Visualization in SportVisualization in sport is a training technique that forms a part of the larger science of sports psychology. At higher levels of tennis competition, when physical skills and tactics of players are more comparable, psychological skills take on even greater importance. Four factors contribute to this health: mental, emotional, social and meta-mental (reflection, discussion). Several different types of physical and mental relaxation strategies will be discussed in this entry, all of … The field of sports psychology has contributed to the improvement of tennis coaching and playing at all levels of the game. The number of professional and Olympic athletes who discuss mental training as a regular part of their training routines. Before we talk further about mental skills training ask yourself the following ... What Mental Training for Sports Is Really All About. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is one way to say it. Mental toughness is defined as that mental state of natural or developed psychological advantage; mental skills, which permits an individual to cope better than their opponents in competition and training, and/or in facing adversity and crisis through a determined, focused, confident and controlled attitude (Jones, Hanton, & Connaughton, 2002). Each factor works together with the rest to influence performance in sport, exercise, and physical activity. Mental Skills in Sport and Mental Toughness “Mental Toughness” is a term that often has it’s meaning debated. To avoid distractions, deal with constantly changing arousal levels. Five Mental Obstacles That Prevent Sport Success ... by definition, they may lead to failure. Mental health is just as important as physical health when training for a sport. Visualization is also known as mental imagery and rehearsal. Sports mental training provides athletes with the tools they need to improve concentration and focus. Athletes hear professional athletes and Olympians espouse the virtues of mental toughness training and how mental toughness was the reason for their great athletic achievements. Relaxation has been defined as a psychological strategy used by sports performers to help manage or reduce stress-related emotions (e.g., anxiety and anger) and physical symptoms (e.g., physical tension and increased heart rate [HR]) during high pressurized situations. For example, an athlete may think (in the “mind’s … My definition of mental toughness was informed by a select group of people who truly model it to the highest degree, the US Navy SEALs. Mental rehearsal is an umbrella term that covers several techniques used by athletes and exercisers to improve performance. Pressure can get to the best sports stars and mental training is therefore a vital skill to possess. When it comes to sports, having mental strength is nearly as important for players as physical fitness. An Integrated Approach to Mental Skills Training. But mental toughness is a skill set, and execution without practice rarely—if ever—works. It happens covertly and without any actual movement and typically involves the representation of an action or behavior using nonverbal (e.g., imagery, observation) or verbal processes (e.g., self-talk). Definition of Sport. This in turn will increase the athlete’s confidence, attitude and improve team dynamics as well as intra-team cohesion.