Intro 

We will present tools to add to your collection. Mindset in sport is the ingredient in sport that makes the difference between a participant and a CHAMPION.  Coaching and assisting your student athletes to build their own "Mindset Toolbox" is the goal of sports psychology as a science. As coaches we all seek to train the natural fighter who embraces the hard work and rises in times of adversity. This is Kickboxing

"Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then." - Coach John Wooden

Here is a BBC video explaining four simple things that sports psychology can address for Kickboxers and for life off the Tatami or outside the Ring..

• Being nervous is good.
• Don't do all the work yourself.
• Mentally rehearse.
• Talk to yourself.

Before we address building the Mindset Toolbox lets look at the mental challenges Kickboxers face in training and in competition.

Nerves before a fight or even when attempting a new technique can obstruct an athlete's performance.

For Kickboxers the FIGHT or FLIGHT response is explained by science. Every human being experiences it unless they encounter a pathological disorder. When we perceive a threat or stressor which is what happens before a fight. Our brains respond by preparing our body for a physical reaction to that threat. We are hard wired for this. It is a legacy of our primal brains. We will not go into the role of the thalamus and its functions in this lesson. We encourage you to research this area further if it is a passion of yours. The human brain is incredible.

Nervousness is very close to Excitement and this is why we look to guidance from psychologists. The physical reactions in both can present themselves physically as:

• Increased Heart Rate
• Rapid Breathing
• Sweating
• Butterflies in the Stomach

" We don't want to get rid of the butterflies, we want them to fly in formation."

- Dr. Chris Carr, PhD Sports Performance Psychologist, Green Bay Packers.

What we need to address is the things we CAN control. Much of coaching is teaching a student athlete to focus on HOW they execute and perform. Psychology and MST is the same. The CONTROL CIRCLE presents a clear breakdown of  the 3 areas an athlete addresses mentally in training and competition. Everyday life also presents us with these.

1. 
   Direct Control
2. Influence
3. Outside of Our Control

We will reference the Control Circle throughout the lesson. Teaching ourselves to stay focused on thing we can control as coaches and athletes is part of our daily work.