Sports Psychology

and mental health, Dr. Aoyagi said, “mental health in an elite performance context is actually oftentimes about managing the ability to function in an elite performance setting, recognizing that it’s inherently unhealthy.” Since the necessary degree and intensity of concentration varies from sport to sport—in target shooting, for example, missing by a tenth of an inch can be the difference between victory and defeat—so too does the necessary preparation. An endurance event, like a marathon, may have the athlete visualize circumstances that create stress, such as having to catch up while behind. That prevents them from panicking or making poor decisions when they face hardship during the real event.

Ohio State sports medicine: how anxiety and stress affect your game.

Chapter 3: Common and Unusual Issues

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