “right” temperature for you to play your best game.  You probably don’t need techniques to get hyped up.  We’re all familiar finding that competitive fire.  The practice of meditation or self-hypnosis can acquaint you with the peace that will balance the fire.  Keep balance in mind.  I want to leave you with the following metaphor.  In the old days of wooden sailing ships sailors relied on the winds to carry them to their destinations.  Too much wind meant that they would be dashed upon the rocks and all would be lost.  Not enough wind and the ship would not able to leave port and the cargo would spoil.  The right (optimal) amount of wind brought them safely home.

Ajamu Ayinde, C.M. Ht., A.C.H., Certified Sports Hypnotist & Creator

M.E.N.T.A.L. Games ™ sports enhancement system
Sports success begins in the mind. ™
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January 22, 2012

“The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part; the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” -Baron Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the modern Olympic Games

These concepts underlie the work that I do as a Mental Coach.  These wise words may be lost to many modern athletes. That is why I think it's so important to return to our roots. If you’re a competitive athlete these words are good to remember.  You will not always win.  Losing sometimes is inevitable. Are you one of those people who stop yourself from participating because of some fear?  Is it a fear of losing or a fear of winning? So many people don't allow themselves to go for it in the game of life because they fear they might not win. There are other fears too.  The fear of injury and of being embarrassed or humiliated knocks so many out before they ever meet their actual competition.  Fear of defeat keeps so many from continuing in the sport their chosen sport.

Some never even take the first step and get started in a sport.  I started taking dance classes when I was a freshman in high school.  I really enjoyed learning ballet, modern and jazz dance.  It was a brand new world that opened to me. Dance changed my life forever.  But it may have never happened.  I had an opportunity to start classes in seventh grade but I was afraid.  My fear was of being judged by my peers.  I didn’t want be the only boy in the class. For two years that fear stopped from signing up.  It’s a common story for many boys my age.  I had the interest, talent and opportunity but I had a huge mental block.  No one ever said I couldn’t do it or that I shouldn’t do it.  I looked around and saw what others were doing and decided I would go with the crowd.  They were taking instrumental music and I followed the herd. I’m not going to be so hard on myself.  I was twelve years old, after all.  But how many of us act the same way at 22, 32 or 52? More than I few, I would wager.

Maybe you're not an athlete and are unsure if this lesson could apply to you.  Let me ask you a few questions.  Are you fully participating in the game of life?  Do you believe that there is a place for you to your mark or do you feel unworthy?  Do you believe that there is something that you lack that disqualifies you from pursuing your dreams?  One of my favorite things about watching the Olympics is when I see players from a tiny country sharing the stage with athletes from much bigger countries.  The same thing happens in the world of professional soccer.  During the World Cup it's so exciting to see relatively small countries like Ghana do well.  I remember in 2010 when they became the third African country to ever reach the quarterfinals.  Sometimes it’s not about size, the country just may be relatively new to international competition and be facing another that has won many world championships.  Ghana didn’t let their relative size or youth stop them.  The International Olympic Committee actually encourages smaller countries to find their best players and bring their "A" game.

The Olympic Games were founded on this principle of participation.  Equal participation can extend beyond sports to music, dance, comedy, manufacturing, literature, business or almost anything.  I live in a very big country with a sizable population but even here people hold themselves back and do not fully participate in their chosen activity or interest.  Why?  They lack the encouragement to go forward.  Individuals like international sports teams must be nurtured and supported in order for them to increase in skill and confidence.  You first job is to figure out the area that you are most passionate to participate in.  Don’t let anything stand in your way.  No matter where you in the world, you can find a coach to encourage you and to raise your level of skill.  Skill is not the most important quality, however.  Courage, commitment and concentration are things that go hand in hand with athletic skill.  Many of my athletic clients come to me with an abundance of skill.  They are healthy, fit and experienced in their position.  Mental Coaching provides them with the edge they need to really believe in themselves and become willing try out for a new team, enter a tournament or go up to a new weight class.  Knowing that you belong on the team and that you deserve a place is an important realization for every athlete. 

Sports are full of upsets, players or teams that took the gold when no one else believed they had a chance.  The U.S. Men’s hockey team in 1980 is a great example of that.  How you deal with uncertainty can change. If you verbally beat yourself up, second-guess your skill or forget past successes… that all changes today.  Applied sports psychology helps you to make friends with your mind and eliminate self-sabotage.  Self-handicapping is the one thing that no amount of weights, cardio or nutrition can cure.  Do you have the will to win?  Does your belief in yourself let you keep fighting when you can barely lift your arms?   Whatever sport you may believe that your personal chances of winning a medal may be extremely remote. But that was yesterday.  The past is gone.  Today you start believing.  Today you decide to participate fully. Don’t let past limiting beliefs stop you from suiting up, getting on the field and giving it your absolute best. Can you feel good about your preparation and play?  Was your last “game” the best game you were capable of playing?  Have you truly “fought well”?  If so, feel great about yourself.  Feel like an Olympian.

January 13, 2012

“Please don’t wish to have no obstacles, wish for the power to go through them or the ingenuity to go around them. “
-Ajamu James Ayinde, Master Mental Coach and Certified Sports Hypnotist

It's much easier to see how difficult circumstances are helpful in building character… in other people.  When it comes to our own lives, we would all rather have smooth sailing.  Few people seek out difficult circumstances by which to test themselves. But isn't that what athletes do?   It's fun to watch or read about but doing it ourselves is another story.  Don’t beat yourself up too much.  It's a pretty natural tendency in most people but it doesn’t help you grow. Going back to the metaphor “smooth sailing’, the sailor who CHOOSES to sail in rough waters or navigate by the position of the stars grows in skill and confidence.  We never know when circumstances will make this a necessity.   It's important to remember that. No one chooses a life of hardship, filled with trials and tribulations and yet somehow it still can happen.  The tough times come without our bidding.   How well you are prepared for these unforeseen circumstances has a lot to do with the number of times you've chosen to overcome hurdles and the fortitude you have built as a result. I watched a match between John Fitch and Paulo Thiago at UFC 100 recently and I saw a great example someone working his way out of a tight spot literally, escaping a guillotine choke.  The commentators mentioned over and over the sacrifices Fitch made to get to his level of fitness.  For those who don’t know Fitch, he was a walk-on at Perdue and went on to be Captain of that university’s highly respected wrestling team.

An easy life completely free of difficulties seems like a great thing. However, a wise man once said, “Accustom your children to hardship”. Parents who find ways to safely expose children to challenges are helping them to grow into capable adults.  This approach doesn’t just apply to athletes or children. The difficulties we face as a nation or culture help us all to advance as people.   Difficulties like the Great Depression and 911 have proven that. In karate and other sports; coaches place athletes in situations where they must move beyond their current limitations, be they physical or emotional. It is only by placing obstacles in the path of athlete that he or she learns to run faster or leap higher. Without those obstacles the athlete would not advance physically or mature emotionally.

I remember what it was like in high school when I had a substitute teacher for one of my classes. While it wasn't guaranteed, most of us kids in the room could be pretty sure that it was going to be an easy day. How could she push us when she didn't even know us?  Without some pushing can you bring out your best?  But when your teacher knows you and is a good teacher, she will press you and will test you because she knows it's in your best interest.  My US history teacher in high school, Mr. Hitz always helped bring out my best.  There was no way to slack off in his class and when I moved on to another teacher, I missed his tough standards when I was no longer required to bring my best effort to get a good grade. A race that is won with little or no effort isn't really appreciated or remembered, don’t you agree?   Don't get me wrong, I look forward to a vacation from hard work as much as the next guy but too many of those days leads to a weakening of your skills.

What's going on in your life right now? Are you in an environment that is challenging? Do you see gains on a weekly or monthly basis from the efforts that you're exerting?  If you're not seeing the results that you would like, you have only two choices: work harder or work smarter.  A Mental Coach can be helpful in these cases to help you to put forth more effort or direct your efforts in a new way so that you can start to see progress. In my role as a Master Mental Coach, I motivate my clients to renew their efforts.  I'm also able to help them diagnose where they might change their focus.  Sometimes the athlete may be hitting the wall and more effort in the same direction will only bring frustration. Pausing, taking a step back or changing direction can be what's truly needed to make a breakthrough but such a change in approach doesn't get adopted unless one adopts an outsider’s perspective.

Remember the expression about pressure and how it creates diamonds. Embrace the pressure and make it work for you. Diamonds are brilliant, tough and rare and so are you.

-Ajamu James Ayinde, M.A., A.C.H.

Master Mental Coach

Creator of the M.E.N.T.A.L. Games ™ system of sports enhancement

“Sports success begins in the mind.” ™

845 240-6470

1/7/2012

“I like to be against the odds.  I’m not afraid to be lonely at the top.  With me, it’s just the satisfaction of the game.  Just performance.”

-Barry Bonds, MLB player, San Francisco Giants

Perhaps you are a student of the game. It doesn't really matter which game, it can be baseball, basketball or boxing … everyone loves an underdog. It’s a deep paradox in sports but when two teams or two individuals seem to be mismatched we almost always end up rooting for the underdog.  It's kind of weird.  On the one hand, people expect them to lose because they’re outclassed but there's something in our spirit that holds out hope that even though that other team has less experience, an injured quarterback or a shorter forward somehow they have a chance to win.

Different athletes respond to being the underdog in different ways.  The most successful athletes thrive under that pressure. Being the underdog brings out the best in them. It’s very likely that in their teen years if someone said they couldn’t do something like make the varsity team they ignored that person whether it was a teammate, coach or parent. Almost immediately they pulled out all the stops to prove that other person wrong. Later in life, they continue to prove their critics wrong in the world of professional sport. It's a character trait that successful athletes have but it's more than just being stubborn or even being optimistic. It has to do with self-esteem.  It’s all about how you view yourself.  A person with high self-esteem will feel capable of doing something he or she wants to do even if that's something that he or she has never done. People with extremely high self-esteem will feel that it's possible to do something that no one's ever done before.  A person with low self-esteem will doubt their ability to do something even if others before them have done it and sometimes even if they've personally done in the past. 

The good news is that self-esteem can be improved. There are many tools available to the Mental Coach that can allow a player to think and act like a Barry Bonds.  Some techniques like direct suggestion under hypnosis can cause an immediate turnaround in the confidence of an athlete or team. Earlier this week a mentor of mine shared a story about an underdog college football team in California.  They were set to play one of their division rivals on Sunday and going into this game they had an abysmal record of zero and 10 but after working with the hypnotist they went out and faced the other team and blanked them by over 40 points.  They just wouldn't stop.  In their minds they were unstoppable. Their ability to play football had not changed dramatically in the week leading up to that game, only their attitude and belief. 

Are you one of those people who are negatively affected when the odds are against you? When others have low expectations of you does it bring you down?  If so, use self-hypnosis to get fired up.  See yourself as the underdog and own that.  Realize that the world of sports is filled with stories of underdogs who believed in themselves when others did not.  Maybe the coach didn't believe in them.  Maybe the fans didn’t believe in them anymore but the team continued to believe in themselves even when it wasn't logical.  Believing in yourself doesn’t have to make sense but it’s a necessity.  When things go against you, it obscures your ability to see who you really are and what you really have.  Don’t get stuck on statistics: your win-loss record, your age, your height, your weight or your bank account.  The numbers don’t matter.  Your creative ideas, your discipline, your character, and your fighting spirit cannot be put on paper but they count for more than you can ever imagine.

In this New Year you may be approaching situations in your sport or in your business like an underdog but that's okay.  Accept it.  It is what it is.  Choose to be a pit bull rather than a toy poodle.  Don't take anyone's so-called good advice about what you can and can't do.  As the saying goes: it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Rrrroooowwwwf!!

-Ajamu James Ayinde, M.A., A.C.H.
Master Mental Coach
Creator of the M.E.N.T.A.L. Games ™ system of sports enhancement
“Sports success begins in the mind.” ™
845 240-6470