FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume XIV, Number 9 September 2011

Welcome to the one hundred and fifty-third issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology. This issue will offer some practical and positive suggestions for anyone who would like to quickly and effectively overcome the emotional side effects of a disappointing outcome to significant competition. (LeBron are you listening?)

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Overcoming the Negative Emotions Associated with Defeat"
 by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

One of the best evidence based strategies for overcoming unpleasant emotions, such as those that might be associated with a crushing defeat for example, is to distract yourself temporarily by using a set of skills whose acronym is ACCEPTS*.

ACTIVITIES - engage in positive activities that you enjoy

CONTRIBUTE - find ways to help out others or contribute to your community

COMPARISONS - think of the many ways in which you are more fortunate than other competitors or compare yourself to those times when you were in a worse situation

EMOTIONS - cause yourself to experience different emotions by provoking your sense of humor or engaging in an activity that makes you happy

PUSH AWAY - focus your attention on the process of preparing for your next competition

THOUGHTS - use "Thought-Stopping" to direct your attention away from your uncomfortable feelings

SENSATIONS -  take a cold shower, eat spicy foods or do something else with an intense and positive sensory component to it

By using any or all of these strategies you will find that it is much easier to adjust, rebalance and move on after experiencing disappointment as a competitor.

*taken from D.B.T. in Life.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for September is: Nora Hunt-Lee

Nora has until Tuesday midnight September 4, 2011 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume XIV, Number 10 October 2011

Welcome to the one hundred and fifty-fourth issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology. This issue will offer an example of a practical exercise and positive suggestions for anyone who would like to quickly and effectively overcome the emotional side effects of a disappointing outcome or a feeling of too much stress. 

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"9 Minute Post-Competition Relaxations"
 by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

Two of the best, quickest and most effective evidenced based strategies for overcoming unpleasant emotions, such as those associated with a poor performance, is the use of a nine minute guided visualization and/or a nine minute meditation. These techniques are also effective means of decompressing after competition regardless of the outcome and can easily be practiced in both a team and individual settings.

The first technique offered, a Mind-to-Muscle exercise, is a Guided Visualization entitled the Garden Scene*. The Garden Scene can be memorized or pre-recorded and played by an individual competitor, or coach, in the locker room immediately after a competition. This image is most effective when presented in a environment that is quiet and distraction free. It is also helpful if the level of light is lowered or a non-intrusive sleep mask such as the brand known as the "Mindfold" is worn during the presentation. By clicking here you can listen to an example of the Garden Scene.

The second technique is a Muscle-to-Mind exercise and is one of nine Kriyas or meditations, associated with Kundalini Yoga. Go here to read more about them and here for instructions on how to perform the meditation designed to reduce stress.

By using either of these strategies you will find that it is much easier to adjust, rebalance and move on after experiencing disappointment or unpleasant emotions as a competitor or in your everyday life.

*The Garden Scene is an adaptations of one of the Standard Structured Images developed by William S. Kroger, MD and William D. Fezler, Ph.D.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for October is: Isobel Dunlop

Isobel has until Friday midnight October 14, 2011 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume XIV, Number 11 November 2011

Welcome to the one hundred and fifty-fifth issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology. This and the December issue offers a review of the basic introduction to the principles of Peak Performance.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"A Review of the Peak Performance Concept"
 by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

Peak Performance Concept-For each of us an ideal state of mind exists that is conducive to our own best performance. We can learn what this state of mind is and how to bring it on.


I. Voluntary Relaxation/Arousal Control

Rationale:	The muscles of the body perform best when they are not too relaxed and not too tight "Relaxed Yet Highly Energized"
Method:	Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing), Relaxation Training and Autogenic Conditioning

II. Mental Rehearsal

Rationale:	Mental Rehearsal is a proven supplement to actual practice. Practicing in your head with the right images improves performance. "Mental Rehearsal is the only place you can experience perfect technique !00% of the time"
Method:	Creative Day Dreaming, Videos of near perfect technique, Guided Imagery and Imagery Conditioning for total mastery

III. Cognitive Restructuring (Attitude Adjustment)

Rationale:	Thoughts, feelings and emotions have an instantaneous and involuntary effect on the muscles of the body and therefore our ability to perform. Train the brain to consistently achieve the ideal attitude
Method:	Goal Setting, Affirmations, Thought Stopping, Positive Self-Talk and Subliminal Reinforcement

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for November is: Sathianarayana Moorthi

Sathianarayana has until Friday midnight November 18, 2011 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume XIV, Number 12 December 2011

Welcome to the one hundred and fifty-sixth issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology. This issue like the last is a review of the introduction to the Peak Performance Concept. 

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Mind to Muscle"
 by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

There are not many athletes who can honestly say that their performance is never affected by mental or psychological factors. Almost everyone who competes or attempts to do their best at some important aspect of life has experienced both mental boosts and hindrances. Doubts, confidence, anxiety, poise, courage and fears for example can have a significant impact on how well we perform. The more we understand the complex interrelationship between mind and body the more it becomes clear that in order to perform at our best physically we must properly prepare and use both body and mind. Research and experience have proven that structured scientific mental training can help us learn to prepare and use our mind to improve our competitive performance.

A key psychological ingredient needed to consistently perform at our best is a winning attitude. In this context attitude is defined as those thoughts, beliefs, values, feelings and emotions associated with a specific situation or performance. For example the thoughts and feelings many alpine ski racers usually associate with a second run on a steep and icy slalom course is, for many of us, an overwhelming desire to finish the course! In general if we have doubts about our ability to finish we have trouble doing so. On the other hand if we have confidence we tend to be much more likely to stay in the course and finish successfully.

There is a scientific basis for the commonly accepted axiom that confidence in the starting gate leads to successful races. The muscles of the body involuntarily and instantaneously respond to thoughts, feelings and ideas. This phenomenon is referred to as Ideomotor Activity. In practical terms what this means is that negative thoughts and emotions tend to have a negative effect on our muscles while positive thoughts tend to have a positive effect. In almost every situation of equal or nearly equal ability and preparation the winning racer is usually the one who maintains the most consistently positive attitude and pattern of thought. All athletic competitors can and should learn to shape their attitude and thought pattern into one of predominantly positive and confident thinking.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for December is: Jim Smith

Jim has until Friday midnight December 16, 2011 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

FIRST OF THE YEAR LETTER
2012
 from Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

Dear Friends,

As the New Year and new opportunities for excellence and productivity open before us, I would like to say “Thank You” to all of you who have made the success of this Newsletter, doctorrelax.com and drrelax.com possible over the past fourteen years.

This Newsletter and I have experienced many changes, challenges, set backs and successes over the past decade. I believe that none of the successes could have been accomplished without your support.
 
What I have learned over the past years is that nothing is more valuable to me than the trust, confidence and participation of my family, friends, subscribers and clients. In 2005 when Google, for reasons unknown, demoted drrelax.com from first page rank the number of visitors to the site dramatically dropped. It was then, and continues to be, your loyalty and continuing re-enrollment that have kept this enterprise afloat. THANK YOU! Your continued patronage is my most treasured asset. That's why I pledge to continue to strive to exceed your expectations and by so doing preserve this most precious of blessings.
 
So as I wish you the best in the unfolding year, I also want you to know how much I appreciate you! As a small token of my gratitude I am offering to create a free set of personalized affirmations for each of you who receive this.
Best wishes for a prosperous and successful year in which you will find yourselves:

Even More FOCUSED, More CALM and More CONFIDENT!

Next months newsletter will offer a means of conceptualizing states of mind during competition or practice.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for this time period is: Christopher Gallant

Christopher has until Friday midnight January 20, 2012 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.

©Copyright 2012, Sierra Center for Peak Performance

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