sports psychology

Absorbed into the screen of your computer, you sit in silence and watch the flawless execution of a rep. The seemingly effortless move from start to finish has your mind searching for answers. Like ... Continue Reading

Momentum is a physical law of nature. Issac Newton tells us that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object that is moving tends to keep on moving. Inertia and momentum are concepts that can ... Continue Reading

Source: Bev Childress "I think I can, I think I can...” We've all heard the story of the Little Engine believing it could puff right over that hill. We've all heard Henry Ford’s famous quotation, ... Continue Reading

We all know lots of stuff. For example, most of us know we really should listen to our mothers and eat our veggies (solid advice, mom). We know that we should brush our teeth. We should exercise regularly ... Continue Reading

This one took me forever to really understand. I mean, really. Gratitude? Sounds like some hippie-dippie nonsense. What does it have to do with you, your fitness, your strength, and your goals? Why ... Continue Reading

Whether you are an athlete seeking peak performance or an adult attempting to reconnect with the health of your youth, the mind matters. Michael Gervais, sports psychologist for the Seattle Seahawks and ... Continue Reading

As humans, we are terrible at reasoning. We feel first and rationalize later. We selectively pick the evidence we want to hear and stick to it protectively. We are excellent at thoroughly dissecting other ... Continue Reading

I remember many years ago I was at a banquet held in conjunction with the 1968 Canadian Weightlifting Championships. Out of the blue, a non-lifter sitting next to me pointed to the mass of lifters chowing ... Continue Reading

In today’s world, perfectionism is a popular term. It’s dropped by apologetic neat freaks as they adjust skewed picture frames, not-so-apologetic brides at meetings with their florists, and far too many ... Continue Reading

Charles is here on a weekly basis to help you cut through the B.S. and get some real perspective regarding health and training. Please post feedback or questions to Charles directly in the comments below ... Continue Reading

Do or do not. There is no try. It’s cliché, and yes, Yoda said it, but if you remember anything I ever tell you, remember that. Better yet, don’t just remember it. Believe it. In my time as a coach, ... Continue Reading

In my first article on choking, we discussed how overthinking gets in the way of ingrained movement patterns. An example of this is the baseball player throwing the ball in the dirt. When thinking stops, ... Continue Reading

Watching an athlete choke can be one of the most difficult, and at the same time, engaging moments to witness. Like watching the scene of a car accident, we just can’t look away. What happens to athletes ... Continue Reading

Before embarking on any form of training whether it be as a tactical athlete or complete beginner to exercise, it is important for us to have our mind in the right place. Getting up at 0500 in the snow to ... Continue Reading

If I could permanently strike three words from my clients’ vocabulary, it would be these: “I can only…” “I can only lift fifteen pounds.” “I can only come to the gym twice a week.” “I can ... Continue Reading

In a few short weeks, kids will be flooding the beaches, malls, and playgrounds of the United States to enjoy their summer break. Many of us wish we were them. Of course, we once were and while you can ... Continue Reading

Facebook is a cheap form of self-therapy. A psychologist’s dream - or nightmare. I include myself in the group that uses Facebook this way, too. I find my Facebook wall plastered with ... Continue Reading

A former colleague of mine, Ben Blom, had this interesting way of describing human interaction in terms of primates. In meetings, he would lean over to me and describe the “monkey” interactions. “There's ... Continue Reading

Last weekend’s time change was my last and I urge you to do the same. The time change affects our daily rhythms and affects our productivity. The week after a time change has been found to lead to ... Continue Reading

One of the benefits to living in Colorado is my weekly venture up the Rocky Mountains. There’s something awe inspiring about being out in nature and finding a little relief from the merry-go-round of work ... Continue Reading

To achieve a lofty athletic goal you usually have to be selfish with your time. This is easier when you are young and have nothing to lose and nobody to look after but yourself. But what happens when you ... Continue Reading

Looking for a way to improve your training and your life? This year's top psychology articles are free of self-help fluff. Motivation, goal-setting, mental toughness, balance, and a healthy dose of science ... Continue Reading

Some say that as you get older, you get wiser. I’m not entirely convinced. As I get older, I can sense a few shifts of mind-set, for better or for worse: I suffer fools less well. I’m becoming ... Continue Reading