Mindfulness The definition of mindfulness given by Kabat-Zinn (1994) is “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” Mardon, Richards, & Martindale (2016) is, “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment." The ability to maintain focus for an extended period throughout sport training or competition is a skill that must be learned to achieve success in athletics. It is also a skill to learn how to ignore distractions. The practice of mindfulness can help athletes bring their complete attention to the task at hand and accept the current situation. Many sport psychologists today are turning …show more content…
Impact for Athletes on the Court. The ability to maintain focus for a long period throughout sport training or competition is a skill that must be learned to achieve success in athletics. It is also a skill to learn how to ignore distraction. The practice of mindfulness can help athletes bring their complete attention to the task at hand and accept the current situation. Athletes with a increased mindfulness are more likely to experience the state of slow, which is a energized focus and full involvement during athletic performance (Bernier, Thienot, Codron, & Fournier, 2009). Aherne, Aidan & Lonsdale (2011) investigate the idea of flow and how mindfulness can impact an athlete’s flow. They define flow as "a highly coveted yet elusive state of mind that is characterized by complete absorption in the task at hand as well as by enhanced skilled performance" (p. 179). This is sometimes phrased as ‘being in the zone.' They recognize …show more content…
Woods (2016) reports multiple causes of sport dropout including an overemphasis on winning, increased specialization of training, increase in time commitment, earlier start in youth sports, lack of training in youth coaches and increased injury due to overuse. Gustafsson, Skoog, Davis, Kenttä, & Haberl, (2015) researched this topic of burnout and completed an experiment with 233 adolescent athletes using tools such as the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale and the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. Their results showed that mindfulness is significantly negatively related to burnout in athletes. Their findings also showed that mindful athletes experienced less stress and negative affect while experiencing more positive affect than less mindful athletes (Gustufson, et al., 2015). The skill to be aware of one’s own body can be taught to these athletes to decrease their burnout due to stress and negative affect, and will also increase their positive
...ntial stressors when competing. According to Nicholls & Polman (2007), the capability to cope with stress plays a significant part in how well an athlete performs during and out of competition. In line with this research, the self-efficacy construct has been found to impact how an individual appraises a situation and the corresponding way in which they cope. Self-efficacy can be defined as an individual’s beliefs about their ability to attain a certain outcome which is further expressed in their views about their capacity to execute a specific behavior or task. Since stress is a consistent and defining variable in sports and life outside of sports, it is crucial that athletes develop ways to successfully cope with stress and effectively implement these methods in order to avoid negative effects in competition and in life (Nicholls, Polman, Levy, & Borkoles, 2010).
Mindfulness therapeutic approach is defined as being able to pay attention in the present moment without passing judgment. It is the representation of not what you are doing but the state of being in which you are alert of the present while not involving your inner and outer setting to come in between. Mindfulness is the state of regulating one’s self of your attention and your ability to focus on breathing, eating as well as other factors.
A change from a self-determined engagement in a sport to a much lesser degree of self-determination is a common theme among athletes’ burning out. In other words, as the true passion and love for the game fades away, the perceived costs of sustained engagement begin to outweigh the rewards afforded by the sport. After time passes, the inability to handle the negative appraisals can lead to such harmful outcomes as physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced accomplishment, devaluation, and then complete dropout of the sport (Holmberg and Sheridan,
Celebrated by a 25th Anniversary Edition publication in 2014, Mindfulness by Ellen J. Langer explores the ideas of mindlessness and mindfulness and their implications on health and wellbeing. Langer is a very accomplished psychologist having received her BA from New York University and her PhD from Yale. She has been a Professor of Psychology at Harvard since 1977. A few of her achievements include the NYU Alumni Achievement Award, the Arthur Staats Award for Unifying Psychology, and the World Congress Award. Langer has authored 11 books and over 200 research articles on topics such as perceived control, successful aging, and decision-making. However, all of her research has a focus on mindfulness.
Athletes train for weeks, months, or even years for one single event in their sport. They are relentless in their workouts and strength training. They go out and show what they can do for everyone to see. But is there more to it than what the eye can see? Mindfulness is a word used to describe one’s mental strength and concentration. Mindfulness is defined as “state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to your current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future.” (Mindfulness). This is becoming a highly discussed practice used by many successful athletes. Lebron James has sworn by meditation before games or high pressure situations, along with Derek Jeter, and Olympic beach volleyball partners Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings. They are only a few of
Young athletes account for about 4 million injuries a year in the U.S. according to an article published in the Los Angeles Times (2010). US Today reported that approximately 1.35 million student athletes’ injuries were severe enough to send them to the hospital emergency department. Athletic injuries range from the simple ankle strains and sprains to more serious injuries such as: fractures, contusions, abrasions, and even concussions. The unexpected injuries can cause great physical and emotional challenges for these student athletes. Besides having to deal with the physical and emotional stresses they must also have to deal with the financial turmoil the injuries triggered. Recovering from sport injuries require more than undergoing rigorous physical rehabilitation. Physical healing which can take months is quite different from the mental and emotional healing which can take years to recover from.
Mindfulness is an ideal that has been present for thousands of years (positivepsychologyprogram.com). It has roots in almost every major religion: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and most renown, Buddhism and Hinduism (positivepsychologyprogram.com). Psychology Today defines mindfulness as “a state of active, open attention on the present.” Dr. Shauna Shapiro during a TEDx Talk defines mindfulness as “intentionally paying attention with kindness” (Shapiro, S., 2017). Mindfulness has many principles involved with it, but the short version is to be aware. It is to be aware of the present moment deliberately. Jon Kabat-Zinn, considered the father of the western movement for mindfulness by some, defines mindfulness as, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Bodhipaksa, 2007). We, as humans, get caught up in the business of life; so, we need to stay oriented to the present. Another way to describe this is “acting with awareness rather than on ‘automatic autopilot’” (Caldwell, et al, 2010). Mindfulness is non-judgmental about life. Mindfulness is to not be over-reactive by what’s going on around us (mindful.org). Mindfulness is being non-reactive to your environment. There are many things that stem from this thinking,
Mindfulness is an ordinary cultivatable cognitive ability related to the well-being of psychology in both the adults and young people. It is characterized by the consciousness and approval of current opinion, emotions, and physical sensation (Bien and Beverly 2003). Mindfulness is intentionally developed using a secular method borrowed from the meditation practices of the Buddhists (Emet 2012). Mindfulness meditation training programs have been familiar to the adults and the small extent to children and young people. However, after realizing that it would be helpful to young people by promoting their social and emotional helping and improve their academic performance, a mindfulness meditation training program have become a priority
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, as a therapeutic technique. The M square, as I call it, which stands for Mindfulness and Meditation is making an impact on today’s society, as it has been used by more people with each passing day. They are starting to acknowledge the benefits, some of which are the improvement in both mental and physical health, acceptance of one’s self, lower stress and depression, and maybe more, but to mention a few. Not excluding these two great men: Dr. Martinez, a Biocognitive Psychologist, and Keith Mitchell, an ex-American football linebacker in the National Football League. Both Dr. Martinez and Keith are strong supporters and practitioners of meditation and mindfulness.
The mind-body connection is a very powerful one. For everything you think in your mind, your body has a reaction, regardless of whether it is real or imagined. For example, have you ever had a bad dream? Usually, you will wake up and your heart is racing, you are sweating and very agitated, even though all you were doing was sleeping. But, in your mind there was something bad going on and your body was reacting to it. Here?s another example: if you are home alone and you hear a noise and interpret it as the wind, you are fine; but if you interpret it as a prowler, your fight or flight response takes over and you become fearful. Your heart begins going a mile a minute, your eyes dilate, and you are scared. These are just a few examples of how strong the connection is between your mind and your body. With this premise, it becomes unmistakable how necessary it is to train both the mind and body for 'peak performance'.
begins to practice these techniques, there is a noticeable change in behavior for the better. Studies have shown that in partaking in mindfulness there are positive cognitive effects on oneself such as, reducing life stress, positive benefits on rehabilitation, and anxiety. These researches all provide consistent and valid evidence supporting the claim that mindfulness does have positive effects on athletes.
Sports psychology is an essential field of psychological study, which emphasizes the importance of performance enhancement through training your psychological and mental abilities. Sports psychology is a specialization within brain psychology and kinesiology and it seeks to understand psychological/mental factors that affect performance in sports, physical activity, and apply this knowledge in order to enhance individual and team performance. As we make advancements in science we grasp the increasing importance of the human mind, thus exponentially increasing the value and power of thought. As contrary to popular belief, every thought we think, and every word we say before a race/event can trigger a major effect upon your ending results, whether it may be positive or negative. It is thoughts that are conjured before an event that can make or break a race, thus putting the utmost of importance on self-affirmation and motivational thinking in the pre event stages of a race (or an event). The main aspects that play a considerable role in a successful athletic performance are motivation and self-efficacy.
What is the thought pattern of an athlete? Is there anything special or unique that goes on in the mind of an athlete, that doesn’t happen in the average person’s mind? These are questions that are very difficult to answer. Every athlete thinks differently, learns differently, and is motivated in different ways. But maybe there is something dealing with the mind of an athlete that separates them from the rest of civilization.
Firstly, it is vital to note that anxiety, motivation, and concentration tremendously influence people's self-confidence and their performance at the long-run (Damon & Raedeke, P 188). Higher self-confidence reduces anxiety. The vice versa is also true. This is based on the fact that optimally confident sports people experience fewer doubts on self. Their worries reduce and give room for concentration in their activities. Additionally, motivated athletes are in a better position to strive towards achieving their goal. Motivation enables sports people to combat negativity and low self-esteem as they focus more on their goals other than obstacles. Therefore, it is fundamental to note that coaches and sports people must collaborate in finding any mechanisms that could stimulate and uphold self-esteem since it is, directly and indirectly, impactful to their
When competing in a sport, the performance of the athlete can be compromised if he or she doesn’t maintain a healthy lifestyle. While staying physically fit and exercising are important in any athlete’s daily routine, there are other factors to determine a “healthy” lifestyle. Similarly, an athlete should practice good sportsmanship while competing. Respect for a fellow athlete is the root of every great athlete. In order to perform well at any sport, an athlete has to enjoy the game. Take soccer for instance, if a soccer player does not enjoy playing soccer, then it will be significantly harder to perform at his or her best. Along with enjoying and respecting the sport, an athlete has to have the mindset of a champion. Thinking like a perfect athlete will provide the motivation and determination to achieve the goals of a perfect athlete. Consider Bruce Lee, a world renown martial artist and fighter. Lee is known as one of the greatest martial artist in history and is respected for his methods. “If you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it’ll spread over into the rest of your life”, Bruce stated. “It’ll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.” Bruce Lee tells how the proper mindset is