According to the scientists at the University of Essex, its all about framing the professional athletes focus far from the body and onto the environment.
A 3% boost might not sound like a lot, it in fact is. In many sports, brief bursts of acceleration at the best time can be a game-changer. Thats particularly real in the critical minutes of goal-scoring circumstances where beating a defender could result in discovering the net and winning the day.
” Its long been understood that its much better to direct an athletes attention to the environment around them instead of focusing on their body positions which appears to hinder the fluidity of motion.”.
In elite sports at the greatest level, even the smallest edge can suggest the distinction between defeat and success. Englands Premiere League is perhaps the most competitive football competition on the planet, which discusses why some would pursue unconventional training routines.
Credit: SkySports.
This technique of coaching focused around colorful analogies is reliable and deceptively basic. It works its magic by simplifying the complex mechanics of movement into relatable and quickly understandable terms. Particularly, its tested beneficial for young professional athletes, who may struggle with focus or grasping technical language due to their absence of experience. By painting a vibrant picture in the athletes mind, coaches can direct motion and speed reducing as much as possible the influence of body mechanics.
” Although these findings concentrate on the greatest level of youth football, it could easily be used in schools or on a Saturday early morning,” Morand included..
” By utilizing a simple example teachers and parents may be able to get the most out of their kids whatever the sport.”.
The findings appeared in the Journal of Sports Science.
” This might be enhanced even further by utilizing specific analogies, for example, asking a player to accelerate like a Ferrari may produce a more evocative image in their mind instead of just telling them to run quickly.”.
” The words we talk to professional athletes have a demonstrable and immediate effect on their performance,” said Dr. Jason Moran, from the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex.
At Tottenham Hotspurs academy, researchers found that athletes can be mentally induced to run quicker with just a couple of words. Merely asking strikers at the club to picture theyre “like a jet aircraft taking off” or “accelerating like a Ferrari” can instantly increase sprinting speed by 3 percent over 20 meters.
The experiment included 20 young members of Tottenham Hotspurs academy, in between 14 and 15 years of ages, who were subjected to sprint drills with differing directions. Notably, expressions that encouraged players to “press the ground away” exceeded more body-centric directions like “drive your legs into the ground.” The most efficient motivation originated from prompting players to “sprint as if you are a jet taking off into the sky ahead.”.
Moving away from elite sports, theres no reason that the same strategy could not operate in amateur circumstances, whether its a college team or a regional sports club.
The power of words in sports efficiency.
Thanks for your feedback!
In numerous sports, brief bursts of acceleration at the right time can be a game-changer.
The experiment involved 20 young members of Tottenham Hotspurs academy, in between 14 and 15 years old, who were subjected to sprint drills with varying directions. Particularly, its proven helpful for young athletes, who might have a hard time with focus or comprehending technical language due to their absence of experience. By painting a vibrant picture in the athletes mind, coaches can direct motion and speed lessening as much as possible the influence of body mechanics.
