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Peaksports.com News

NEW! - The Focused Athlete: a 14-Day Plan for Superior Concentration! Part of The Confident Athlete Series, this 2 CD set and workbook teaches you how to concentrate your best in just 10 minutes a day.
Read more about The Focused Athlete...

Want to Learn all of Dr. Cohn's Mental Training Secrets? Get access to the world's most advanced mental training program 365 days a year and learn innovative sports psychology strategies.
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New Sports Psychology Podcast Web Page! Get Psyched for Sports podcast teaches athletes the latest methods to improve performance.
Check out the podcast of the month!

Locker Room Talk

"I enjoyed 'The Confident Athlete' very much. I particularly liked the format, the ease of the program, and the 2 CDs that accompanied the workbook - 10-20 minutes a day was simple to adhere to and put in my busy schedule. I love the part about confidence with grace, and what I want to portray and feel the minute I step foot into Los Angeles for nationals. I love the affirmations, the relaxation techniques, and just the entire perspective of the program."
~Sarah, US National Aerobic Gymnastics Team

Read about how to boost your confidence...

Feature Mental Game Article

Don't Let the Underdog Surprise You!
Getting beat by an underdog is a coach’s worst nightmare. Underdog players and teams beat the favorite everyday in sports. The best team does not ALWAYS win because the favorite can get surprised by the underdog especially when the favorite takes the game too lightly.

I am sure you have played game or match in which you were favored to win. You though, "No problem, we just need to show up and the game is ours." The problem starts when you underestimate your opponent's ability, which likely causes you to be mentally and physically unprepared for the “pushover” team or opponent. The outcome is that you don’t play up to your ability or you lose altogether!

The Cincinnati Reds baseball team climbed into first place in the NL Central this summer despite the team’s history of playing down to opposing teams according to pitcher David Weathers. "The next step for us is not playing down to competition. But I think we kind of went into Chicago knowing they were struggling and we thought we could just walk out and win. We found out real quick we couldn't. I think now for us we have to keep our focus on every opponent and give them all the same respect. Once we do that, I think we'll be playing for something," Weathers said.

Labeling a team as "underdog" or "favorite" is the start of the problem as it causes athletes to adopt expectations about the quality of opponents. Expectations about the quality of your competitor can prevent your from fully preparing yourself to play your best. When you expect a losing team to be a pushover, you don’t give the same preparation or effort you would if you were playing a rival.

In the last Winter Olympics, athletes that were expected to win, such as Bode Miller and Sasha Cohen, instead under performed. High expectations can sometimes lead to too much pressure. Or, overconfidence can cause an athlete or team to be under prepared. In addition, lack of intensity can cause an athlete to be distracted and unfocused. All of these scenarios lead to big upsets.

First, do not underestimate an underdog team or set expectations about who should win. You must prepare your best for every opponent, rival or underdog. Sound preparation and planning is a hallmark of championship athletes and teams. If you approach every team or opponent with respect, you will be prepared to perform you best. Second, take time to set a game plan or strategy to for any opponent even if your team is expected to win big, or you might end up with the first "L" in the loss column.

Third, some athletes simply can't get "psyched up" or excited to play a losing team. Keep in mind that intensity helps you focus your best. If you expect to win and can't get mentally ready for the game, you will not focus at optimum levels and performance suffers. In the 2004 Rider Cup, the American team was favored over the European’s. American players were criticized because they treated the Rider Cup lightly compared to the Europeans. The Americans started slowly in the matches and the European’s gained momentum quickly. The rest of the story is history – the European Team won decisively by the biggest margin in Ryder Cup history!

A more recent upset happened at the 2006 US Open last week when Martina Hingis (seeded 6th) was pummeled 6-2 6-4 by unseeded Virginie Razzano, causing Hingis’ early exit in the second round at the U.S. Open. Razzano caught momentum early, which gave her confidence and freed her to play her best. "I think it's not only that she played well, but I didn't play good. I think I let her play well, and then she just opened up, lost the fear, and played exceptional," said Hingis after the loss.

If you approach a weaker opponent flat, lacking intensity, overconfident, or unprepared, you run the risk of not performing your best and even losing the match, which can cause you or your team to lose confidence!

If you want to be focused for every single game or opponent, check out the newest addition to The Confident Athlete Series - The Focused Athlete: A 14-Day Plan for Superior Concentration!

Sports Specific Mental Training Tip

Mentally Thriving in Crunch-Time

Some athletes have a tendency to choke in the heat of competition and thus not perform their best. Such athletes choke because they get too worried about blowing a lead or having chance to win and then letting it slip away. As a result, they play tentatively, perform defensively, and let the pressure of crunch-time swallow them up.

However, the best players in the world thrive in crunch-time. They love the opportunity to win a tournament or kick a winning field goal. These players thrive under the heat of competition because they love it when their competitive juices are flowing like Niagara Falls. Here is what Tiger Woods had to say about his reasons for playing golf after winning the 2006 PGA Championship.

"These are the most fun events to play in, the major championships. I just thoroughly enjoy coming down the stretch on the back nine with a chance to win it. That's why I practice as hard as I do and what I live for. That to me is the ultimate rush in our sport is on that back nine on Sunday with a chance to win a major championship."
~ Tiger Woods

Tiger loves the thrill of being in contention on the last day of a major championship - this is why he trains so hard. Tiger works and trains hard in practice so he can have a chance of being in contention on the final 9 holes of the tournament.

When you have to get it done in crunch-time, remember why you practice so hard. You have to love the heat of a good battle and not worry about results or outcomes. This will give you the competitive edge on your opponents and help you mentally thrive in crunch-time.

Podcast of the Month

Get Psyched for Sports - Podcast of the Month!
Want to learn how to focus your best under pressure or adversity? The best athletes in the world concentrate their best in crunch-time. Find out how you can improve your focus when you performing with distractions in this month's podcast. Click here to visit the Podcast of the Month!

Pro Athlete Quote of the Month

"My body took me out of the tournament and my mind will bring me back in it. That's what I tried to do today. I didn't hit the ball good and my speed wasn't good early. That was all physical mistakes. But the mind is powerful enough to tell the body what to do, it'll do it."
~Tiger Woods

Ask Doc Cohn

Tennis Mom:
My daughter is very hard on herself if she doesn't perform very well the first time she attempts anything. She recently began playing in tennis tournaments and has won more than lost, but her behavior when losing is terrible. So, how do we help her deal with her frustration of not being perfect and channel that energy into working for her? Is this a sign that she is too young to compete?

Click Here to Read Dr. Cohn's answer...

(MVP) Most Valuable Product

The Focused Athlete:
A 14-Day Plan for Superior Concentration
If you're an athlete who is frequently distracted, loses focus in competition, or wants to learn more about how to focus better under pressure, check out "The Focused Athlete." Part of The Confident Athlete Series, Dr. Cohn shares all his focusing strategies in "The Focused Athlete."
Read more about The Focused Athlete now...

Get The Focused Athlete & The Confident Athlete - Save $20!