Even Tiger Woods can get the “Yips”

Tiger Woods

Even Tiger Woods can fall victim to the “Yips”

Tiger Woods has had his fair share of golfing problems recently how Tiger got the yips Hainey and now to add to that it appears that he has been suffering from the yips around the greens. Once the master of the most any shot in the bag it seems that at one point recently even a simple chip shot was not always guaranteed to land on the green for him.

What it must feel like for a pro of any standing let alone Tiger’s it is hard to imagine but for the amateur whose head gets infiltrated with this toxic experience it may not be the end of their profession but it will certainly take out a major percentage of the pleasure in their golf game.

There seems only limited expert help out there for this problem and working with a pro on your stroke whether putting or chipping is important to help you to have a clear idea of the correct way execute the stroke. However it is not guaranteed that the brain will obey these instructions once the problem has started and this is where finding someone with the knowledge of the psychology of the game, and with knowledge of techniques to help the brain and body re route these mistimed messages whilst quietening the “demons in the head” that seem to sabotage every thought of hitting a clean shot is invaluable.

I work very successfully in this area with pro and amateur golfers and also in such sports as snooker, darts and tennis. The first thing is to halt the stream of negative self talk that drains any possibility of confidence and for this I use a simple mental phrases that you can take with you and say to yourself wherever you are and whatever the situation. Instead of using the usual “pump me up” power phrases such as “let’s go for it” and “in the hole” try saying to yourself any time you have a negative thought “that thought is not available”. You will be able to use the other phrases later but one step at a time.

Sounds too simple to be true doesn’t it but the reason it works so effectively is that it is a post hypnotic suggestion. In other words it bypasses the conscious mind and embeds itself in the unconscious whereas anything like the previous phrase will just get batted backwards and forwards round the conscious mind. And it is imperative to clear the negative debris that has been left from past negative experience before we can start putting in positive affirmations that we will believe.

Part of my work in this area deals with “mind tips and techniques” that will help tune the mind and thoughts to a much more positive level The other part is using very simple but specialist techniques to reconfigure the brain circuits. Because the proprioceptive messages from brain to body that trigger the muscular responses are jumbled and distorted then we must have ways available that will cancel out the misdirected information and set up a clear path for clean messages to take their place. How would it feel to have available available simple techniques that will help build a much closer connection and feeling of what your muscles are doing that can literally begin to rewire your physical responses?

I know how powerful these techniques are simply because I have developed and used them successfully over the years in my own experience of years performing in front of large audiences as a professional musician. (Yes musicians can suffer from their own forms of the yips as well) This has meant my developing a unique but powerful set of tools, techniques and strategies aimed at helping performers in all areas achieve their best outcome for their skills and pleasure in their hobby or profession.
For more information just call or email and I will be happy to help you in person or over Skype.

“Sorry I’ve not been in touch, but it’s really just to say thanks. Since we met I have worked away at the swing thoughts we spoke about and have banished completely my short game problem. I don’t even acknowledge that word anymore my game is great even if its not went as well as I would have liked. I don’t have the same feeling of dread I used to have on approaching short shots or chips and my enjoyment of the game has improved greatly. So thanks again Roger.” CW

Gary Player used self hypnosis to help win the US Open 1965

Golfer

Today I am sharing a link featuring one of the most successful golfers in the history of the sport. Gary player  was a regular PGA tour winner from 1958 through to 1978 with nine Majors to his name. He was also the only golfer in the 20th century to win the British Open in three different decades.

At 80 years old he still puts himself through a punishing fitness routine that exemplifies the mindset that he has used all his life to create his amazing success. And what else did he use? Self hypnosis.

For anyone looking for inspiration to help achieve their goals this is a must read and inspiring article. I am sure you will enjoy it.

Gary Player used self hypnosis to help win the US Open

The Open Golf, Rory McIlroy, Gary Player and Self Hypnosis

Hypnosis for higher performance skills

There was a fascinating interview on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning (20/07/14) with golfing legend Gary Player discussing the pressures of competing in the final round of the 2014 British Open at Hoylake. With Rory McIlroy poised with a 6 shot lead to take the crown Gary Player was asked how, in his career he dealt with the pressure of holding onto a lead on the final day against such players as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino close behind in the final round. Gary talked about the major changes that he sees in the physical and mental areas of the game as everyone looks for that extra edge that makes all the difference. He was a pioneer in physical fitness for golf and was weight training at a time when most players would have thought that that level of physical fitness unnecessary. His three important markers to optimum achievement were working on physical strength, mental strength and attention to diet.

These days the rewards in sport are so great that no one can afford to leave anything to chance. Being able to control the mind and keep oneself in a state of higher awareness and intense mental clarity is the way to engage fully with every technical detail that has been painstakingly practised in training and on the practise ground. So how did Gary Player as far back as the 60’s and 70’s keep his mind focused and clear for those six hours of intense concentration when his closest rivals were breathing down his neck knowing that every shot could mean success or disaster? What was the secret method he used to keep his mind and body fully focused on the job of reaching the finishing line in first place?

Self hypnosis

So what is this optimum state and how can we achieve it? The great racing driver Ayrton Senna eloquently describes this state with an experience he had while on the way to winning the Monaco Grand Prix in 1988.

“That day I suddenly realised I was no longer driving consciously and I was in a different dimension. The circuit for me was a tunnel through which I was just going, going, going and I realised that I was well beyond my conscious understanding”

This is a wonderful description of the “out of body” heightened awareness state that any great sportsman or artist is aiming to develop as they take their skills to an ever higher level. The question is how do we access it whenever required rather than just hoping it will suddenly “turn up” at the crucial moment.

Being “In The Zone” is being in a state of trance, and hypnosis is a trance state that virtually anyone can access. All sports psychologists will talk about visualisation as a key to performance and hypnosis is the key to visualisation that gives anyone access to a greater part of their creative mind. Once that part of the mind is activated then the fluency of one’s hard won technical ability can become, as Senna describes, automatic.

Hypnosis is a fantastically powerful and accessible way to build a mental and visual repertoire of the information and mind sets required to take any skill to the highest level. Neither does hypnosis have to be a state that is only accessed with one’s eyes closed. Think of daydreaming and you have self hypnosis. Imagine being able to access the height of your skills in the best situations wherever and whenever with a mental skill that will engage your creative mind in a positive way. And with this ability being able to release simply and effectively all that information programmed into your muscles.

This heightened sate is often described by many of the top performers. Being “on a roll” or “in the zone” is a description of accessing a trance like state, and we can all do it. However knowing how to access it whenever required is a key to top performance.

So now we know that Rory Mcilroy won The Open at Hoylake with two shots to spare and this will take him even closer to the very highest level of golfing greats. All great performers have access to this state and Tiger Woods is another player said to have used hypnosis on a regular basis. Accessing hypnosis is easy but knowing how to use it to full advantage can bring amazing results.

I work with professional athletes, footballers, performing artists, snooker players and in fact with anyone who is searching to develop that next level of consciousness that allows them to access the very best of their skills day in day out.

If you would like to book an appointment, or to find out more information – please call 07970218451 or send an Email. 

I will be happy to discuss with how Hypnosis, EFT and the many other techniques I use could help take your skills to the next level.

High Performance Sport Challenge

High Performance Sport Challenge

High Performance sport and some must have deal breakers

Are you a professional sports person looking for that extra something to make all those hours, days, weeks and months of training and practice develop into results that could bring the results that you feel your talent deserves? Perhaps you compete to a high standard or on an amateur level yet experience that same level of disappointment that all your hard work does not quite seem to equal the results or pleasure you feel you could achieve in your performance.Is it really just technique that will bring the cream of the contestants to the surface or is there something else that can bring that extra ingredient that adds sparkle, intuition and focus to a performance whether on the football pitch, the golf course or the athletics meeting? This is an interesting question because modern training methods have reached a new peak over the last few years and nothing is left to chance. Physical fitness, nutrition and all the mind game training methods that can help with that performance edge required to reach peak performance are all available to contestants at virtually all levels. If you look on the golf tours virtually every player has what looks like a perfectly honed swing plus a strong physique that has been crafted through many hours in the gym. Thirty years ago every golf swing looked different and individual but now with modern technology we are able to compute from a multitude of angles, speeds, spins and trajectories all this information, collate it on a computer and come up with the optimum sequences and physical adjustments required for the perfect swing.So what is it that makes the difference between the front runners and the pack that seems to help a few rise to new heights in their chosen discipline?
Training, attention to detail, dedication are just a few of the “must haves” one must use to achieve success in any walk of life but the real difference that makes the extra difference is going on in the mind. So what are some of these differences that count for that something extra?• The ability to hold ones nerve when in the most intense performance situations • The techniques to help let go of past unconscious negative conditioning • The ability to rapidly release disappointing experiences when they occur • To be able to learn from these experiences. (And they will happen but there is no place for self recrimination) • To have access to mind tools that can be used at the drop of a hat that can deal with any situation as it arises. (We don’t have the choice in competition to sort it later. We must have tools to sort it now!) • To have an inner vocabulary that matches your goals and achievements. (Listen to the way Andy Murray has upped his self talk and see the difference it has helped make for his results) • The ability to have a self belief that actually generates results in performance. (Only when you believe results are coming with a deep inner conviction can your mind and body generate the technique that brings those results) • To develop a mindset that misses nothing in your quest and that can draw every nugget of information that is of value in your aims from every source around you.These qualities are just the sort of qualities that top performers use instinctively. That is why on the outside the results they achieve often appear to be ridiculously easy and their technique miraculously simple. But you can learn this as well with the right knowledge and understanding of how these internal techniques work. Think what a difference that could make to your results and enjoyment of the sport you love. Yes, just think of it now because if you want to find a new pathway to greater achievement and unlock that extra nugget of technique that you know you surely have there are simple yet extremely powerful tools available to do just that. I have helped many top professionals from many areas of competition achieve more of their goals by helping them unlock these hidden qualities. If you would like to know why many of my techniques take the inner psychology of performance to another level and how they really could help you reach the next level in your performance you can contact me by email or phone and I will be ready to tell you more. I not only work one to one but also with Skype so distance is no problem.

Photo Credit : www.ebikeshed.com