Mental Toughness

High-Performance Mindfulness: How to better translate in-practice repetition for in-game statistical improvement

By Jake Rauchbach –  founder of MindRight Pro® Coaching Program

Top 5 ways for players translating in-practice repetition into in-game statistical performance improvement

There are players at all levels of basketball, including the NBA, that struggle to connect the dots on how to translate their practice repetitions into actual statistical performance improvement
during the game.

In past columns, we have discussed how unconscious performance blocks can derail a player’s improvement. A refresher for some of the most commonly held subconscious barriers to performance can be found here and here.

Unconscious barriers to success can affect a player’s ability to consistently perform at optimum levels. This being said, we have all seen players that seem to be able to seamlessly migrate practice repetition over to in-game performance improvement, while other equivalently talented
players seemingly struggle to do so.

So, what is the underlying reasons for this dichotomy in player development? What’s the differentiating factor for translating practice repetition into in-game performance improvement?

The answer is mental focus.

Mental Focus is Key.
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The consistency with which a player remains mentally locked-in is crucial. A player’s ability to interface with his present moment awareness during their timeline for preparation (practice, individuals’ workouts, film study, and the game) directly influences how much translatable on-court performance improvement will be had by the player come game-time.

One of the main things that coaches tell players is: Come ready to play! Interpreted more literally, this means Come Focused. However, many players do not have a repeatable process for getting the most out of their preparation process.

There Are Levels to This

It is important to note that there are levels of application for High-Performance Mindfulness techniques. Just like progressions in an on-court skill-development series, a similar process is employed when teaching players how to sharpen focus to statistically improve performance.

There are foundational tools and skill-sets that players can pick up and begin to employ straightaway.

There are also leading-edge Energy Psychology – Integrated Player Development processes, specific to each player, that zero in on statistically improving specific parts of a player’s game that the player, coach, or General Manager pre-determines. This is the next level of HighPerformance Mindfulness. We will break these down at a later date.

For this column, we outline some foundational HPM tools that players can begin to employ immediately to begin to sharpen focus and influence in-game improvement upwards.

Foundational Techniques for Improving Mental Focus

Meditation

Meditation has been scientifically shown to help improve focus and attention, creative thinking, and regulation of emotions; all of which are critical elements for successfully processing through split-second reads during the game. Meditation has also been shown to decrease depression and anxiety.

There are many types of meditation practices. However, what I have seen to work best for highlevel basketball players is through employing a 15-minute meditation sessions twice a day, once in the morning, and once at night. Twenty years ago there were very few athletes who would touch a Yoga practice.

Look for Meditation to become the new Yoga, helping athletes sharpen focus and master internal peace of mind. The effects of this technique, when fed into an overall focus for on-court performance, is immense.

Affirmations

Affirmations are an unbelievable way for players to clear and reprogram their deep subconscious minds of the toxic performance blockages stemming from experience. I have found “I AM” statements to be most powerful when working with players who employ these techniques on the
court during the game.

The reason for this is that it reaffirms a new mental program, while simultaneously counteracting emotional baggage, which has the effect of sharpening mental focus. When mental focus improves, so too does overall performance.

Visualization

Visualization re-trains a player’s mind to expand the boundaries for what is deemed possible. One of the more profound experiences is observing players who manifest virtually the same play on the court that they have mentally rep’ed during visualization. We are talking about the over
the top plays that they haven’t been pulled off in months, maybe sometimes years.

Common examples of plays that high-major college and professional basketball players often visualize and then directly thereafter manifest on-court are:

1. The Pick-Six: Denying the passing lane – Creating a Stealing – Going for an uncontested finish on the other end. This play is common for players who begin to focus on improving ballpressure through visualization techniques.

2. The Big-Time Block: Rotating over to pin the ball against the glass – above the square versus an unsuspecting offender. This is a big-time energy play that happens frequently when
leveraging visualization to optimize defensive efficiency.

3. The Dunk-On: Dunking on or over someone maybe one the most energizing plays in basketball. When visualization is employed to rep this specific play, often the player capable of such finishes performs it in real-time on the court.

Generally, this is an eye-opening experience for the player. There is a level of connection made by the player between the mental rep and the on-court execution of said play that helps to reinforce the High-Performance Mindfulness training.

These types of plays give the player a discernible cause and effect experience. From implementing the mental rep, to manifesting the specific play on the court. Experiences like these help players connect the dots on how mental training positively correlates to improvement
on the court.

Breath-Work

The implementation of Breath-work deepens awareness and has been employed by different cultures around the globe for years. Foundational breathing techniques are also the building blocks for many of Martial Arts such as Qigong, Tai Chi, and Karate.

These types of techniques have been shown to help players hone focus by becoming more present, getting the athlete out of their head and into their present moment of awareness.

Improving focus this way can have the overall effect of helping to move the dial when it comesto on-court performance improvement.

Practicing Detached Observation

Observation is a key component in every technique mentioned herein. It is important to mention that it as a standalone technique.

Once players are better able to recognize that they are not their thoughts, they are generally able to make the shift in detaching from the performance blocking thoughts and emotions that have historically been holding them back.

This creates peace of mind and facilitates greater present moment poise and focus.

In Closing

Improving in-game performance comes down to consistent mental focus over the preparation timeline. Employing foundational techniques mentioned above will begin the process, helping players prioritize focus as a way to optimize performance efficiencies during the game.

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If you would like to learn more from Jake check out his course:

Mindfulness for Basketball Coaches 101™

Learn High-Performance Mindfulness tools that can take your team to the next level!

What you’ll get:

• Virtual Coaching by Elite Mental Skills Coach to the Pro’s, Jake Rauchbach
• Pre-Game Visualization #1
• Pre-Game Visualization #2

This article is republished with permission. The original article appears at Mental Game & Confidence in Basketball.

In “Sports Psychology Sessions with Doc,” Dr. Patrick Cohn answers sports psychology questions from athletes, parents and coaches.

Visit Sports Psychology for Athletes at Peaksports.com and click on contact us to submit your mental game questions for Dr. Cohn to answer in his mental game videocast or podcast.

Do you struggle early in the game with your confidence if you didnt have a good warmup?

In this video, Dr. Cohn will discuss:

Basketball players who tend to struggle with their confidence if things didn’t go well in the warmup.

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COHN: One of challenges of basketball players that I work with on the mental game is if they didn’t feel good in the warmup. In other words, if their shot wasn’t on or their legs were heavy or they just felt like their performance isn’t on in the warmup, they tend to start to doubt their skills and wonder, “Well, what’s going to happen in the game? Am I going to be tired in the game? Am I going to miss shots in the game?”

COHN: So, essentially, when the warmup doesn’t go well, they assess the warmup and that creates doubt.

COHN: When they start to doubt, that hurts their confidence at the start of the game.

COHN: So, what’s the solution? How do you have more confidence at the start of the game?

Watch the video below to learn more what Dr. Cohn says about the warmup, your performance and your confidence:

Air Force Special Ops Lieutenant Colonel Heath Kerns discusses how to help your team develop mental toughness and perseverance.
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His discussion is targeted to football coaches, but many points are applicable to basketball as well. Please make sure to click on the video to start the presentation and make sure that your sound is on.

By Dr. Rob Bell

Dr. Bell is a Mental Toughness Coach and Certified Consultant of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.  He consults with hundreds of athletes, coaches, and teams and has served as the mental coach for PGA tour winners, USTA Champion, and Olympic Medalists.  He is also the author of several mental toughness books. For more information about Dr. Bell and his services visit https://drrobbell.com/

No question about it, self-belief is the most important mental skill.

Belief and trust eventually become the ONLY difference between those who eventually reach continued success and those who don’t or can’t sustain it.

Confidence is King. In the game of chess, when the king dies, the game is over! So, it’s how the game is lost! If there is a loss of confidence and self-assuredness, it’s tough to get it back. We have to start a new game.

So, what’s the only way to overcome a loss of confidence?

Notice I didn’t write a lack of confidence. And that’s crucial.
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A lack of self-efficacy means there’s not enough, there’s a shortage, which means WAY more work, planning, strategy, and execution is needed to fill this lack.

A loss, on the other hand, is temporary. We’ve lost, we’ll be back.  We’ll have to start a new game!

I don’t have a lack of keys for my car. I’ve merely lost my keys. Having to go to the dealer or GM headquarters and get new keys manufactured would be awful. Losing my keys is no fun either, but I know I’ll find them, I just have to look in the right spots.

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Remove the Issue

Jack Nicklaus once was asked why he played so poorly the week prior to winning the tournament. He answered “Oh, I slept awful last week, very poor bed. This week, I slept great!”

In the 1992 U.S. open, Ian Woosnam hit an awful shot on the par 3 twelfth hole. He immediately turned to his caddy and said: “there’s something wrong with that golf ball.” Next hole, after switching balls, he purred it right down the middle of the fairway.

Why would these greats not accept responsibility and just say “yeah, I sucked!”  Because that would mean that they sucked! And they didn’t believe that. They believed the situation or external event caused the mistake. 

We need to remind ourselves and others that “self-belief” is NOT the issue! And it’s true! Confidence is a feeling, not thoughts, and deep down they really believe in themselves. So, letting them know trust is NOT the issue means there’s nothing wrong with them.

We need to remove confidence as THE issue.

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Flank the Confidence

B. H. Liddell Hart was a military strategist who examined over 250 campaigns. He looked at what decided the outcome of battles. In almost every campaign it was never just a frontal assault! He found that most battles were won by an “indirect approach.”  A flanking strategy —- A quick move that caught the enemy off guard and they were able to get behind the opposing forces.

The only way to overcome a loss of self-efficacy is the same way.

A frontal assault attacks someone’s entrenched position. It attacks one’s trust in themselves, their beliefs, their values, and the ego.  It also attacks their coaches, their teammates, everything. It gets them questioning and doubting themselves.

We frontal assault someone’s self-belief by telling them, “it’s all in your head” or “you’re not confident enough” or “what’s the matter with you?” It’s easier to crush someone’s belief than it is to build it up…Here’s our infographic showing 5 ways to crush someone’s confidence.

Let them know that since it’s not a belief issue, it’s just that they are focused on the wrong things! 

Focus is Queen. In the game of chess, the focus is how the game is won! We can’t move our king one space at a time and think that will win. Our queen is what wins the game! Focus!

We can’t JUST address self-confidence head on. We need an indirect approach —- when we have a loss of confidence, we need to flank it.

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Overcome The Loss In Confidence-

When we are focused on the wrong things, 99% of the time, we/they are worrying about things in the future or not letting go of the mistakes of the past. We are focused on outcomes, results, and what it may or may not mean. We are time-traveling to the future.

Our focus is OFF.

We need to return to our breath, this moment, this day. Focus on the Now! 

This is especially difficult during tough times, but it’s the ONLY way to return our confidence!

But, If we are truly focused on this moment, then how does self-belief even come into play? It’s ALL about focus in the moment.

There is indeed fear in the future and people, places, and things that are out of our control! Fear lives and ferments in the future. When we look back at our mistakes and all the times we came up short, then there is actual proof how we aren’t good enough.

It gets back to our focus!

Check out Kelly Exter’s blog post on 8 ways to rebuild confidence. 

When we overcome a loss in confidence,  we need to pay attention to all of the things that we say to ourselves. The Voice in our head is negative and we are simply over-thinking! When I overthink, I lose my keys and get off at the wrong exit.

Submitted By Dr. Rob Bell

Dr. Bell is a Mental Toughness Coach and Certified Consultant of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.  He consults with hundreds of athletes, coaches, and teams and has served as the mental coach for PGA tour winners, USTA Champion, and Olympic Medalists.  He is also the author of several mental toughness books. For more information about Dr. Bell and his services visit Dr.Rob Bell

Dr. Bell has developed “Play on Training” to improve the mental toughness for your players. You can find out information about the program by clicking here.

We have more knowledge today literally at our fingertips than ever before. We do not need to search our minds for an answer, or even ask our friends, it’s right there on our phone.

Knowledge is not the problem.

We know how and what to eat to be healthy, but we still have an obesity epidemic.

We know the benefits of exercise and movement, but heart disease is still at an all-time high.

It’s not for a lack of knowledge.

We just choose the easier route. It’s easier to have the milkshake than it is to be in the salad bar line. It’s easier to NOT workout than it is to hit up that spin class.

In our own performance, we know what we NEED to do to become our best. We can’t claim that we don’t know what we don’t know.

Knowledge won’t increase your mental toughness.

Wisdom is what increases our mental toughness and the only way to get wisdom is through experience. That’s why mental toughness is caught more than it is taught.
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Experience is built upon action, living, taking part, and being in the game. Once we experience overcoming adversity, we can rely on our life reminders.

If we don’t hold up mental toughness and continuous improvement as a priority and to be the BEST at getting BETTER than it doesn’t happen. It’s not a priority.

Here are 4 reminders to increase your mental toughness
1. Gratitude
2. Just one more
3. Faith
4. Be in the moment

Gratitude
I don’t believe in an attitude of gratitude, it’s an action of gratitude.

Gratitude is a muscle.

We need to take certain steps to exercise our gratitude! I once fell off an 80-foot cliff and I am thankful every day that I am still able-bodied!

It’s tough to be hateful and grateful at the same time.

Once we start counting all that we are thankful for, it gets tough to stop. We all have tough patches in life and we all go through slumps. That’s life.

Then, we see a child who has to receive weekly cancer treatments or someone who just had a life altering injury and can no longer walk.

When we are in that space of thankfulness, perspective, and positivity, we share it with others.

Just One More
When people look for “the secret” or the magic bullet, there really isn’t one. But, there is one technique that comes close to build your grit.

It’s called just one more.

Here’s how it works:

Whatever we are doing, we all reach that finish point. This strategy plays when we reach the end of our day, the finish of our workout, or even the completion of a task.

When we reach that point where we are “done”, then we need to push ourselves to just do one more. Write one more paragraph, make one more call, do one more rep, or one more sprint.

It will increase your mental toughness because “just one more” is how we push ourselves past our current limits and it guarantees that we finish every task strong!

Faith
There is an illusion of control in all of our lives. We think we have more control than we actually do.

The individuals on earth who actually have a precise idea about our own lack of control are in fact institutionalized. The illusion of control provides us an elixir that enables us to operate. If we thought about how little control we actually had, it would consume us, much like those souls in institutions.

Ahh, and that is what happens. We focus on things that are out of our control.

We think about other people who drag us down and we get sad. We think about our current circumstance or issue and get upset. Or we get bogged down in all of the things that we need to do.

We are the actor in our own play, but we are not the director. There are too many external variables in life and our performance that we have absolutely no control over.

Faith is what we need to overcome the temporary setbacks and defeats and negativity. Faith is the belief that “it” will work out. I can’t overextend my energy or force myself to make “it” happen, I just have to have faith and believe.

Besides, we don’t need to work harder, we just need to believe more!

Faith = Flow

When we have faith that we will be successful, we relax. When we know and have trust that our needs will be met, we relax. And when we are at ease and relaxed, we only focus on what’s in our control. Faith gets into the state of flow.

Lastly, I believe that there is a God and I know that I’m not it.

It makes no difference to me what your higher power is, because the example we set is louder than the words we speak. My own faith rests in Christianity and the grace that God and Jesus Christ promises us. That’s my faith.

And faith isn’t really faith until it’s all you’ve got.

Be in the moment
The sexy term is “mindfulness” which is just the buzzword for being in the moment.

Question for you: When you are truly in the moment, how miserable can you actually be?

All of our fear and anxiety is because we are thinking about the future or we are still rooted in the past. That which we fear is next month, next week, tomorrow, or even later today, it is NOT right now!

When we remind ourselves to focus on this moment, this breath, and just for today, we are being mindful.

In order to increase your mental toughness, we need to focus on the now. That’s it, this breath!

We can’t read the directions and expect a cake to appear.

These four reminders to boost your grit are action items. They must be exercised before adversity strikes during times of struggle and after coming out of hardships. Return to the simple tasks and exercise these four reminders…

Dr. Bell has developed “Play on Training” to improve the mental toughness for your players. You can find out information about the program by clicking here.

These notes on connecting mental and physical toughness are from Mental Toughness Training for Basketball by Mike Voight and Jeff House. I hope that you can use it as a model to think about ways to help your players improve. I like that it breaks down mental toughness into different capacities. Players have different mental strengths and weaknesses just like they have different strengths and weaknesses to their game.

“Nowhere is it more abundantly clear than in competitive sports that everything is interconnected. What you think, how you act, what you eat, how much you sleep, your fighting spirit, your fitness, your passion for life are all intimately connected”
—Jim Loehr, Ed.D., Mental Skills Trainer

Below are some questions for players to answer that can help them gain a better awareness of their present capacity level. Before a player can operate to his/her maximal capacities, he/she must be aware of his current level and how far it may be from his top effort.

Upon getting responses from each player and/or the team as a whole, individual/ team meetings with players can be conducted to discuss specific areas that players need to commit to improving, as well as to list the players’ areas of strengths. Coaches who take the time to talk about specific ways to maximize each athlete’s capacities show the athletes how committed they are in assisting the players in their pursuit.

The critical piece to this model is that your athletes and the team are being asked the “right” questions—questions that range across the seven different capacities.

Another exercise is to ask your players to determine the percentage of their mistakes that are due to each of these seven components.

Another activity is to have players brainstorm why they have not been able to accomplish their preferred goals due to barriers in these seven components. Then the players should be asked to brainstorm some solutions to these barriers. The feedback gathered during these exercises can be an
important foundation for subsequent team goal-setting sessions targeting solutions to common team problems and barriers.

 

Inspiration
What do you love about the game?
What are your reasons for playing the game and the position?
What makes you the happiest while playing?
What is your paying philosophy?
What drives you? What do you want to accomplish?

Emotional toughness 
Are you a risk taker?
Do you deal well with changes?
Do you try new ways to improve your game?
Do you cope well with your frustration?

Mental Toughness for Mechanics
Do you use a pre-practice and pre-game routine?
Does your focus fade during practice or games?
Are you confident regardless of how you’re playing?
Do you stay positive (self talk, thoughts) when you’re not playing well?

Team Play
Are you honestly committed to the team’s goals?
Do you and your positional teammates think as one?
Do you make positive contributions to the team every day?
Do you feel connected to teammates and coaches?

Technical Knowledge
Do you know the demands of your position?
Do you know all of your positional responsibilities?
Do you know the positional responsibilities of teammates
do you look for your opponent’s weaknesses/tendencies?
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Technical Proficiency
Do you know your technical strengths and weaknesses?
Do you practice on your own to improve?
Do you know the specific technical elements that are faulty?
Are the majority of your practices quality sessions?

Physical Toughness
Do you adequately fuel and hydrate your body each day?
Do you ensure that you get proper sleep before games and practices?
Do you work to improve upon your flexibility?
Do you put in maximum effort on your conditioning training?

 

You can find out more about and purchase the eBook that this article is from at: Mental Toughness Training for Basketball