Why some win Olympic Medals, While some don’t?

[hvj1]

Lanny Robert Bassham, winner of the 1972(Silver) Munich Olympics and 1976 (Gold) Montreal Olympics, (Gold)in the 3 Position Rifle states in his book,” With Winning in Mind” , for a medal winning performance, an athlete has to focus on three major aspects;

1. Physical Fitness
2. Skills and Technique fitness
3. Mental fitness.

All three must be balanced and equal as in a three legged table.

Some coaches, are highly proficient in training their wards, in Physical Fitness and Skills training. Very few are proficient in all three, like Abinav Bindra’s German Coach and Vijay Kumars Russian Coach. Often we get to see an athlete working with a team which comprise of individuals who specialize in all three above mentioned aspects.

While SAI has done a creditable job of backing and funding ours sportsman, it is usually left to individual federations to appoint well qualified coaching staff. It is here that almost all these associations are bereft of Mental Trainers. Even the currently highly successful NRAI has yet to pick a good Mental Trainer. Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar have their own coaches, who have taken care of this crucial aspect (mental training).

Take a look at the performance of those who were highly rated, yet were not supported with good mental training techniques. Anybody who has witnessed the highly rated Archers, would instantly spot the deficiency in mental training, through their body language and dismal facial expressions, at the start of their own events.

Many in India stake claim to Mental Training, I have personally attended some and found them to be full of bullshit. This is because, these fellows, prescribe a general prescription to all sportsmen, ignoring the highly demanding specifics of each sporting discipline.

Mental Trainers too, have to be specialized with a strong active background in the sports discipline, they wish to train their wards in. I can say this from experience, it is just not possible for someone, who has never shot a match or shot in a final, to be able to mentally train another shooter correctly.

This is because the trainer himself, must be able to EMPATHIZE (to identify with and understand somebody else’s feelings) in order to guide his ward with the correct mental techniques. And this he can only do, if he himself has been under fire.

Finally, those who court the media willingly, enjoying the glare of publicity, face the maximum pressure and eventually pay the price very very harshly. Nobody fancied Vijay Kumar, a person who himself abhors all kind of publicity and also Joydeep Karmarkar, another unsung hero. Yet both performed magnificently under fire in their respective finals.

I don’t have to name the several others who have crumbled in the past and are facing the same harsh reality.

[nagarifle]

yes i will agree with you for once, long back in my very young days, i set up two days before and mentally pictured each shot from aim to hit, and hit on the target. i got a price as it worked.

[hvj1]

i set up two days before and mentally pictured each shot from aim to hit, and hit on the target. i got a price as it worked.

Dear Nags,
What you did was dead right, but only part of the mental preperation which comprise the following;

1. Pre match Mental Training= Which includes the time you leave your home till the time you reach the venue of the match.

2. During the Match Mental Training= Right from the moment you take your position on the firing line ( like what you did) till the end of the match.

3. Post match Mental Training = Visulaisation of the post match result and handling everybody around you.

Above three aspects are dilligently practised during training period and all practice sessions.

Best

[nagarifle]

heck its becoming a habit, to agree with you more then once that is.lol

3 points are well worthy to practice will help one to get the bull.

at the time one does not know when one is going to shoot or scoot