Hypnosis for Sports Performance

Hypnosis for Sports Performance

by Kelley Woods, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

Many noted athletes have utilized sports hypnosis to enhance their games; Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi and Ken Norton have all benefited from learning how to use the power of their subconscious minds in a number of ways.

Hypnosis has been used to help baseball and basketball players, golfers, boxers and martial artists, runners, cyclists, swimmers, body builders and more. Hypnosis and NLP can be helpful in helping professional and amateur athletes improve in numerous ways:

Increasing:
• focus and concentration
• motivation
• speed and agility
• confidence
• teamwork

Reducing
• stress and anxiety
• distractions
• pain (when appropriate) while boosting healing
• mental and physical limitations

One of the approaches commonly used by a hypnotist is to help a client move beyond past failures or even, future-based fears. The goal is to stop thinking about what one is afraid might happen and begin to think about what one wants to happen. A hypnotist can guide the athlete in laying down a detailed template for future success, which the subconscious mind will then follow.

The ability to target focus quickly and without interference often separates the greats from the not-so-greats. Being able to move seamlessly from one action to another is necessary in sports and hypnosis can help an athlete not only enter a particular “zone”, but exit it expeditiously, without getting bogged down or distracted.

Michael Jordan has stated that he has practiced thousands of free throws in his mind and the results are known world-wide. Practice is key to athletic success, but many are not aware of the incredible effect mental imagery can create, even resulting in physical gains. Hypnosis can help an athlete create the ideal imagery and establish the motivation to use it on a regular basis.

A qualified hypnotist can work with athletic coaches to help individuals or teams improve their games. Hypnosis is fun and creative and applicable for a wide range of ages and personality types.