Theory to practice - performance psychology: increasing mental toughness

Water polo balls
Author:  Gavin Freeman, Senior Performance Psychologist, Australian Institute of Sport
Issue: Volume 29 Number 1

Background

A number of studies have generally shown that an athlete’s perception of their skill level is often far less than the reality.

Added to this, an athlete may assume that when faced with a number of distractions or major and unexpected changes to their training or competition environment, his or her performance will suffer accordingly.

Recent results from Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) research into elite male water polo players suggests that the opposite is true, and that under such circumstances, players actually lift their performance and gain greater insight into their own coping mechanisms.

Research

The study aimed to develop a sense of mental toughness in elite water polo players and provide them with tools to overcome jet lag.

Male water polo athletes were subjected to two tests in their regular training environment. The tests started on a normal training day at 5.00am. Participants were firstly required to finish an 8 x 50-metre swimming time trial, with time targets based on each individual’s previous best time.

The second test required participants to swim the length of the water polo pool and shoot for goal from one position. They then had to return to the top of the pool, swim back and shoot for a goal from a second position before swimming back and returning again to shoot from a third and final position. Participants were assessed on their accuracy.

The results of these tests were recorded.

The following week participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire on how well they thought they would cope on the same tests if they were kept awake for 24 hours.

The day before their next training day, participants went without sleep for 24 hours. At 5.00am the next morning they were subjected to exactly the same tests as in the previous week.

On completion they again filled in a questionnaire on how well they actually coped including assessing their focus and attention.

Findings

As indicated in Figure 1 (see related downloads), the initial questionnaire provided a unique insight into the perception of the athletes with most believing that their performances would greatly suffer after being deprived of sleep for 24 hours. The results, however, proved far different.

On the day of the first test, six participants failed to meet their target time in the 8 x 50m time trial. One week later, and after 24 hours without sleep, only two participants failed to meet their target time. When represented as a percentage of participants, this shows that 99.1 percent of participants met their target time, an increase from the 97.5 per cent registered in the first test.

The shooting test also found better performances following the 24 hour sleep deprivation period. After first test, participants averaged a 31.8 per cent success rate. This increased to 34.8 percent the following week after 24 hours without sleep. The percentage of goals missed dropped from 26.2 per cent on the first day to 23.6 per cent the following week, while the goal keeper’s defence of goal percentage remained fairly constant. He recorded 42 per cent of defended goals in the first test and 41.6 per cent after the 24 hour sleep deprivation period.

The second questionnaire indicated that athletes found they were able to cope much better than they had initially anticipated

Coaches’ takeout

Discussions with athletes after the results were issued showed they had an enlightened attitude to their own mental toughness. They discovered that they could push through a difficult task without negatively affecting their performance. They also came to understand that they could block out various distractions and direct all of their focus to their performance.

Further discussions with the team’s coach after their subsequent European tour revealed that the coach observed players being more resilient and prepared to work through difficult situations.  The team also achieved its best-ever international result.

The Australian Institute of Sport Performance Psychology department has recorded similar results with sports ranging from archery and women’s volleyball to boxing and rugby union, and can develop a customised mental toughening program for any sport.

For further information on this case study or the services that Performance Psychology staff provide, contact the Department of Performance Psychology on (02) 6214 1557 or (email: psych@ausport.gov.au).


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