E-Book Content
THE INNER ATHLETE CROWELL 0 - 6 9 0 - 009 6 1 -5 R o b e r t M . N id e f f e r , P h .D . PLUSMUSCLE FOR WINNING Athletes face myriad forms of pressure, from one competitor’s attempts to “psych out” another, to the em phasis placed on winning at all costs by coaches and spectators, to the demands made by an athlete on himself. Discover how you can avoid “choking” in any game situation and consistently perform at your best through Dr. Robert M. Nideffer’s unique and effective program of mental exercises. The topics covered include: • Integration of mind and body • Anxiety and performance • Attention in athletics • Sources of arousal • Self-assessment • Hypnosis • Mental rehearsal • Transcendental meditation • Self-induced relaxation procedures • Biofeedback and systematic desensitization 0-690-00961-5 $8.95 Robert M.Nideffef,Ph.Q A great tree-throw shooter suddenly can’t hitthe rim. An outstanding receiver attempts to run with the ball before it’s been safely caught. A tennis champion finds it difficult to place her shots. “Chok ing” under pressure can occur during any gam e-but it doesn’t have to. Clinical psychologist Robert M. Nideffer reveals why athletes choke and details what can be done to overcome this problem. In this revolutionary new ap proach to athletic training and competi tion, Dr. Nideffer explores the basis of the anxiety, competing attentional de mands, and heightened tension and stress athletes face in game situations. His methods show you how to first ana lyze your particular problem and then solve it through an effective program of mental techniques designed specifi cally for your needs. Dr. Nideffer goes beyond the feeble advice to “psych yourself up” to explain ( c o n t i n u e d o n b a c k fla p ) (continued from front flap) the precise steps leading to mental pre paredness. The remedial procedures he prescribes include his specially adapted versions of mental rehearsal, hypnosis, meditation, biofeedback, and system atic desensitization. These techniques enable you to gain control over your attentional processes, thus freeing the body to perform at its best. What to do for seasonal preparation, how to be at your best on the day of the game, and how to achieve maximum performance at peak moments are all discussed in depth. The mental exercises presented here are applicable to every sport and have been successful with hundreds of world class and professional athletes. Ath letes and coaches alike will find them invaluable in providing the psychologi cal edge needed for optimal performance-and for winning. Robert M.N ideffer is an associate p fessor in the Departm ent o f Psychology and Psychiatry at The University o f Roch ester in Rochester, New York. He did his basic research on stress in sport during his career as a Pacific Northwest Con ference diving cham pion and martial arts expert. Since then he has gained national recognition for his work on the uses o f m ental techniques to enhance athletic perform ance. Jacket design by Mike Stromberg THOM AS Y. CROWELL COMPANY Established 1834 666 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10019 The Inner Athlete The Inner Athlete: M ind Plus M uscle for W inning Robert M. Nideffer, Ph.D. Thomas Y. Crowell Company New York Established 1834 LAKE AGASSIZ REG-ON 115 S. 6th St - ■ MOORHEAD MiNiiEiOi;; Copyright © 1976 by Robert M. Nideffer All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published simultaneously in Canada by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited,