Chapter 15: Confidence, Concentration, Mental Toughness, and Peak Performance

Question 1

At the driving range before a round of golf, how did Jason (at the beginning of this chapter) “practice” like he plays?

Answer 1

He imagines that he is playing a specific hole on the course, and he alternates clubs after every shot as he would during a round of golf, and he follows his pre-shot routine for each shot.

Question 2

In general, what is a peak performance?

Answer 2

It refers to an outstanding athletic performance, where an athlete puts it all together.

Question 3

From a behavioural perspective, what is confidence and what is not?

Answer 3

Confidence is not some internal cause of a successful athletic performance, but rather, it is a summary label that we use to describe athletes who have performed well in recent practices and/or competitions and who show certain behaviour patterns that would be described collectively as illustrating the belief that they will perform well in an upcoming competition.

Question 4

List four steps for developing confidence and concentration at practices.

Answer 4

1. Develop skills to a high level with practice drills.
2. Teach orientation to proper cues.
3. Transfer the control for sports skills from rules to natural cues.
4. Athletes should perform well in simulations.

Question 5

What are simulations? How did Jason use simulations?

Answer 5

Simulations involve making as many stimuli as possible in the practice environment similar to the stimuli that will be encountered in the competition to ensure the transfer of athletic performance from practices to competitions. Jason did this by switching clubs after each shot and following his pre-shot routine, making his practice environment similar to his competition environment.

Question 6

List seven steps for maintaining confidence on the day of a competition.

Answer 6

1. Have a restful, stress-free day prior to competing.
2. Relive best performances.
3. Focus on what they can control, not uncontrollables.
4. Focus on realistic goals for execution and/or performance standards rather than worrying about the outcome.
5. Focus on their strengths, not on their limitations or mistakes.
6. Use ‘countering’ and ‘reframing’ to counteract negative thoughts.
7. Prepare and follow a competition plan.

Question 7

What are outcome goals in the context of athletic competitions? Illustrate with two sports examples that are not in this book.

Answer 7

Outcome goals are goals against competitors and are set long before the particular competition an athlete will participate in. Example: a figure skater wanting to win gold at a competition or a basketball player setting a goal to win the 3x3 tournament he is playing in.

Question 8

Describe the inverted-U relationship between arousal and performance.

Answer 8

According to the inverted-U relationship, it is possible to maintain a sense of calm and be energized between arousal and performance.

Question 9

To what does optimal level of arousal refer?

Answer 9

The level of physiological arousal associated with peak performance. The optimal level of arousal is likely to differ from person to person and from sport to sport.

Question 10

Suppose that an athlete’s level of arousal is far too high for a peak performance to occur. List four things that an athlete can do to decrease their level of arousal.

Answer 10

1. Deep centre breathing.
2. Muscle tensing and relaxing.
3. Use of relaxing words.
4. Humour and tuning out during breaks.

Question 11

Suppose that an athlete’s level of arousal is far too low for a peak performance to occur. List four things that an athlete can do to increase their level of arousal.

Answer 11

1. Use energizing imagery.
2. Use energizing mood words.
3. Use physical actions (high fives or chest pumps).
4. Use energizing music.

Question 12

Using an example that is not in this chapter, illustrate a solution to the problem of an athlete who has difficulty concentrating during a competition because of worrying about past events.

Answer 12

A snowboarder might have trouble concentrating if they think about the missed trick they had earlier in the day just before starting the next competition. He could use self-talk to regroup and refocus on the here and now. He can say, “That one’s history; forget about it. Smart people don’t worry about things in the past that can’t be changed, and I’m a smart person.” He can then use self-talk to focus on the cues that should control skilled performance, like the components of his next jump and approach.