This is sport psychology applied to high performance.

The aspects in which sports psychology helps those who seek to achieve high performance.

Psychology is much more than therapy applied to patients who have developed psychological disorders. A clear example of this is sports psychology, an area of work that is increasingly known and in demand.

In this article you will learn some of the keys to understanding how sports psychology applied to high performance worksIn this article you will learn some of the keys to understand the workings of sports psychology applied to high performance: the objectives it aims to address, its areas of intervention, and more.

What is the goal of sports psychology?

As its name indicates, sports psychology (also known as sport psychology) is a branch of applied psychology that focuses on the mental and behavioral aspects of sport, both in terms of the results obtained in terms of performance and their impact on the well-being of individuals.It focuses on both the results obtained in terms of performance and their impact on the well-being of individuals.

Thus, this discipline takes into account both individual factors and group and relational factors that play a role in the performance and experience of participating in sports, both in the short and long term.

Psychologists specializing in this area of work may be employed by sports clubs or they may provide services to a number of individuals who come to the professional's office or to the psychology center where he or she works.

In both cases, the work of the sports psychologist is considered to be part of a process that isIn other words, in order to obtain results, a detailed study of the case must be carried out in order to provide personalized intervention plans adapted to the needs of the athletes. In this way, the same logic is followed as in psychotherapy: no magic solutions are offered instantly, but a psychological intervention program that must be deployed over several weeks at a time.

Problems in which it intervenes in the context of sports performance

These are some of the aspects of sport on which psychologists specialized in this field work.

1. Burnout

Training programs can generate burnout in athletes.The psychological state in which symptoms typical of anxiety disorders and depression are mixed, such as affective flattening, lack of motivation, insomnia, concentration problems, and irritability, among others.

Sports psychologists examine the case and detect the elements that may have caused the person to develop this problem, which does not necessarily mean lowering expectations of the performance to be achieved.

2. Poor teamwork climate

In the same way that a bad working environment can appear in companies, the same can happen in teamwork, both in sports in which two groups compete against each other, as well as in the relationship between the athlete and his preparation and training team. Psychosocial aspects are always very relevant in sports psychology.Sometimes small misunderstandings or conflicts that have not been properly managed can ruin months of training.

3. Self-fulfilling prophecy linked to anxiety

The phenomenon of the self-fulfilling prophecy appears when a psychological predisposition that appears when the person foresees that a situation will occur makes that expected situation more likely to come true. This happens a lot with stress and anxiety problems: the fear of failure on key days, for example, quickly turns into fear of fear.which brings the athlete closer to the possibility of not performing adequately.

4. Poor concentration management

Sport is much more than the simple mechanical phenomenon of moving muscles in a certain way: knowing how to properly control when and what we concentrate on is key to obtaining the desired results in sports.. This is an entirely psychological process, and can be addressed through sport psychology, which helps athletes to develop a very advanced management of their attentional focus.

5. Training and preparation habits

Simply knowing that you have to train in a certain way and avoid certain habits that are harmful to your health does not imply having the capacity to commit to that sports preparation plan, just as we all know that Smoking is bad but not everyone is capable (at least without help) of not using tobacco. That's why the support offered by sports psychologists also provides resources to structure the day to day and to make the commitment to training and preparation something realthat goes beyond theory.

Referencias bibliográficas:

• Goodger, K.; Gorely, T.; Lavallee, D.; Harwood, C. (2007). Burnout in sport: A systematic review. The Sport Psychologist. 21(2): pp. 127-151.
• Green & Benjamin, L.T. (2009). Psychology gets in the game. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
• Nachon, C. & Nascimbene, F. (2001), Introducción a la Psicología del deporte. Madrid: EOS Gabinete de Orientación.
• Roberts, C.G. (1992), Motivation in sport and exercise. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Tenenbaum, G.; Eklund, R.C. (2007). Handbook of Sport Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
• Williams, J.M. (2006), Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance (pp. 40-56). Nueva York: McGraw-Hill.