The world of sport has been shaken by ongoing allegations of doping and rug-taking to enhance performance. Just this week the International Olympic Committee said it will act with ‘zero tolerance’ should allegations of widespread doping in athletics be proved true.
The Sunday Times published data from 5,000 athletes, which it says reveals an ‘extraordinary extent of cheating’. The data belongs to the International Association of Athletics Federations.
The BBC reported that the files show that a third of all medals in endurance events (146, including 55 gold medals) at Olympics and World Championships were won by athletes who recorded suspicious tests.
While the data is not proof of doping, the revelations raise more serious questions over whether the sport is doing enough to combat cheating.
Sport is all about competing and winning and the increased stress of competitions can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in a manner that can negatively affect their performance abilities.
The increased stress of competing can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in such a way that can negatively affect performance abilities.
They may become tense, their heart rates race, they break into a cold sweat, they worry about the outcome of the competition, they find it hard to concentrate on the task in hand.
These symptoms, says the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH), are all indicative of a level of anxiety and anxiety is one of the conditions that hypnotherapy can successfully overcome.
And this is where hypnotherapy and sports psychology play an important role.
Well-known sports stars using hypnotherapy and hypnosis to improve how they perform include Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Olympic athlete Mary Lou Retton.
Retton used her sports hypnosis to help win an Olympic gold. Her brain trained her body to believe she could achieve a perfect routine.
And this is where hypnotherapy and sports psychology play an important role.
Hypnotherapy can improve and enhance an individual’s mental attitude by helping them to relax, removing anxieties and boosting confidence.
Each individual is different, so results will vary from athlete to athlete, however in general, individuals can use hypnosis to maintain composure, overcome distractions and fears and gain confidence in their ability.
Concentration and focus become easy when one enters the right mental state. A hypnotherapist will work with an athlete to calm their mind and rid it of distractions that can get in the way of game-play.
Every athlete, whether currently successful or not, has internal resources. Accessing these inner resources and putting them to work is often the advantage successful athletes have.
Hypnotherapy can improve and enhance an individual’s mental attitude by helping them to relax, removing anxieties and boosting confidence.
Each individual is different, so results will vary from athlete to athlete, however in general, individuals can use hypnosis to maintain composure, overcome distractions and fears and gain confidence in their ability.
Concentration and focus become easy when a person enters the right mental state. A hypnotherapist will work with an athlete to calm their mind and rid it of distractions that can get in the way of game-play.
Hypnotherapists will work with their clients to reach a desired goal using a range of techniques. Therapists might use slightly different techniques but will all be working towards the same goal.
It worked for Mary Lou Retton and others – and it can work for you. The NCH has over 1800 hypnotherapists on its directory. Click here to find one near you.