Beating the Beginning

“I am not in good enough shape to go to the gym.” “I’ve gotten so out-of-shape that it hurts.” ‘Sound familiar? Beginning a new exercise routine can be daunting.  Often, it’s not fun getting back on track, and we have … Continue reading

Managing Performance Anxiety

Do you feel dread about performing? Do you feel stage fright before a presentation or anxiety before the big game or test? Athletes and students often experience performance anxiety.  The anxiety not only influences their performance, but it can also … Continue reading

Productive Positive Thinking

How do you make positive thinking work for you? Gabriele Oettingen, of New York University and the University of Hamburg has been researching positive thinking and motivation.  In her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, she states that … Continue reading

Prevention of Stress in Children’s Sports

Excessive stress, injury, being burnt out, along with other negative aspects of youth sport can be avoided. Here are some simple ways to avoid putting too much stress on athletes and creating problems. The thrill should be competition, not winning. … Continue reading

Children in Sports – Benefits

There are many benefits of a young child’s involvement in sport.  Through sports, children learn physical skills, gain an appreciation of physical fitness, and grow emotionally and socially. Learning Physical Skills Young athletes learn both fundamental motor skills and sport-specific … Continue reading

Cognitive Psychology in Sports

What is Cognitive Psychology? Cognitive psychology is concerned with how we receive, process, store, and retrieve information. What does it have to do with sports? Cognitive psychology is linked to sports in that it allows us to acknowledge internal mental states … Continue reading