Sport Psychology: The Basics provides an accessible introduction to the fundamental ideas at the heart of Sport Psychology today. It examines the links between sport participants’ behaviours, their personality and their environment to identify the factors which affect performance. Exploring theory and practice, it uses case studies to illustrate how key areas of theory are applied within a sport psychologist’s practice, answering such questions as: What is sport psychology and what do sport psychologists do? What factors affect sporting performance? Which psychological characteristics are associated with achievement in sport? How can performance be improved by using theory? With a glossary of key terms, suggestions for further study and ideas for improving performance, Sport Psychology: The Basics is an ideal introduction for students of sport and coaches who would like to know more about how sport psychologists address questions about human behaviour in sport.

"For serious players and coaches. Relaxation and focus techniques, imagery/visualization/simulation; science instead of guesswork."--Cover.

This comprehensive and accessible resource can be used as textbook or a self-help book and is aimed at students, athletes, coaches, sport scientists or indeed any-one looking to enhance their performance, whatever their sport or activity. The psychological concepts may even be useful for those working in business. It covers the key topics in sport psychology, but also addresses current issues such as talent identification, mental toughness, risk taking, stress management, mindfulness, gender issues, sporting injuries and the use of social media. It contains examples from a multitude of sports around the world, and new developing areas such as strength and conditioning, extreme sport and combat sports. Recognising the importance for the reader to fully understand the topic in order to apply this knowledge, the book provides a comprehensive overview of each topic before presenting practical applications as well as recommending online resources. Every chapter focuses around answering key questions integral to each topic within sports psychology, helping the reader to progress in their understanding of the theory and learning how to apply it. Sports used as examples include: football (soccer), rugby, tennis, cricket, motorsport, swimming, winter sports, weight lifting, martial arts, athletics (track & field), baseball, and American football.

The e-book for Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology, is available at a reduced price and allows students to highlight, take notes throughout the text. When purchased through the Human Kinetics site, access to the e-book is immediately granted when the order is received. Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology provides a preparatory look at the opportunities and goals in the field of sport and exercise psychology. Rather than focus on theory and concepts, this text answers basic questions for newcomers to the field by providing information on what sport and exercise psychology is and what it has to offer. It integrates applied and career information to show the basic principles of the field, contains information on where sport and exercise psychology professionals work, the types of jobs they hold, the services they provide, and the opportunities available to those thinking of entering the field. Engaging for readers of all levels, this book provides a clear and motivating vision of the future of the field and an update of the various career opportunities available. Throughout the resource, many features bring the practical aspects of sport and exercise psychology to life for those wondering what sport and exercise psychology is all about: -Success Stories highlight influential practicing sport psychologists and mental training consultants to give readers an idea of how researchers and professionals are applying their knowledge in jobs and the many possible career paths available. -Psychological Insights pull readers into the text with quirky or surprising “Did you know?” facts. -Numerous quotes emphasize what sport and exercise psychologists, practitioners, and athletes in the real world have to say about the topic at hand. -Real-life examples introduce readers to the possibilities ahead and get them excited about where further study can lead. -The appendixes contain additional resources that students can consult as they continue their career journey and provide tips for applying the principles of sport and exercise psychology in various professions. Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology examines what sport and exercise psychologists do, what they study, and how these factors relate to the real world. Part I of the text presents an overview of exercise and sport psychology, its current status within kinesiology, and the various career paths available. Part II explores the key objectives for people actually working in the field. Each of the seven chapters in part II covers an area commonly discussed in sport and exercise psychology, giving readers a better understanding of the main directions and visions for the field. Readers will briefly look at how sport psychology professionals and educators enhance the performance of individual athletes and teams, teach others how to create a positive sport environment, assess the mental skills of athletes, care for injured athletes, and encourage involvement in exercise and fitness. The emerging areas of counseling athletes regarding life skills and clinical issues are also discussed. This text is the first in the new Human Kinetics Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Science series. The series helps students and professionals understand the basic topics, goals, and applications of the many subdisciplines in kinesiology. This and other books in the series provide a solid grounding that readers can use as a jumping-off point for further study. Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology will leave students with a clear understanding of what sport and exercise psychology professionals do and where they work. Just as important, the book will motivate them to continue their exploration of the many rewarding career paths the field has to offer. Instructions for downloading and accessing the e-book will be provided once the order is complete. Adobe Digital Editions® System Requirements Windows -Microsoft® Windows® 2000 with Service Pack 4, Windows XP with Service Pack 2, or Windows Vista® (Home Basic 32-bit and Business 64-bit editions supported) -Intel® Pentium® 500MHz processor -128MB of RAM -800x600 monitor resolutionMac PowerPC -Mac OS X v10.4.10 or v10.5 -PowerPC® G4 or G5 500MHz processor -128MB of RAM Intel® -Mac OS X v10.4.10 or v10.5 -500MHz processor -128MB of RAM Supported browsers and Adobe Flash versions Windows -Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or 7, Mozilla Firefox 2 -Adobe Flash® Player 7, 8, or 9 (Windows Vista requires Flash 9.0.28 to address a known bug)Mac -Apple Safari 2.0.4, Mozilla Firefox 2 -Adobe Flash Player 8 or 9 Supported devices -Sony® Reader PRS-505 Language versions -English -French -German

Sport Psychology: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear, jargon-free English and providing added-value features like summaries of key experiments and even lists of questions you might be asked in your seminar or exam. The book uses a structure that mirrors the way sports psychology is taught on many university courses, and is split into theory and application. Chapters in the first part include coverage of essential personality traits, including mental toughness, confidence, motivation and character. The chapters on applied sports psychology cover topics such as assessment, working with groups, skills training, coping techniques and working with coaches and children. There is also substantial coverage of measurement questionnaires, skills and routes to practice. Sport Psychology employs the 'Breakthrough Method' to help you advance quickly at any subject, whether you're studying for an exam or just for your own interest. The Breakthrough Method is designed to overcome typical problems you'll face as learn new concepts and skills. - Problem: "I find it difficult to remember what I've read."; Solution: this book includes end-of-chapter summaries and questions to test your understanding. - Problem: "Lots of introductory books turn out to cover totally different topics than my course."; Solution: this book is written by a university lecturer who understands what students are expected to know.

Sport psychological training, an important part of athletes’ preparation, can give them the final edge in competition. This book provides a systematic structure for conducting sport psychological interventions that can be followed not only by sport psychologists, but also by athletes and coaches. The authors describe sport psychological measures that are based on scientific knowledge and have proven to be valuable in their applied work. The book is divided into two main parts. Part 1 presents the basic structure for sport psychological interventions and Part 2 focuses on concrete interventions and training measures. Part 1 further addresses the importance of personality factors for sports performance, illustrates how an athlete’s personality development can be enhanced, gives basic knowledge about diagnostic tools, and discusses talent selection. The second part of the book describes basic training, which focuses mainly on relaxation techniques, as well as skills training, essential for the stabilisation of athletic performance. Maintaining a balanced recovery-stress state is particularly important for the avoidance of overtraining. The book illustrates how athletes’ stress and recovery levels can be monitored in order to prevent overtraining. Part 2 further addresses how critical situations in an athlete’s career (including, for example, conflicts, career termination, and injuries) are to be handled, presenting various impact interventions, including clinical hypnosis. The final chapter of the book presents a mental toolbox, giving the practitioner an overview that will help to quickly identify a problem, its possible causes, and solutions.

Acquiring the winning edge in sports-the mental edge Mental conditioning is now seen by many to be as critical to sports success as physical conditioning. And for parents eager to ensure their children have a winning edge-as well as a future college scholarship-nothing could be more critical to success. This book offers readers a comprehensive program to gain that winning edge, providing training tips and techniques along with helpful advice to keep in mind while competing. With practical advice on how to strengthen concentration (and when you shouldn't concentrate), talk yourself into winning, and develop routines that will lead to consistent improvement, the book's full personalized program will help any athlete gain over time the winning edge in any sport With tips on how to regulate your energy to avoid exhaustion; and how to enhance your team's chemistry through sports psychology Loaded with real-world examples from amateur and professional sports of all kinds Applicable to not only sports-but business as well-Sports Psychology For Dummies will enhance any competitor's motivation, focus, and will to win, when facing life's toughest challenges.