Research and empirical work have revealed the importance of psychological/mental skills, factors, and strategies in improving athletic performance, especially in racket sports. High levels of self-confidence, commitment, motivation as well as the ability to imagine, self-regulate, set and achieved goals, control emotion, stress, and anxiety facilitate the ability of the racket sport players to achieve peak performance. For example, players and coaches recognize that the mental or psychological factor should be considered and trained in the same way as the technical or physical components. The aim of this Research Topic is to bring together articles in which psychological techniques, factors, or strategies are discussed, used, or tested in order to improve the performance of racket sport players such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, or squash, and also in new activities such as racketlon, paddle or beach tennis. Topics of primary interest include, but are not limited to: • Mental training for racket sports; • The role of mental coach in racket sports; • Psychological strategies to improve the performance in racket sports; • Relationship between performance and psychological factors; • Applied performance enhancement by means of psychological technics; • Measures of psychological variables in racket sport players; • Training of psychological skills for performance improvement in racket sport.

Advances in Applied Sport Psychology aims to bridge the gap between research and practice in contemporary sport psychology. Now available in paperback, the book draws together reviews of cutting edge research in key areas of applied sport psychology, assesses the implications of this research for current practice, and explores future avenues of research within each thematic area. This book surveys the scientific literature underpinning the most important skills and techniques employed in contemporary sport psychology, examining key topics such as: imagery goal setting self-talk stress management team building efficacy management attention control emotion regulation mental toughness. Representing the most up-to-date review of current scientific research, theory and practice in sport psychology, this book is a vital resource for all advanced students, researchers and practitioners working with athletes and sports performers.

The proceedings of the Second World Congress of Science and Racket Sports and Fifth International Table Tennis Federation Sports Science Congress contain six keynote lectures which provide the latest research on a range of sport science topics as applied to tennis, table tennis, squash and badminton. The book is divided into six parts which deal respectively with Physiology, Nutrition, Preparation for Play, Psychological Aspects, Medical, Biomedical and Technical Aspects, and finally Notational Analysis. Sports scientists, coaches, physiotherapists, physicians and professional from racket sports industries will find that this book gives them access to the latest research from a world-wide group of experts. It will also provide an invaluable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The editors have expertise in racket sports as well as in the various scientific disciplines covered at the Congresses. They have all been active in promoting the links between scientific theory and coaching practice.

The positive benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health are now widely acknowledged, yet levels of physical inactivity continue to be a major concern throughout the world. Understanding the psychology of physical activity has therefore become an important issue for scientists, health professionals and policy-makers alike as they address the challenge of behaviour change. Psychology of Physical Activity provides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the fundamentals of exercise psychology, from mental health, to theories of motivation and adherence, and to the design of successful interventions for increasing participation. Now publishing in a fully revised, updated and expanded fourth edition, Psychology of Physical Activity is still the only textbook to offer a full survey of the evidence base for theory and practice in exercise psychology, and the only textbook that explains how to interpret the quality of the research evidence. As the field continues to grow rapidly, the new edition expands the behavioural science content of numerous important topics, including physical activity and cognitive functioning, automatic and affective frameworks for understanding physical activity involvement, new interventions designed to increase physical activity (including use of new technologies), and sedentary behaviour. A full companion website offers useful features to help students and lecturers get the most out of the book during their course, including multiple-choice revision questions, PowerPoint slides and a test bank of additional learning activities. Psychology of Physical Activity is the most authoritative, engaging and up-to-date book on exercise psychology currently available. It is essential reading for all students working in behavioural medicine, as well as the exercise and health sciences.

Emotions in Sport is the first comprehensive treatment of how individual and team emotions affect athletic performance. Edited by renowned Olympic advisor, researcher, and teacher Yuri Hanin, the book provides you with -a comprehensive understanding of emotional patterns such as anxiety, anger, and joy, as well as their impact on individual and team performance; -solid methods for determining the optimal emotional state of individual athletes; -innovative strategies for avoiding overtraining, burnout, and fatigue, while helping enhance performance; -an overview of injury management and the positive emotional states that can actually accelerate the healing process; and -a long-overdue look at exercise, emotions, and mental health. Created and developed by Dr. Hanin during 30 years as a sport psychologist, the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) model is the key conceptual framework in Emotions in Sport. The model can help you describe, predict, and explain the dynamics of emotion/performance for individual athletes and provides you with strategies for creating optimal emotional states and enhancing athletic performance. Appendixes to the volume include a reproducible IZOF model form and step-by-step data collection instructions for your use. Emotions in Sport incorporates the insights, wisdom, and experience of authorities worldwide to give you a new perspective on this important subject and its impact on athletes.

Performance Optimization in Taekwondo from Laboratory to Field provides the latest and most comprehensive information related to Taekwondo training and competition. Its accuracy and reliability make it a reference for both Taekwondo coaches and researchers.