Yale Researchers affirm the Hot Hand in Sports
Having a “hot hand”, going on a run, being “on fire”. Across all sports there are examples where an athlete seems to suddenly be unstoppable – hitting every action, or nailing every shot from the field. The idea of the “hot hand” in sports is something widely believed, but there has not been any scientific or statistical proof to back it up.
Zen Warrior – Chess Master: Video
A new sport psychology video has been released that discusses the necessary psychological shifts between the analytical and intuitive (or active) mindsets during a fencing bout. Discussion points are led by Dr. John Heil with additional input from 2 time Olympian Jason Rogers. Discuss this video in the forums.
The Effort Effect
“We insist on giving our best effort in everything we undertake. Furthermore, we see a huge difference between “good mistakes” (best effort, bad result) and “bad mistakes” (sloppiness or lack of effort.)” That was one of the Core Values & Beliefs for an Internet startup (MindSpring). The mindset there – work hard, solve problems, get [...]
3 Things I Learned from Winning Ugly
The amount of insight that can be gleaned from Brad Gilbert’s Winning Ugly might be surprising since it is a “how-to-win” guide to tennis. The book emphasizes things that one can do to improve their play outside of improving their technique (for that Brad suggests taking lessons with a coach.) I’ve selected the top 3 [...]
Fencing Sport Psychology Video
This video contains interviews and observations on the psychological side of fencing. Interviews shot at the 2010 Summer National Championships. Thanks to Dr. Heil for pointing out the video to us.
Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
Developing consistency in your competitive results starts with how you prepare for a tournament. The establishing an individualized routine is essential for every fencer’s training program. It creates a foundation which sets the tone for the rest of the day. How you feel going into a competition -both in your mind and body- should be [...]
Control Your Mind, Control Your Bout
All too often while fencing, a bad situation occur and the athlete responds and reacts based on how they initially feel about the situation. This reaction is the basis for how the fencer handles it. Sometimes, an athlete’s emotions can get the better of them, and can even affect other parts of their game. Sometimes fencers [...]
May I Have Your Attention Please!? – Concentration and Fencing
Being able to focus your attention properly on the task at hand is the essence of concentration. You would think that with all of the effort put into training for and arriving at a tournament, it would be easy to let fencing be the top priority and have the rest of the world melt away [...]
7 Steps to Effective Goal Setting
Setting goals is one of the most commonly used training tools. Goals can organize the competitors’ focus and endeavors towards achieving a specific task. They also increase persistence and motivation for long term training. Having a goal can help a performer find new learning strategies. Unfortunately, people’s goals are all too often made incorrectly. If [...]
Everything That Can Go Wrong in a Bout, Will
I’ve seen it so many times. A fencer may be struggling in a tough bout, but hanging in there. Then out of the blue, one thing goes wrong and they explode in a fit of anger, or mentally break down. As a result, they lose the bout, their temper and even some dignity from other [...]
