In the last article I introduced – and hopefully excited you about – the potential for personal trainers to increase their income and client base working with elite level sportspeople. I mentioned that these clients have unique needs, and personal trainers wanting to work with elite sportspeople, want to develop skills in five key areas – what I term the Mind Matters of Personal Training.
A WINNING ATTITUDE
The first of these keys is to encourage a winning attitude in your clients. Now someone with a winning attitude is not someone who is merely obsessed with victory, but rather someone who has : a solution oriented focus; asks the right questions of themselves; and has powerful, positive self talk.
A solution oriented focus is all about looking for the answers, rather than focusing on the problems. You can encourage this in what you do with your clients, and how you communicate with them.
Rather than dwelling on ‘problems’, encourage them to consider solutions – how did they overcome a similar situation previously? What do they need to do to move forward?
Which leads into asking the right questions doesn’t it? How often have you heard why(n)ing questions from your clients? Why can’t I lose weight? What’s wrong with me? Why am I so unfit? Why can’t I get motivated?
The trouble with these kinds of questions is that even if you get the answer, you’re still not left with a solution! This, of course, is the problem with traditional psychotherapy! Who cares where the ‘problem’ comes from – what your clients want is to know how to get out of it! So help them out by encouraging them to ask ‘How’ questions. How can I do such and such, and enjoy the process? How can I stay motivated? What can I do to achieve this step towards my goal? How can I stay on my healthy diet and exercise program?
Of course, this is supported by encouraging powerful, positive self talk in your clients. Of course you can do it! Stick with it! You’ll make it! You deserve success. You’ve got what it takes. Perservere. Persist. All champions do.
POSITIVE MOTIVATION AND HIGH ACHIEVEMENT STRATEGIES
Goal setting is an obvious characteristic of elite sportspeople, and you’ve no doubt heard about goal setting ad nauseam! So I won’t belabour the obvious here, but rather note a couple of things about goals of which you may not be aware.
Firstly, do you understand how and why goals work?
There is a part of the brain known as the RAS (reticular activating system) which, in simple terms, controls what we pay attention to. It does this unconsciously, based on what we have consciously decided is important to us.
For example, I recently decided to purchase a new car, and after a few weeks of looking around had decided on a particular brand and model. In the next few weeks prior to my purchasing the new vehicle, I saw that particular kind of car everywhere – whereas previously I had never even noticed them! I’m sure something similar has happened to you – either when choosing bricks or tiles for a new house, a new piece of business equipment, or whatever.
As soon as we consciously decide some particular thing is important to us, then our RAS filters the environment around us, unconsciously, and triggers our attention to items related to that particular thing. Without clear goals, this process cannot happen, and so the individual without goals doesn’t notice the opportunities that someone with goals does automatically.
The other important thing about goals is that for someone to actively work towards a particular goal, they have to have a powerful enough reason. Particularly in elite level sport! Every athlete gets to a point in their training when they ask themselves “Why am I doing this?” If they don’t have clear, unambiguous and powerful reasons to answer that question, then they will give up, and do something else.
So you can aid your clients be pre-asking this question, and having them list a number of clear reasons for you. Then, whenever their motivation is flagging, you can say: “Remember X? Remember what you’re doing this for!”
Having clear, powerful reasons makes the difference between someone who is ‘playing’ sport, and a sports professional. Having powerful reasons makes the difference between someone who takes action on their goals and dreams, and someone who remains a dreamer.
BUILDING POSITIVE SELF CONCEPT
Self belief, in my opinion, is the single most essential characterising trait of the champion athlete. However, like motivation, concentration, a positive attitude, and so on, it’s a learned behaviour – and one which you can help build in your clients.
Without doubt the biggest influence upon self belief and self confidence is the ability to cope with mistakes, failures, poor performances, and outright rejection in your life. Everyone can believe in themselves when things are going well! It’s only when the chips are down and your back is to the wall that your underlying self belief is really tested, and either found wanting, or is strengthened by the adversity.
Obviously, positive self belief is closely linked to, and supported by, positive self talk. However, there is one key area that is often overlooked in building self belief, and that is one’s attitude to errors, and there is an excellent strategy that I’ve developed which I call the ARIA technique which is extremely valuable that you can teach to your clients.
I’ll explain this in detail in the next article, together with the other two key areas : Emotional Management and Visualisation Techniques. [If you can’t wait then you can refer to the Sportsmind book, pages 33 – 35
About Jeffrey Hodges B.Sc.(AES) M.Sc.(Hons)
Jeffrey Hodges is a performance consultant to elite athletes, sporting teams and corporate clients. He is the author of the widely acclaimed “Sportsmind – An Athlete’s Guide to Superperformance Through Mental & Emotional Training” and “Champion Thoughts, Champion Feelings”; creator of the Sportsmind performance enhancement workshops and audio tapes; and Director of the Sportsmind Institute for Human Performance Research.
He is a NLP Master Practitioner and Associate Trainer, and his Sportsmind programs have been endorsed by the NSW Dept Sport & Recreation, and recommended by top sportsclubs and successful athletes. Jeffrey has competed in many sports, notably Volleyball, Squash, Soccer and Golf, and currently trains in Aikido, holding a black belt.
Some of his clients to date include :
Australian Rugby Union
St. Joseph’s College
Woodlands Golf Club
Financial Institutions Remuneration Group (FIRG)
Societe Generale
Qld. Swimming
Network for Fitness Professionals
North Sydney and Penrith Rugby League Clubs
Qld. Athletics Assn
NSW Netball Assn
Northern Inland Academy of Sport
Victorian Soaring Assn
Orange Agricultural College Equestrian School
Qld and NSW Departments of Sport and Recreation
Qld Academy of Sport
and the RAAF.
For more information, contact :
SPORTSMIND , 77 FLAXTON MILL ROAD
FLAXTON Qld. Australia. 4560.
PHONE 61 7 5445 7994
email : jh@sportsmind.com.au
website : www.sportsmind.com.au
