Enhance concentration Tsung-Min Hung, Ph.D. National Taiwan Normal University What is concentration Focusing on relevant environmental cues Maintaining attentional focus Maintaining situational awareness Shifting attentional focus Types of attentional focus A broad focus: perceive several occurrences simultaneously (e.g., basketball point guard). A narrow focus: respond to only one /two cues (e.g., baseball batter) An external focus: direct attention outward. An internal focus: direct inward to thoughts or feelings. Attentional problems 1 Internal distracters: 1.Attending to past events 2.Attending to future events 3.Choking under pressure 4.Overanalyzing body mechanics 5.Fatigue 6.Inadequate motivation Attentional problems 2 External distracters: 1.Visual distracters 2.Auditory distracters Self-talk process 1 Missing an important shot in tennis Negative: What an idiot I am-I’ll never win now.(Anger, hopelessness, increased muscle tension) Positive: Keep your eyes on the ball-this match isn’t over. (Better concentration, optimism, calmness) Self-talk process 2 Setback in rehabilitating a knee injury Negative: I’ll never get back in the starting lineup.(hopelessness, anger, frustration) Positive: This type of injury just takes time to heal, so I need to continue to work hard. (optimism, motivation, increased effort) Using self-talk to enhance concentration Negative Positive You idiot-how could you miss such an easy shot Everyone makes mistakes-just concentrate on the next point I’ll never recover from this injury Healing takes time. I just continue to exercise every day He robbed me on the line callthat ball was definitely in There’s nothing I can do about it. If I play well, I’ll win anyway I’ll take it easy today and work out hard tomorrow If I work hard today, and the next work out will be easier tomorrow. That was a terrible serve Just slow down and keep your rhythm and timing I’ll never stay with this exercise program Just take one day at a time and make exercise fun I never play well in the wind It’s windy on both side of the Parking thoughts This exercise is effective in eliminating negative, intruding thoughts. Use visualization to identify unwanted thoughts, write it down on paper, and place this paper in some other place(parking). Upon completion of the performance, the athlete can go back and deal with the issue by “unparking” it. HR biofeedback training 組別 0.00 實驗組 控制組 控制組 8.40 -0.20 瞄 準 時 心 跳 率 減 速 斜 率 組別 8.60 實驗組 平 均 射 箭 成 績 表 現 -0.40 -0.60 -0.80 8.20 8.00 7.80 7.60 -1.00 7.40 -1.20 前測 中測 後測 前測 中測 後測 Tips for improving concentration on site Use simulations in practice Use cue words Use nonjudgemental thinking Establish routine Develop competition plans Practice eye control Stay focus in the present Overlearn skills Tsung-Min Hung, Ph.D. Email:ernesthungkimo@yahoo.com. tw Tel:+886-2-77343202