By: April Clay
Question:
I am a coach and interested in developing my student’s minds as well as their physical riding. Can you tell me what mental training is and how I could start to incorporate it into my lessons?
Thank you!
Answer:
Mental skills training is an aspect of sport psychology. It is about the development of basic mental skills (goal setting, visualization, focus control, energy management, and self talk) that have been shown to assist athletes in their sport and their life.
For the coach, mental skills are different than physical skills in that they cannot be observed. As much as you may wish to, you cannot say, “Your left hemisphere is overactive and causing your confidence to drop, focus please.”
You can only judge the strength of a mental skill indirectly and over time. Another challenge is helping the athlete with corrections. Because the process is very internal and personal, we must work in close collaboration with the rider.
Mental and physical skills are similar in that they both respond to practice. Students should be made aware of the commitment required to see change in this area of their riding.
If you want your students to use their minds more effectively, get used to referring to the brain as a riding aid. Help them understand that, like any other aid you use, you must search for its proper use and monitor its progress.
Mental skills training is an educational program that requires planning and follow through. As a coach who would like to include mental skills training as part of their program, your task is as follows:
• Educate yourself about the skills. Use them yourself!
• Educate your athletes about the skills (consider starting with an introductory session from a sport psychologist).
• Assist your riders in acquiring these skills through a structured program.
• Present your riders with opportunities to practice the skills in daily lessons.
You can also put more emphasis on mental skills simply by putting more psychological terms into your language.
Did you feel focused today? Did your mind seem to work for or against you? How did your mind interact with your ride during that challenge?
As with all skills, do not overload students with too much information. Introduce a topic, generate discussion, and find ways to integrate the mental lessons into your existing lesson plans.
For example, in talking about recovering from mistakes, you could instruct the students to visualize each correction before they try again. Then after the lesson, spend a few minutes discussing what it was like for the riders to use this tool.
With a little practice, you will find ways to promote the growth of mental skills alongside technical riding development. You and your students will become accustomed to training every aspect of their potential, both physical and mental.
Chartered psychologist April Clay is a former A Circuit rider and a member of the Canadian Mental Training Registry. She performs seminars and consultations in equine sports psychology including: Individuals or groups, On the ground or mounted, Email consultations. The perfect topic for your next association meeting! To find out more, call (403) 714-2529, email: april@bodymindmotion.com or visit www.bodymindmotion.com.
