All Things Hypnotherapy: Improving Sports Performance with Hypnosis

Hypnotherapy for Improved Sports & Training Performance

About Sports Hypnosis

A golf ball. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hypnosis has been increasingly used in sport during the past 50 years and has recently seen an upsurge in interest from the sports research industry as well as sports participants. Countless famous sports personalities have used hypnosis in the past, including boxers Ken Norton, Frank Bruno, Steve Collins and Nigel Benn, former England cricket captain Mike Brearley, athlete Iwan Thomas, and golfers Tiger Woods and Ian Woosnam.

Steve Hooker at the 2008 Olympic welcome home parade in Adelaide (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In recent times a number of high profile sports personalities have used hypnosis, including Association of Surf Professionals (ASP) Tour surfer Russell Winter, and Beijing Olympic shooting champion Vince Hancock and Pole-vaulter Steve Hooker. Hypnosis is also effective in team settings, with both Crystal Palace and Swindon Town employing the services of a hypnotherapist.

Just have a look at this video showing how the hypnotist Justin Tranz helps boxers in the USA.

Sports Hypnotherapy combines hypnosis with traditional sports psychology to assist with many common sporting psychological problems. Great results have been achieved in building confidence, improving poor performance, and visualising new or complicated techniques.

Sports hypnosis Book (Photo credit: Steve Mycoe)

Hypnosis works especially effectively when used to complement other psychological interventions for anxiety, motivation, mental blocks and competition preparation. Sports Hypnosis is now widely used in many sports to help sportsmen and sportswomen (both professional and amateur) with their mental training.

Sports Hypnosis is particularly effective for:
• Competition Nerves
• Mental Blocks
• Overcoming Slumps in Performance
• Learning New Techniques
• Building Confidence
• Improving Focus & Concentration
• Returning from Injury

What is Sports Hypnosis?

Sports Hypnosis is the use of hypnosis in sports and activities to overcome particular psychological problems specific to sport, and to improve performance in general.

Whatever your health, fitness or performance goals, Sports Hypnosis could help you to:
• Set achievable outcomes

• Manage your weight
• Overcome self-limiting beliefs
• Change negative thoughts
• Focus on what you want and be clear about why you want it
• Increase motivation
• Boost confidence
• Manage anxiety levels
• Visualise and rehearse success
• Learn to change failure into feedback that can be used to improve your performance

Many people in the sports industry recognise that to perform at your best you need to train your mind as well as your body. This approach can be relevant to anyone who wants to improve their health and fitness. Self-belief can enhance anyone's performance whatever they are aiming for.

Hypnotherapy techniques such as imagery, visualisation, relaxation and mental rehearsal could help you develop your mental strength, come back from injury and improve focus and concentration in both training and competition.
If you are aiming to improve your general health and fitness this approach can help you set achievable goals, maintain motivation and overcome self limiting beliefs.

Other issues such as insomnia, stress, low self-esteem, weight and smoking can all hinder your best efforts. Hypnotherapy could help in these areas. A solution focused approach can also help to smooth out relationship issues if there is a conflict of interests. Studies have shown that participation in sport or exercise is significantly influenced by the attitude of a spouse or partner.