Answers to frequently asked questions

What you need to know about sports psychology

What is Flow?

The word "flow" is used to describe a person who performs at their ideal performance state. When you are in flow, you are totally absorbed in your activity and playing at your best. The context was originally described for athletes who play in peak performance or what most athletes call being «in the zone». The name flow in sports has been extensively researched and originally coined by Susan Jackson & Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as early as 1996 and can also be experienced in different walks of life such as a student or person.

What is sports psychology?

Sports psychology is part of the larger field of sport and exercise science. Its goal is to help athletes perform their best by improving their mental attitude and skills necessary to excel in sport. Sports psychology also studies human behavior in the sport environment and the effects of sport on the participant.

Will Mental Training Help Me?

Absolutely.The techniques of mental training will be invaluable to you as an athlete. Have you ever heard an athlete say he or she lost concentration during a competition? Well, what that athlete is also saying is that he/she did not prepare well enough mentally for the event. If you can think of a time in your competitive life when you lost your concentration and did not perform up to your expectations, then the techniques you will find at flowinsports.com should help you. Keep in mind, however, that there is no substitute for athletic skill and hard work. The mental training exercises will only be useful to you if your fundamentals are strong, if your athletic skills are developing, and if you have a good solid work ethic.

What does a mental game coach do?

The primary goal is to improve performance by teaching athletes mental skills they use in competition. We don't use couches, prescribe medicines, or work with abnormal behavior. A sports psychology coach or a mental coach teaches players how to be more confident, focus better, stay composed under pressure, practice more efficiently, and develop pre performance routines. Mental coaches also work with teams to develop team unity and cohesion, improve coach-athlete relationships, and help the team perform to its full potential.

Does This Mean I Will Never Lose?

Sorry, but no! Mental training is not a "silver bullet". If you mentally prepare for your competition in a strong way, you will not lose because of some mental error. You may unfortunately run into a competitor who is also mentally prepared and a little better physically prepared.

I thought that sports psychology are only for the problem athletes. Is that true?

No! Sports psychology and flowinsports.com is designed to enhance your performance. In other words, it may take good performances and make them better or take excellent performances and give you that added edge so that you can take your game to an even higher level. Furthermore, a new field has emerged from psychology called positive psychology. In this scientific field, rather then studying people and athletes that are experiencing difficulties such as pathologies or depression, the focus lies primarilty on flourishing the skills within oneself and making it even better. Therefore, we build on your stregths, seek excellence, further develop your "drive and thrive" while exposing you to the techniques required to flourish, become more resilient and ultimately achieve your optimal performance.

What is your therapeutic approach?

Flow in sports works from a humanistic approach centering on the indidividual. Using a postive psychology concept, rather then focusing on one's weaknesses and liabilities, we identify the individual's stregth and thereafter cultivate it to allow one to flourish not only in one area but throughout all areas of one's life to maximize potential growth.

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