Mental Toughness

I have been doing some research for an piece on mental toughness. I remembered a couple of examples, one good one bad, of how mental toughness helps or hinders athletes in other areas. One comes from this Gladwell peice on ‘The Art of Failure‘, I really like his work and Blink and The Tipping point are very good reads indeed.

In this article he talks about Jana Navotna crumbling under pressure just 5 point from winning wimbledon. I found a video, and if you can’t be bothered to read Gladwell’s Piece I will explain quickly. Jana had lost the first set on a close tie breaker, and then blitzed the second set 6-1 (or maybe 2?). She was then 4-1 up in the final set, and serving for what would have been her 5th game in that set. The video is a clip from a programme on choking.

Gladwell uses it to talk about performance catastrophes, where as I think it shows that her lack of mental toughness may have contributed. The video is harrowing, and if you have time, watch the medal ceremony, as Jana pretty much breaks down into the Duchess of Kents shoulder. I went and found fottage of the whole game and watch from this crucial point to the end.

The second video is for me equally moving for better reasons, a Russian gymnast is competing in the World Championship in 1975. As she goes for the dismount the whole apparatus collapses. She saves her landing, salutes the audience and judges and turns away from the aparatus, and never looks back. Putting the incident behind her literally and metaphorically, I think she went onto win the all-round individual and individual events in all 5 disciplines!

Enjoy the vidoe’s and remember Hang Tough in a mental stylee!

 

Mental Skill Workshop for Climbing Instructors – 6th Nov – Beacon

This workshop covers a selection of mental skills and how to introduce them to climbers. Mental Skills are psychology techniques that can enhance performance, and reduce the negative effects of anxiety than plays a large role in the sport of rock climbing.

This course defines mental skills, and then looks at ways to apply them to coaching climbers in an indoor setting, although are transferable to lead climb coaching outdoors. So after defining what mental skills are we will look at way to implement them into your coaching session, many of these skills are great way to help develop the climber’s Mental Toughness for either competition or lead climbing.

• What are Mental Skills
• Anxiety and its effect on Performance
• Developing Climbing Confidence
• Developing Positive Imagery for Climbers
• Identifying and Combating Negative Self-Talk
• Relaxation Techniques
• How to set effective Goals
• Ethical Considerations

This course will be of interest to CWA, SPA and MIA award holders and trainees, as well as parent or in-house trained staff who want to understand more about how to teach and coach.

Details: The course runs between 10am and approximately 5pm on the date given. It cost £50 for non-MLTA members and £40 for MLTA members.

To secure a place on the course you need to send a cheque for the full amount to Mark Reeves, 6 Water Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EP. This is subject to the MLTA refunds policy. For further enquiries either phone Mark direct on 07872565225, or contact him via his website http://lifeinthevertical.co.uk/blogs/

Coaching Climbing Movement Workshop – 23rd Oct – Beacon

This practical workshop looks at the development of climbing movement from the fundamental skills through to more advanced movement, with an emphasis of developing effective practice and feedback during coaching.

Technique coaching is a branch of skill acquisition, whereby we as coaches can develop and individuals over all skill for climbing through introducing and developing motor skills. By the end of this course, you will not only be able to break down skills into a progression for those you are teaching, but you might even find you own skills will be developed.

• Agility, Balance and Coordination
• Centre of Gravity awareness
• Footwork and Body Position
• Rock Over’s
• Games for Fundamental Movement
• Accuracy and Precision of Feet
• Handholds – Type and orientation
• Easier features – Arêtes, Corners, Grooves and Slabs
• Harder Features – Overhangs, drop knees, and Flagging
• The use of effective practice in developing skill

This course will be of interest to CWA, SPA and MIA award holders and trainees, as well as parent or in-house trained staff who want to understand more about how to teach and coach.

Details: The course runs between 10am and approximately 5pm on the date given. It cost £50 for non-MLTA members and £40 for MLTA members.

To secure a place on the course you need to send a cheque for the full amount to Mark Reeves, 6 Water Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EP. This is subject to the MLTA refunds policy. For further enquiries either phone Mark direct on 07872565225, or contact him via his website http://lifeinthevertical.co.uk/blogs/

Long Term Development of Young Climbers – 22nd Oct – Beacon

This workshop looks at the Long Term Development of Young Climbers, a thorny issue, and one that has slowly been addressed by the BMC Fundamentals Course. This course focus’s on what to coach and when, as well as looking much more comprehensively at developing young competition climbers through the use of mental skills training.

Again if you work in a local wall that runs an after school climbing club, or you are a parent that would like to know more to help you coach your own children then this course will help you better understand the needs and considerations need to make when ‘coaching’ a young person.

• LTAD late-development Model
• What to Coach and When
• What not to Coach – Avoiding Injury and Long Term Harm
• Modified Practice in the Build up to Competition
• Introducing Competitive Anxiety
• Introducing Mental Skills to Young Climbers

This course will be of interest to CWA, SPA and MIA award holders and trainees, as well as parent or in-house trained staff who want to understand more about how to teach and coach.

Details: The course runs between 10am and approximately 5pm on the date given. It cost £50 for non-MLTA members and £40 for MLTA members.

To secure a place on the course you need to send a cheque for the full amount to Mark Reeves, 6 Water Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EP. This is subject to the MLTA refunds policy. For further enquiries either phone Mark direct on 07872565225, or contact him via his website http://lifeinthevertical.co.uk/blogs/

Effective Coaching for Climbing Instructors – 15th Oct – Beacon

This course examines the theory and practice of teaching and learning, and how they interact with anxiety. All of the skills covered come under the umbrella of what can be considered ‘Effective Coaching’. The C word has become more and more prevalent in climbing, and next year the MLT is planning on launching a new Coaching Climbing Award.

Similarly the MLTA have put a system in place for compulsory CPD (Continuing Professional Develop), this course will help you fulfill that requirement. The main themes of the day are:

  • Psychology of Learning
  • Effects of Anxiety on Learning
  • Learning Pathways
  • Stages of Learning
  • Effective Practice
  • Observation and Analysis
  • Feedback
  • Reflective Practice

This course will be of interest to CWA, SPA and MIA award holders and trainees, as well as parent or in-house trained staff who want to understand more about how to teach and coach.

Details: The course runs between 10am and approximately 5pm on the date given. It cost £50 for non-MLTA members and £40 for MLTA members.

To secure a place on the course you need to send a cheque for the full amount to Mark Reeves, 6 Water Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EP. This is subject to the MLTA refunds policy. For further enquiries either phone Mark direct on 07872565225, or contact him via his website http://lifeinthevertical.co.uk/blogs/