For an athlete to deliver great performances they must know the right information to look for, be able to find it, and then stay focused on it. Concentration can be ultimately boiled down to just another way of thinking, which makes it a skill, which makes it controllable, and in turn makes it a choice. This is what concentration is about – concentration is thinking right, distraction is thinking wrong; it’s your choice.
Athletes are usually comfortable with the concept of following a routine, doing something using the same steps, the same way, in the same order every time until it just becomes “routine.” Getting comfortable with a concentration routine is another way for athletes to set themselves up for success. Cook’s model of concentration can provide the basis for an easy to grasp concentration routine.
For observing, athletes will see everything, find the things that matter and focus solely on them. Next is reviewing your strategy – what is the play? What are your responsibilities? What is your job? For imagery, think visualizing yourself delivering a great performance and then see it again, but this time so powerfully that you can feel it. Lastly trust you are focused, trust yourself, and now do it.
Cook’s Model of Concentration. (Vernacchia, McGuire, & Cook).
The four-step routine:
- OBSERVE – Find the keys that matter
- STRATEGIZE – What’s the play? What’s your job?
- VISUALIZE – See it! Feel it!
- TRUST = Trust it! Do it!
“SEE IT – FEEL IT – TRUST IT!!!!”
Just like learning any new skill, at first this concentration routine may feel awkward. After repetition and remaining consistent, persistent and relentless it will truly become routine. Commit to choosing to concentrate with this routine. Quickly enough you’ll feel comfortable, focused, and confident in the “See it! – Feel it! – Trust it!” routine.
Any number of distractions can try to break your concentration – the last play, a teammate breaking down, deception from opponents or upsetting calls by the officials. However, they are just distractions and being distracted is thinking wrong. Instead, re-focus, think about what matters and use your concentration routine and voila! The distractions are gone. Best part is, it was your choice so you have total control, which really turns into the fact that there are no distractions because you choose for them not to exist.
Concentrating on the present or the process can assist with focus, concentrating on the future or the outcome can interfere with great performance. I’ll leave you with this clip of the one and only Arnold doing some concentration curls to prove the effectiveness.