FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line E-Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume X, Number 3  March 2007

Welcome to the ninety-ninth issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Change Your Attitude by Changing Your Self-Talk"
Part II
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for this time period is Ali Cimen.

 Ali has until  midnight, Hawaii Time, on Tuesday April 3rd to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line E-Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume X, Number 4  April 2007

Welcome to the one hundredth issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Change Your Attitude by Changing Your Self-Talk"
Part III
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

 In my work with athletes, and others, I have found that Self-Talk Logs and Journals can be an excellent way to keep track of the internal dialogue that shapes and influences behavior. Logs and Journals, whether on-line or paper and pencil, can often be valuable tools that can be used to help set a more direct course towards more positive, success oriented, winning attitudes and behavior. The following is the third article in a recent series of articles about the process of "Attitude Adjustment" and log keeping and analysis. This article describes some of the methods used to help a currently active Bullriding competitor I shall continue to call "John" for the purpose of confidentiality. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN SPITE OF THE EDITS SOME OF THE LANGUAGE QUOTED HERE MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME READERS.

The self-talk below that is highlighted in red represents the self-talk that should be eliminated and the self-talk highlighted in green should be encouraged and expanded. 

ON MY WAY TO PRACTICE OR RODEO: This was on July 8 There will be good bulls there today.  It will pay good to win it.

WHILE WARMING UP AND STRETCHING: Focus on riding good and getting out over the bull. I should ride this bull.  This will be fun. Let it happen., , ,

WHILE WAITING TO RIDE: Let's go. Keep reaching. Breathe deep and relax. Let good things happen., ,

WHILE NEAR THE SHUT: I started worrying just a little bit about my shoulder.  Thought about trying hard and putting out lots of effort.

JUST BEFORE SETTLING ONTO THE BULL: Focused on riding aggressive. And trying not to think much, doing breathing exercises., ,

AFTER I DISMOUNT: That felt good for a while but what happened.  Man I wish I would have rode him.  I could have rode that bull., , ,

WHILE LOOKING AT MY TIME: Started thinking what I did wrong to cause me to buck off., ,

ON MY WAY TO PRACTICE OR RODEO: I was really in a relaxed and meditative state.  Not much self talk. Just excited and focused to get the job done.

WHILE WARMING UP AND STRETCHING: Affirmations.  Thought stopping.  I crush all thoughts of past or future misfortune with thought stopping.  I am a winner. A few more affirmations. This is going to be a good night. I am a winner and I know I am going to win., , ,

WHILE WAITING TO RIDE: What if I tear up my - stop I crush all thoughts of past or future misfortune with thought stopping.  Randy Teeman is the best surgeon in the world at shoulder repair.  I focus on success health harmony and positive possibilities.  A little anxiety and fear.  Then I started self talking aggressively., ,

WHILE NEAR THE SHUT: Let's go. Get winning feelings going.  I think like a winner, feel like a winner, act like a winner because I am a winner.  Relax, focus, and take it to this Bull. Keep positive self talk going.  This is your secret.  I don't know why it works, but it does.  Keep self talking positive.  I am winner.  I will take it to this bull. F... this bulls reputation (he doesn't hardly ever get ridden)  f... his reputation, f... him.  I am better than him and I can ride him all day.  I am a bad m..... f......, I am bad and I can ride anything. This bull doesn't have s... on me. Don't weaken just because of negative thoughts. Take it to him with no fear. Come on, get aggressive you need to win.  Got to win money.  But just ride because your spirit wants to keep ego out of it.

JUST BEFORE SETTLING ONTO THE BULL: Knee up and back straight, chest out, control free arm and keep reaching.  Just do it because this is fun you need to win but that doesn't matter there that feels good. (lots of good have fun feelings, detached from result) I am better than this bull. Keep good form. (Lots of slow belly breathing), ,

AFTER I DISMOUNT: Yes, I rode that bull I am so happy I got it done. I wanted to ride that bull so bad. (he has bucked off a lot of high caliber riders and has been rode maybe only once in the last two years), , ,

WHILE LOOKING AT MY TIME: great, I should have been more points, but I did my job, ,

AFTER A GOOD RIDE: yes, I can ride anything and can't wait to go to more rodeos.  Way to take control and act tough 80 points 2nd place, , ,

WHILE WAITING FOR THE NEXT GO ROUND: There was only one go around tonight because it was a rodeo.  ,

ON MY WAY TO PRACTICE OR RODEO: This was the 2nd Bull 

WHILE WARMING UP AND STRETCHING: There is no way this bull is going to throw me off. He has no chance., , ,

WHILE WAITING TO RIDE: I was relaxed and in a good mood and was doing a lot of deep belly breaths, so I can honestly say there weren't hardly any thoughts, until- What if I break my leg or something, Stop, where did that come from just ride good and stay in control., ,

WHILE NEAR THE SHUT: Let's go, put out full effort this time. I feel good.

JUST BEFORE SETTLING ONTO THE BULL: I am taking everything I got to this bull. There is no way he can buck me off. I am a bad m... f... and this bull doesn't have a chance against me. Post up and keep reaching every jump, no quit., ,

AFTER I DISMOUNT: Good. That is the way I am supposed to do it., , ,

WHILE LOOKING AT MY TIME: Excellent. Should of done that on my first one too., ,

AFTER A GOOD RIDE: I had great focus as everything felt like is was moving slow and I had lots of time to react and was really aggressive, which is the most important thing for me.  Could have had some more bull but I did my job perfect. ,

In the examples above John is focused too much on Outcome and not enough on Process. John, and most of us, should remember that: 

We can control the Process but we cannot control the Outcome.

The May Newsletter will continue to explore ways to change your attitude by changing your Self-Talk. If you would like to begin keeping a Self-Talk Log just email me.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for this time period is Herbie Zeller.

 Herbie has until  midnight, Hawaii Time, on Tuesday April 24th to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line E-Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume X, Number 5  May 2007

Welcome to the one hundredth and first issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Change Your Attitude by Changing Your Self-Talk"
Part IV: Adding New Skills
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

The Wikipedia defines an Ultra marathon as "...any running event longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometers (26.21875 miles, 46,145 yards)." Since 2004 I have had the pleasure, and honor, to work with an Ultra marathon runner whom I will call Jack. Jack enjoys preparing for and running trail races that are 50 miles or more. Last month Jack sent an email that contained the following:

"The Mohican Trail 100 Mile race is coming up in just under 11 weeks. Can we possibly work together again to prepare for the run? I'm specifically wondering if you would tailor a program to help me prepare to effectively deal with the fatigue and discomfort that begin to set in after hours of running and wear away my resolve. I've just returned home this evening after being away for a few weeks - while away I came across this from competitive distance cyclist Jim Edmark, 'The trick is to know how to deal effectively with [pain]. When you reach that threshold of discomfort, you need to convert it to positive energy, positive thoughts and positive overdrive.' While I have run further along the Mohican 100 Mile course each year than the preceding year, I believe that I have thrown in the towel and said 'Enough!' when I still could have continued. In retrospect I think that I have been tired and have let thoughts of the remaining miles, particularly the challenging sections, coupled with my tiredness lead me to withdraw from the race or slow me down to the point that I miss time cut-offs. Is it possible (and advisable) to disassociate from the fatigue and discomfort?"

The following is a part of my response to him: 

"Yes, you can learn to disassociate from the fatigue and discomfort. The trick is to know what level of discomfort should not be ignored. Most of us pick this up without too much risk but some of us can become so tolerant that we can cause ourselves serious injury. I can help you learn the skills but you must take responsibility for knowing when enough really is enough."

Next months article will begin to describe how Jack and I were able to work together to change his Self-Talk and build new mental skills that include both controlling discomfort and disassociation.

Have you found yourself in situations that lead you to believe, after-the-fact, that discomfort and fatigue, or any other elements, resulted in your saying "Enough!" too soon? If so you may want to read the upcoming articles to find out what you can do to avoid it in the future. You can also email me for more individualized help.

To celebrate the production of over 100 newsletters articles I am drawing 11 winners this month rather than only one. Here is a listing of the lucky winners names:

Bethan Williams, Abigail Johnson, Alex Herrnsdorf, Colleen Burke, Robert Gullen, Kristen MacDonald, Ken Lubin, Kate White, Kim Mains, Reiko Suzuki and Ramji Srinivasan all have until  midnight, Hawaii Time, on Wednesday May 30th to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

©Copyright 2007, Sierra Center for Peak Performance

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FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line E-Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume X, Number 6  June 2007

Welcome to the one hundred and second issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Adding New Skills: Learning Glove Anesthesia"
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

An Ultra Marathon Runner named Jack asked me to assist him in his preparation for the 2007 Mohican 100 Mail Trail Run. The Mohican is a foot race that is run each year in June through parts of the Mohican Wilderness near Loudonville, Ohio. Among other aspects of his mental preparation, Jack wanted me to help him to more effectively deal with the fatigue and discomfort that begin to set in after hours of trail running. Jack and I had worked together on his mental preparation for other ultra marathons including two of his previous attempts to complete the Mohican. 

Because of his previous successful experience with guided imagery Jack had already acquired the basic skills needed to reduce or eliminate pain. Glove Anesthesia was the new skill that would give him more direct control over the amount and intensity of the discomfort that would challenge him during the Mohican. Glove Anesthesia can be narrowly defined as a sensory hallucination that results in numbness of the hand from the fingers to the wrist. In Jack's case the term glove anesthesia is used to refer to the ability to produce sensations of numbness in his extremities and other vulnerable parts of his body. 

From the beginning of our image work together Jack had been learning to control vasoconstriction and dilation. Vasodilation results in an increase of blood flow that produces congestion and warmth while vasoconstriction reduces blood flow and produces numbness and chill. When Jack learned to relax parts of his body he learned to increase blood flow and perceived, and actual, warmth is a natural result of that relaxation. Conversely when he learned to restrict blood flow numbness and chill are the natural outcome.

Our physical world is made up of sensations that come both from outside and inside our bodies. Stimuli from outside our bodies is called exteroceptive and stimuli from within is called interoceptive. Mastering glove anesthesia gives us control over both exteroceptive and interoceptive stimulation. It gives us voluntary control over the option to receive or not receive both interior and exterior stimulation. The plan was to teach Jack to block out or ignore the exteroceptive and interoceptive stimulation associated with discomfort. Jack would be taught, through imagery and mental rehearsal, to chill and numb the cites of his pain and block reception of the interior and exterior pain stimuli.

The description of our work together will continue in next months newsletter article.

Would controlling discomfort be an advantage in your sport? If so give me a call on my toll-free line and let's talk about how I might be of assistance to you. Call me at: (888) 625-2743. Please keep in mind that there is a significant time difference between Hawaii, where I am, and the rest of the world. You can use applications like the World Clock to calculate a good time to call. I'll talk to you soon.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for this time period is Nasser Khan.

 Nasser has until  midnight, Hawaii Time, on Thursday July 5th to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

Do you believe that all you have to do to be more successful is "Ask", "Believe" and "Receive" or do you believe that you have to work for what you get? If you believe that there are "no free lunches" and people have to put energy in to get rewards out then drop me an email or give me a toll-free call at: (888) 625-2743 and I'll begin to tell you how you can more effectively work for your rewards.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for this time period is Wayne  Greenhalgh.

Wayne has until  midnight, Hawaii Time, on October 2nd to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.