Whether affecting elite gymnasts on the balance beam or the rest of us during our daily lives, understanding and overcoming mental blocks can lead to moments of greatness.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Sports psychology
Displaying 1 - 20 of 39 articles
Increasingly, high-profile athletes are making a point of taking a break from competing to protect either their mental or physical health.
Athletes who see stress as beneficial are likely to interpret moments like a knockout match in the European Championships as a challenge rather than as a threat.
A young Federer realised that the course of a tennis match was demanding not just physically, but also psychologically.
The ‘nervous nineties’ captures the idea that batters with 90 or more runs become anxious as get close to scoring a century. But is it true?
Athletes develop resilience over time, building mental and social skills that act as a shield against the negative effects of adversity and failure.
Superstitions have a role in helping hockey fans and players feel more in control of the game.
How athletes use memory can make the difference when performing at a high level.
Great sporting feats are often achieved when an elite athlete is ‘feeling the flow’.
Making that choice is not easy but it is important to the longevity of an athlete’s career.
Plus, the troubled 1920 Antwerp Olympics and the parallels they have for Tokyo. Listen to The Conversation Weekly.
To overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, sportspeople need to enter a certain state of mind.
Nobody likes a whinger. But when you’re used to having an entourage, and being feted around the world, things can get tough when you don’t get your own way.
Our research with athletes suggests there may be two zones: an effortless ‘flow state’ and a more purposeful ‘clutch state’. Here’s how to decide which zone you need to be in — and how to get there.
Finding purpose outside of sport can contain a multitude of benefits for athletic performance – and mental health.
Why elite athletes may struggle more during self-isolation.
From Super Bowl ads to Netflix documentaries, the complicated issues of criminal justice are portrayed in simplistic and highly political ways.
Gym memberships spike as people make their New Year’s resolutions – but very few people will actually use them past February.
Running has become a way for people to show how productive they are, using their achievements to build personal brands and to compete with others for status.
A young athlete’s support network is key to their development and performance, according to sports psychologists.
Top contributors
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Assistant Professor, School of Media, Toronto Metropolitan University
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Senior Lecturer in Sport & Fitness, The Open University
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Lecturer in Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology, University of Portsmouth
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Lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of Plymouth
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PhD Research Student in Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Exeter
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Senior Lecturer in Sport and Fitness, The Open University
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Clinical Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology and Applied Human Development, Boston University
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Chair and Director, Institute of Coaching and Performance, University of Central Lancashire
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Post-Doc Researcher in Sport Psychology, Bangor University
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Professor and Head of the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University
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Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Cardiff Metropolitan University
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Professor of Sports Performance Education, The Open University
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Assistant Professor, Florida International University
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Senior Lecturer, Sport Psychology, Kingston University
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Lecturer in Sport and Fitness, The Open University
