Applied Sport Psychology Article: Using Hypnosis in Athletic Performance by Dr. Jack Singer
Robert Smith and Associates
July 30, 2007
Applied Sport Psychology Article: Using Hypnosis in Athletic Performance
By Dr. Jack Singer www.askdrjack.com www.funspeaker.com (800) 497-9880
Hypnotic Sport Psychology is an emerging specialty that is used to enhance the performance of a wide range of amateur and professional athletes.
Although the amazing power of hypnosis for athletes had been largely overlooked in the U.S. until recently, for years Eastern European nations have been realizing the tremendous difference that hypnosis can have on athletic performance. In the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, the Russians brought a team of eleven hypnotists with them, to instill confidence and the will to win in the Russian athletes. We all know how powerful the Russian teams have been over the years.
In the 1988 Seoul Summer Games, the power of hypnosis on focus and performance was displayed beautifully when Olympic diver Greg Louganis hit his head on the board while performing a complicated dive during the 3 meter final. In what is considered one of the greatest feats in sporting history, Louganis, his head gushing blood, had the wound treated while he put earphones on to listen to hypnosis tapes. Amazingly, Greg then went out to score a perfect dive the second time, enough to earn him the gold medal!
Athletes in all sports are getting bigger and stronger and records are being shattered. Accordingly, athletes are always looking for an edge. Some may experiment with steroids. But the vast majority of athletes, of all ages, having conditioned their bodies to the max, are looking for a practical and attainable way to consistently enhance their performance. Hypnotic Sport Psychology is the answer.
Among Certified Sport Psychologists, there are only a handful who practice Hypnotic Sport Psychology. They teach hypnotic techniques to athletes in all sports, to enhance such important individual dynamics as intensity, focus, consistency, concentration and anxiety control and to enhance team dynamics, such as working toward the common goal and intra-team cohesion.
Specific examples of how I have used of these techniques, include teaching: quarterbacks to develop imagery, footwork and anxiety control during oncoming rushes; basketball players to increase their free throw percentage; Olympic shooters to dramatically improve their accuracy; tennis players to boost their intensity, confidence and strength during changeovers; golfers to learn to ignore past errors and stay in the moment on each shot; hockey players to visualize setting up scoring plays during their shifts; motocross drivers to use self-hypnosis to aggressively position themselves throughout their race; and athletes with chronic, debilitating injuries to learn how to dramatically reduce their pain.
A classic example of using hypnosis with elite professional athletes is the NFL Pro-Bowler who contacted me because he wanted to learn mental techniques to compensate for his aging body. This pro-active use of Hypnotic Sport Psychology to gain an advantage shows how an elite athlete plans for the future, so he can actually extend his future in professional football.
Interestingly, I have had tremendous success using these techniques with athletes as young as 9 and with teams in all sports. The power of self-hypnosis applied specifically to sports performance is truly the athlete’s “unfair advantage.”
Dr. Jack Singer is a Certified Sport Psychologist, Certified Sports Hypnotherapist author, trainer, consultant and Professional Speaker. Jack has a Diplomate in Behavioral Medicine and he has been recognized by the National Institute of Sports as a Certified Sport Psychologist and as a Diplomate in Sport Psychology. This Diplomate recognition is only granted to ˝ of one percent of all psychologists who apply for it. He has taught in the Psychology departments of seven universities, including four years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Jack is regularly seen ESPN, FOX SPORTS, and on sports radio talk shows throughout the U.S. and he is on the advisory board of “Championship Performance,” where his articles appear regularly. Although he consults with athletes and teams throughout the U.S., Jack is based in Southern California and can be reached at (949) 481-5660. You can also visit his web site at: www.funspeaker.com or email him at: drjack@askDrJack.com
By Dr. Jack Singer www.askdrjack.com www.funspeaker.com (800) 497-9880
Hypnotic Sport Psychology is an emerging specialty that is used to enhance the performance of a wide range of amateur and professional athletes.
Although the amazing power of hypnosis for athletes had been largely overlooked in the U.S. until recently, for years Eastern European nations have been realizing the tremendous difference that hypnosis can have on athletic performance. In the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, the Russians brought a team of eleven hypnotists with them, to instill confidence and the will to win in the Russian athletes. We all know how powerful the Russian teams have been over the years.
In the 1988 Seoul Summer Games, the power of hypnosis on focus and performance was displayed beautifully when Olympic diver Greg Louganis hit his head on the board while performing a complicated dive during the 3 meter final. In what is considered one of the greatest feats in sporting history, Louganis, his head gushing blood, had the wound treated while he put earphones on to listen to hypnosis tapes. Amazingly, Greg then went out to score a perfect dive the second time, enough to earn him the gold medal!
Athletes in all sports are getting bigger and stronger and records are being shattered. Accordingly, athletes are always looking for an edge. Some may experiment with steroids. But the vast majority of athletes, of all ages, having conditioned their bodies to the max, are looking for a practical and attainable way to consistently enhance their performance. Hypnotic Sport Psychology is the answer.
Among Certified Sport Psychologists, there are only a handful who practice Hypnotic Sport Psychology. They teach hypnotic techniques to athletes in all sports, to enhance such important individual dynamics as intensity, focus, consistency, concentration and anxiety control and to enhance team dynamics, such as working toward the common goal and intra-team cohesion.
Specific examples of how I have used of these techniques, include teaching: quarterbacks to develop imagery, footwork and anxiety control during oncoming rushes; basketball players to increase their free throw percentage; Olympic shooters to dramatically improve their accuracy; tennis players to boost their intensity, confidence and strength during changeovers; golfers to learn to ignore past errors and stay in the moment on each shot; hockey players to visualize setting up scoring plays during their shifts; motocross drivers to use self-hypnosis to aggressively position themselves throughout their race; and athletes with chronic, debilitating injuries to learn how to dramatically reduce their pain.
A classic example of using hypnosis with elite professional athletes is the NFL Pro-Bowler who contacted me because he wanted to learn mental techniques to compensate for his aging body. This pro-active use of Hypnotic Sport Psychology to gain an advantage shows how an elite athlete plans for the future, so he can actually extend his future in professional football.
Interestingly, I have had tremendous success using these techniques with athletes as young as 9 and with teams in all sports. The power of self-hypnosis applied specifically to sports performance is truly the athlete’s “unfair advantage.”
Dr. Jack Singer is a Certified Sport Psychologist, Certified Sports Hypnotherapist author, trainer, consultant and Professional Speaker. Jack has a Diplomate in Behavioral Medicine and he has been recognized by the National Institute of Sports as a Certified Sport Psychologist and as a Diplomate in Sport Psychology. This Diplomate recognition is only granted to ˝ of one percent of all psychologists who apply for it. He has taught in the Psychology departments of seven universities, including four years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Jack is regularly seen ESPN, FOX SPORTS, and on sports radio talk shows throughout the U.S. and he is on the advisory board of “Championship Performance,” where his articles appear regularly. Although he consults with athletes and teams throughout the U.S., Jack is based in Southern California and can be reached at (949) 481-5660. You can also visit his web site at: www.funspeaker.com or email him at: drjack@askDrJack.com
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