Mental Preparation For Competition
Have you ever wondered how Olympic-level athletes are able to focus despite all the pressure to perform?
Mark Gangloff is an American former swimmer and two-time Olympian. Gangloff won Olympic gold in 2004 and was the American record-holder in the 100m breaststroke.
I interviewed Gangloff about his mental preparation for high-level swim meets.
Gangloff talked about the importance of a strong mental game in the sport of swimming.
COHN: “How important is the mental game in swimming at the higher levels when you get to the collegiate and Olympic levels?”
GANGLOFF: “As you move further and further down the line in the sport you are doing, the mental game becomes even more important than your preparation physically. At the top, everybody seems to have about the same physical attributes, but it’s whether or not you’re mentally prepared for the race or the stress of the situation.”
Gangloff identified the ability to focus as the premier mental skill of top-level swimmers.
COHN: “What are the common mental characteristics of the top swimmers?”
GANGLOFF: “To me, it’s being able to focus your energy and stay within your own race plan and block out the outside aspects (crowd, media) and stick to your plan and what you are prepared to do.”
Gangloff admitted he experiences anxiety prior to his Olympic events but revealed his secrets on how he sharpens his focus prior to these stressful races.
COHN: “What are you doing specifically mentally to get into that level of focus that you need before a race?”
GANGLOFF: “If it’s a high-level competition, like the Olympics or Olympic Trials, my anxiety level may be a little bit higher, for me, I have to do a couple of things: First, I have to release that anxiety a little bit and what I tend to do is think about my wife and my daughter. Then I think about one or two details of my race, usually it’s my start and the first three strokes and then, after that, I try not to think about anything else… and let my body do what I trained it to do.”
COHN: “In dealing with anxiety, it sounds like you try to put things into perspective. Does that help you mellow out before a race?”
GANGLOFF: “Swimming is always going to be a sport, but it’s not the biggest thing in the world… So, for me, I know my wife and my child will still be here after it is all over and done with. That helps me bring the situation down just a little bit where it’s more manageable. You are still going to get nervous no matter what happens but it helps get the butterflies out of my stomach.”
By applying some of Gangloff’s strategies, you can improve your focus and achieve greater success in your sport.
Try these tips to develop an Olympic-level focus:
- Tip #1: You, first, need to overcome any anxiety. Think about something outside of the sport that is important to you. It is when you are overly focused on an event that your anxiety level skyrockets.
- Tip #2: You want to establish your focus just prior to competition. Pick 1-2 things to focus on prior to the moment you need to perform.
Successful athletes have learned to boost concentration and eliminate distractions. We’ve created The Focused Athlete, Workbook Program to help you do this.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Perform Under Pressure with Confidence
- How to Compete Well in Pressure Moments
- How to Perform Big in Pressure Moments
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The Focused Athlete
It’s probably no secret that you have many opportunities to become distracted in sports. Athletes are bombarded with both internal and external distractions everyday in practice and competition. Focused athletes are able to get the most from their skills because they are more efficient with practice and more concentrated in competition. Athletes who lack focus let distractions run wild through their mind and don’t know how to adjust or refocus.
The Focused Athlete was developed for any level coach, parent, or junior to professional athlete who wants to improve performance and gain a competitive edge. It does not matter if you are a fledgling junior athlete; or a seasoned professional, plagued with distractions; or you just wanting to learn how to improve concentration…
“The Focused Athlete” is a complete system to teach you how to focus like a champion and harness the power of a zone focus every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course in practice and games!